October 18, 2007 by UTRGV Student Media

Thursday October 18, 2007

58th Year No. 8

LEGISLATIVE

MEMORIUM

Undocumented students await DREAM Longtime Measure would make college more accessible By LEZETTE VILLARREAL The Pan American

Hector is unsure whether his graduation from The University of Texas-Pan American will secure him a job — at least one in the United States. “It’s hard to know that I graduated from high school almost for nothing,” said Hector, an illegal resident, who chose to withhold his last name. “It’s hard for people to understand why I’m still pursuing my education if I might not be able to get a job in the U.S. when I

graduate.” Although it may be difficult for illegal immigrants like Hector to live in the United States, Texas is one state that allows such undocumented students to attend college under certain conditions, regardless of resident status. Illegal immigrants who have resided in the United States for three or more years, graduated from a state high school, and promise to file for legal immigration status have the ability to apply for in-state tuition. But this does not necessarily ensure citizenship after graduation. A new bill, currently being reintroduced to the U.S. Senate, hopes to help students in Hector’s case. The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, originally introduced

in 2001, has slowly gained popularity and support in Congress. Though the DREAM Act, which has many different versions, has never been brought to a floor vote as a standalone bill in either the U.S. House or Senate, it has been approved in the past by the Senate Judiciary Committee. At one point, it had 47 co-sponsors. About 65,000 undocumented individuals graduate from high school in the United States every year. Some of these individuals have resided in the United States for five years or more, but in some states are prevented from receiving any assistance to enter a college or university because of their citizenship status. According to the National Immigration Law Center, 10 states have

passed laws permitting certain undocumented students who have attended and graduated from their primary and secondary schools to pay the same tuition as their classmates at public institutions of higher education. To qualify, all 10 states require students to have attended a school in the state for a certain number of years, graduated from high school in the state and signed an affidavit stating that they have either applied to legalize their status or will do so as soon as eligible. In Texas, H.B. 1403 broadened state residency for students to include all graduates of Texas high schools, regardless of immigration status, that are enrolled in a state college/university, have resided in Texas for three or more

See DREAM page 11

U.S. perspective: Illegal residents in college

THIS WE E K

The map above shows which states have allowed illegal residents to attend college since 2001. To attend college, students in these 10 states are required to have graduated high school in the state and signed an affidavit stating that they have applied for legal residency or will do so soon. If passed, the DREAM Act would open admission to undocumented potential students in all states.

NEWS

National Coming Out Day spurs discussion See Page 3

A&E

Jazz in RGV unique, enthusiasts say See Page 8 and 9

SPORTS

Midnight Madness marks start of basketball season See Page 16

math prof succumbs to cancer By BOBBY CERVANTES

The Pan American

Miguel Paredes, a veteran math professor at The University of Texas-Pan American, died on Thursday following a yearlong battle with cancer. He was 65. His students remember him as a dedicated and enthusiastic professor. Fidel Rodriguez, a math professor at Austin Community College and former student of Paredes, remembers him as someone greatly dedicated to his craft. “I always noticed how much hard work and effort that he put into his teaching, that I often tried to match his hard work and effort by studying more because I wanted to be a better student,” he said. “He was very tough and hard on us sometimes, PAREDES but it was because he wanted us students to learn and know the material well.” Rodriguez said that Paredes would go out of his way to aid students in their academic endeavors. “I recall him holding special tutoring sessions with students, he gave us these opportunities because he cared about each of us,” he said. “[Paredes]

See PROFESSOR page 11

CAMPUS

Population research center in works

Center would study health, more in RGV

By ABIGAIL MUNIZ The Pan American

A group of professors and staff from various departments at the University of Texas Pan American are developing a proposal to create a new center for population research on the

campus. While the group has been meeting consistently to assess the feasibility of the center’s creation, there is one obstacle standing in the way of all planning: funding. The group has met three times in the past month, with members from the colleges of education, social and behavioral sciences and health sciences. Their interests as representatives of their area of study are to weave the different disciplines into a general idea of population research.

Fred Ernst, a psychology and anthropology professor who heads the group, said that at this point, they are discussing whether there is going to be ample support and funding for the center. “If I understand things correctly, there are two levels of funding for population research centers, a group that has been funded for quite a while and is very well known, and then there’s a couple of new kids on the block who can ask for more money to further strengthen [research]” Ernst said. “There really

isn’t any [funding] with no center.” Wendy Lawrence-Fowler, vice provost for research and sponsored projects for the Office of Academic Affairs, said that the project is not yet well defined, so a search for funding can begin when it has organizational structure. “The group needs to bring some focus, a vision. Then, we could start funding the projects,” Fowler said. “The Office of Research and Sponsored Projects could help them identify

See RESEARCH page 11

Page 2 PONDERINGS

O PINION THE PAN AMERICAN

Fall TV more hype than delivery

BY: JEANETTE PEREZ

all is the season for new network lineups; the best, hottest must-see premieres that everyone’s been waiting for. Rather than making a great first impression, most debut shows leave me wondering why I even bother to turn on the television anymore. It used to be that TV networks spent millions of dollars producing quality, entertaining programs that everyone could sit around the living room watching, huddled closely around their TV screens, enjoying it. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of shows this season that I was dying to see return. NBC’s “Heroes,” “The Office,” and “My Name is Earl” are shows that have had me hooked from the start. The CW has me crazy for “Smallville” and “Supernatural,” and

QUINTERO QUESTIONS

ABC makes my lazy Sundays come to life with the not-your-average “Desperate Housewives.” But those are just the good shows. What about the what-were-they-thinking ones like “Cavemen,” “Bionic Woman,” “Chuck,” and “Life” that are plaguing TV screens nationwide? The worst thing a network can do besides adding lame shows to the lineup is replacing good programs with fresh crap. As if it wasn’t bad enough that “Cavemen” spawned off from the ridiculous Geico Auto Insurance commercials, but to have it replace a popular hit, might I mention Latino, one “The George Lopez Show” is insane. How can these ABC executives take themselves seriously when they’ve replaced a Hispanic family with a bunch of cavemen and expect high ratings from it? As

if ABC hadn’t pissed me off before by having one of my favorite shows, “Invasion,” wiped off the face of the network after only one season, they have managed to yet again ruin another fall schedule by adding flops to a slowly crumbling network. The saddest part is that while these shows will have been hyped since before the season even started, most of them will fail to last through the entire fall. Network executives waste the public’s time by pursuing shows with unfortunate ends that will never see the light of day. The Fox network is the king of heavy-hitting flops. In 2005, their much tagged “Headcases,” starring the unlovable Adam Goldberg and Chris O’ Donnell, only made it one episode before it died out. Fall 2005 I must admit

was one of the worst seasons for Fox. When will these networks learn to stick to the good stuff and not fall for every single script thrown at their desks? I’m not much of a reader, but with the shows airing this fall, I may just trade my beloved HD and Surround Sound for a more scientific, historical approach to cavemen: a history book. Do you like what you’re seeing on TV this fall? Do tell: fae_myst@yahoo.com

Silence more than virtue, it’s a hard lesson BY: ERICK QUINTERO

had my popcorn ready, but apparently Terrell Owens forgot to bring the butter. We never cover professional sports at The Pan American, so I’ll take this time to talk about what’s on most every sports fan mind: the Dallas Cowboys. But I’ll also try to keep our time together as productive as possible with some food for thought to keep the educational content up to par. I should have known better about T.O. Don’t get me wrong; I love loudmouth receivers whose end zone celebrations I look forward to every Sunday night on SportsCenter. I love it! It’s part of the game and what fans pay to see. I think it all stems from my sport-saturated youth, watching Dennis Rodman’s antics with the Bulls’

October 18, 2007 THE

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

teams of the late ‘90s. To this day I’m still a fan of his colorful hair styles and crazy get-ups. It’s all showbiz, right? I’ll be the first to admit; while I’m not keen on prima donnas who don’t produce, I do enjoy controversial figures like T.O. What can I say? I’m a guy, but most importantly a guy who enjoys football. Off to a 5-0 start, the best since Jerry Jones took over, the Cowboys looked poised to make a run at the Super Bowl, but they had to take on the highly anticipated match-up against the New England Patriots — yeah, we all know how tragic that debacle turned out to be. No, no need to dwell on it. I knew better than to get my hopes up. What I really looked forward was the press conference after the game, where ‘the original 81’ would have something to amuse us with. Instead, due to the magnitude of

the ass-whipping they endured, T.O. was nowhere to be found. Afterwards, I felt gypped. No post-game T.O. interview equals big yawn. On the flipside, this weekend I covered a local high school football game for The Monitor. I tried getting a comment from who I thought was the best player on the field. The kid did it all both ways, huge interceptions, tackles galore and on offense: forget about it the kid was, well, the man. But much to my surprise the kid had nothing to say, his team is still undefeated and for him it seemed to be all that mattered. This high schooler paid homage to what has often become a sportswriter cliché, ‘he lets his game do the talking.’ I don’t know the exact reason why he didn’t want to talk to me. He did say it was nothing against me; he just didn’t

talk to that particular publication. Why? Don’t know, don’t care, hey I quickly moved on to the next guy. As I pondered over the weekend as to why he didn’t want to talk, I was a bit bothered. Certainly a quote from him could have made my story better, but I took from this young high school kid a far more valuable lesson. Sometimes it’s better not to say anything. Just because one has a platform to do so, doesn’t mean you should. In a world with so many media tools at our disposal; i.e. blogs and YouTube (yuck!) everyone has something to say, and more often than not its rhetorical garbage. I think T.O. might be catching on.

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

Designers

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

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

Reporters and Photographers

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

Sports Editor Erick Quintero................................................. erickquintero4@hotmail.com Photography Editor Veronica Gonzalez........................................... vdgonzalezz@gmail.com Design Editor Roy Bazan......................rbazanzz@yahoo.com

Rick Gamez Greg Garza Brian Carr

Leslie Estrada Onydia Garza Ramiro Paez

Lezette Villarreal

Still trying to learn how to keep quiet? Join the club: Erickquintero4@hotmail.com

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

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.

October 18, 2007

22 26 22 -- 26 Savethesedates October

Various programs will be held for Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week. For more information call the University Program Board at 316-7991

24 24

The Department of Modern Languages and Literature, Office of International Programs will be hosting a screening of "The Persuaders" at 4 p.m in CAS 309

Newsinbrief ALUMNI

The University of Texas–Pan American honored five distinguished alumni as “Pillars of Success” on Oct. 11 in the Visitor’s Center. The five honorees are: William F. Garrison, major general U.S. Army, Arturo E. Guerra Jr., retired attorney-atlaw and district judge, Dr. Marla M. Guerra, South Texas ISD superintendent, Lucious “Luke” Jackson Jr., Olympic gold medalist and former forward for the Philadelphia 76ers and Roberto Pulido, Tejano music recording artist. The "Pillars of Success" will be on display for the next two years. For more information on the exhibit call the Visitors Center at 381-2956.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Pan American accepts letters 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. Please limit submission length to 300 words. The Pan American cannot publish anonymous letters or submissions containing hate speech or gratuitous personal attacks. Please send all story ideas to the corresponding section editor or 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.

October 18, 2007 CAMPUS

HESTEC success in review

N EWS

ORGANIZATIONS

“It’s hard to try and make the community look good when you have decades of stereotypes working against you.”

Debunking stereotypes

Students use National Coming Out Day to spur conversation on issues

By BOBBY CERVANTES The Pan American

As school officials begin to plan and prepare for next year’s Hispanic, Engineering Science and Technology Week, questions arise as to how effective the project has been so far in meeting its goals. With The University of Texas-Pan American growing and beginning to attract a variety of minorities besides Hispanics, some also wonder whether the event’s target group should broaden. The lack of Hispanics in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, according U.S. Rep. Ruben Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, continues to be the driving force behind HESTEC. “HESTEC’s focus reflects both the demographics of the region and the disproportionately low levels of representation of Hispanics currently in the (socalled) STEM fields,” said Hinojosa, who has co-sponsored HESTEC since 2002. “However, I think that HESTEC Week provides an enriching and inspiring experience for anyone who attends,

See HESTEC page 12

Veronica Gonzalez/The Pan American

PRIDE - Deanna Schneyer, junior marketing major, pauses to watch a spirit rally in the quad during a parade for National Coming Out Day Oct. 11. The event, sponsored by gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender organization Gamma Lambda Beta aimed to spur conversation about homosexual issues.

Motorists note campus road repairs

Student and faculty commuters at The University of Texas-Pan American have found themselves in a bumpy situation. Potholes on streets like Sugar Road, Van Week Street and Schunior Road are making getting around campus in anything less than a high-performance vehicle a problem, and motorists are not happy about it. Jennette Palomo, a junior nursing student from Edinburg, said she travels daily through Van Week in her Pontiac Sunfire. With all the construction not

only around campus, but across the Rio Grande Valley, Palomo said a larger vehicle would probably hold up better. “I feel upset that nothing is being done about [the potholes on Van Week],” said Palomo. However, it is Edinburg city officials — not UTPA — who maintain the streets around campus. “We get calls from citizens concerning potholes, so we go out there to check and take care of them,” said Joe Zamora, street superintendent for the city of Edinburg. “That takes precedence over anything else.” City of Edinburg officials are in charge of maintaining roads around the university, but the maintenance of Van Week Street is left to UTPA officials. Van Week, which meets at a “T” with Sugar, has been the center of several student and faculty problems. The

deep potholes have slowed down traffic and also caused the scraping of the underside of low-profile vehicles. Some say the area has been in need of repair since the beginning of the semester, or earlier. Rachel Rivera, an administrative

See ROADS page 12

Pothole repair

Van Week Street Sugar Road

By J.R. ORTEGA The Pan American

By SANDRA GONZALEZ The Pan American

Apolonio Gutierrez came out of the closet three times. Two times it ended well. In his senior year, Gutierrez, president of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender organization Gamma Lambda Beta, came out to his father. Still, while they may be on speaking terms, his sexuality is “never discussed.” This is a common occurrence, according to GLB member Magdiel Alfonso, a junior nursing and art major at The University of Texas-Pan American. “We live in South Texas and there is a stigma about homosexuality,” he said. “Showing support for the GLBT community helps reduce the stigma.” In an effort to quell prevailing negative attitudes about homosexuality, the organization held a mini-parade Oct. 11, National Coming Out Day. While the group was small -- about 14 people -- it had expected only the organization’s 9 members to show. Alfonso was pleased. Not so pleasing -- at least to the Christian community -- is a recent study that shows younger generations are blaming prevalent anti-homosexual feelings on faith. A new study by The Barna Group, a Christian research and publishing

See COMING OUT page 12

PROFILE

INFRASTRUCTURE

Potholes on Van Week Street in process of repair

Page 3

THE PAN AMERICAN

Alum lands dream job

By LUPE FLORES The Pan American

Landing your dream job fresh out of college is something most students of higher education look forward to accomplishing. Angie Gonzalez, an alumnus from The University of Texas-Pan American, didn’t have to wait too long before attaining that. She presently serves as the dean of instruction in Sauceda Middle School in Donna, TX. She first graduated from the UTPA in June 2001 with a bachelor’s in English. She then earned her master’s degree in educational leadership and principal certification, also at UTPA. At 29, Gonzalez has accomplished what many in the education field do after many years of experience: serve as an administrator who must zealously,

smoothly, and strictly govern educational institutes. Receiving such an honorable position in educational leadership took a great amount of dedication, she said. Gonzalez said the experiences along the way to success -- such as working a full-time job, grad school, and even motherhood –- have in the end proved worthwhile. “When I was going for my B.A., I was office manager at an engineering company in McAllen,” she said. “It was difficult, but that is part of the game. As time passes and experience is gained, we become stronger. We learn how to play it better.” Gonzalez admitted she was uncertain about which career to choose when she received her master’s degree, though it was not long before she found her calling.

See ALUM page 12

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NEWS

October 18, 2007

SEEN AND CAPTURED

NEWS

Page 5

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Department hosts lecture on Sorority promotes spirituality, social responsibility AIDS awareness

Your Degree Education Beyond

CAMPUSLIFE

Veronica Gonzalez /The Pan American SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE - Hemant Wadhwani, founder of the United Community Deveopment Corp., delivers a speech on spiritualism Tuesday at the HSHE.

On Tuesday, the department of social work hosted a lecture presented by Hemant Wadhwani, the managing director of TranslationCity.com and founder of the United Community Development Corp. He is also working with the Dharma Capital Group, whose mission is to create socially responsible businesses by integrating the principles of dharma and ahimsa. In Hindi, the word dharma means to do no harm with any action, thought, word or deed, while ahimsa translates to nonviolence. Catherine Faver, a social work professor, invited Wadhwani to lecture for her spirituality social work course and invited other UTPA students via bulletins and announcements. She said the lecture was intended to help students understand different religious perspectives. Wadhwani talked on issues of social problems, business interrelationships, politics, the environment, animal rights and consumer behavior patterns. He explained that these factors all have an impact on health and humankind.

By NADIA TAMEZ The Pan American

In an effort to educate the community about AIDS prevention, Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority hosted a presentation by Guillermo Ramirez of the Valley AIDS Council in the Student Union Theater at The University of Texas-Pan American. “[College students] go and have casual sex or are not careful at times, so they’re scared to hear about these things because it might pertain to them,” said Rosemary Guerra, president of Alpha Sigma Tau. “I think it’s very important to help them understand.” During his Monday speech, which corresponded with National Latino AIDS Awareness Day, Ramirez touched on world and national statistics and facts about HIV. About 1,000 HIV patients are treated at the Valley AIDS Council Clinic in Harlingen, Ramirez said, and he estimates that the total HIV positive population in the Valley is between 1,700 and 2,000 people. “Some of the numbers today kind of blew me out of the water,” Guerra, 22, said. Hispanics make up 19 percent of all

Thurs. Oct. 18

new HIV cases, and African Americans account for 51 percent of them even though the two groups comprise only 25 percent of the total American population, according to Ramirez. Ramirez said that college-age students are difficult to reach out to with information. “People at this age do not think they are going to get sick, or they do not think it’s going to happen to them…but that’s just an illusion,” he said. “The people who get [infected with HIV most often] nationwide and worldwide are in this age range.” Melissa Medina, a clinical laboratory science major, said during an internship with Planned Parenthood, she did not notice many young people coming in asking for information about HIV. But about five people per week visited the clinic to get tested for HIV, most between the ages of 18 and 25, she added. HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system, specifically CD4 cells. “If you picture the immune system as a big orchestra, the CD4 is the director,” Ramirez said. “Without the director, the orchestra cannot play a good tune.”

See AIDS page 11

EVENTS

....... .......

By JULIET PEREZ The Pan American

Career Services: Creating a Career Path From 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. at the SU Sage Room

Student Organization Involvement Fair by College From 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Lobby UPB Movie: Monster Movie Marathon From 4:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. at the SU Theater Fri. Oct. 19

UPB Movie: Monster Movie Marathon From 4:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. at the SU Theater

Sat. Oct. 20

Valley Leadership Coalition Conference Various Locations, Engineering Building All Day Speaker: Jesus Nebot Starting at 11:30 a.m. at the Education Auditorium

Tues. Oct. 23

OSD Skill Builders: Alcohol Awareness SU Palmetto 6:30 - 7:30 pm UPB Coffeehouse: Speak your Truth Poetry Night Starting at 7:00 p.m. at the Student Union Café SU Guy’s Night From 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the SU Commons

Wed. Oct. 24 UPB Bronc Nights Movie: The Goonies

co-sponsored by the Outdoor Expedition Club

From 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Quad

For more info or to request special accommodations, please contact us at 381-2660 or log on http://dos.utpa.edu

Page 6

NEWS

October 18, 2007

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

October 18, 2007

THE PAN AMERICAN

I MUSIC SCENE

Frontera’s Latin jazz spices up Valley

By RUSSEN VELA The Pan American

The candles are lit, the cool air is breezing by and the smell of coffee and cinnamon swirl up the noses of those listening to jazz music. However, that is if you are in New York or Chicago. Down here in the Rio Grande Valley, when you hear jazz, you feel and smell it in a whole different way. Members of the Frontera Jazz Quartet, who played last week in the Student Union, know that the smooth sounds of so-called Latin jazz go over well with Valley crowds. Guitarist Clay Moore was enthusiastic about their performance and reaction from students. “Everything was perfect, both in presentation and professional wise,” said Moore, an Amarillo, Texas native. Junior psychology major Natalie Sandoval, who attended the event, expressed that much jazz music played in the Valley is a hybrid sound, with the result being a bit more “merenge” than blues. “Whenever you hear jazz music

down here in the Valley, it just sets the mood of everything. It’s so seductive in a way,” said Sandoval. This unique jazz sound is gaining popularity in the Valley, according to Moore. The Frontera Jazz Quartet is a main attraction at the McAllen restaurant, España Mediterranean Cuisine. The group has performed at España a couple of times and now by popular demand, plays at the restaurant at least three times a week. “Jazz is like great food, good wine, and good cigars,” said Moore. This group has the advantage of being among the only jazz players in the area, sometimes performing live as many as five times per week. Mark Castillo, freshman music major, said the appeal of Latin jazz is all in its mood-setting abilities. “Latin Jazz feels like your almost at a rave, the music is loud, the atmosphere is electrifying and dancing with somebody who feels these same emotions is definitely the highlight of Latin jazz,” said the 19-year-old from Edinburg.

Sidney Meadows/The Pan American JAZZ MAN - Frontera Jazz Quartet saxophonist and co-founder Joe Chapa has been playing and enjoying the upbeat sounds of jazz since age 15.

Page 7

I LOCAL SCENE

Local venues encourage growing poetry scene

By LAURA GARCIA The Pan American

Sidney Meadows/The Pan American IN SYNC - The Frontera Jazz Quartet, which consists of veteran guitarist Clay Moore, saxophonist Joe Chapa, bassist Matt Johnson and drummer Frank Lugo played at the UTPA Student Union Oct. 10.

Another sign of the growing scene can be found at the Brownsville Latin Jazz festival, which ran Oct. 11 through Oct. 14. The festival, which started in 1997, has become a recognized event in the Valley. This year, musicians such as Larry Harlow and jazz legend Giovanni Hidalgo – who is known as the best “conguero” (Congo drummer) in the jazz community were in attendance. Frontera Jazz’s saxophonist Joe Chapa feels that the festival has grown into a wider perspective. “Whenever we go on stage at the festival, we are just in awe that so many people showed up,” said Chapa. Chapa also emphasized that the reason why the Latin Jazz scene is growing is because many people are discovering it through movies and telenovelas. “Latin Jazz in those films and TV shows, show the characters enjoying life through music, and finally the valley is catching on,” Chapa laughingly said. The Frontera group admits that the Latin Jazz scene in the past has indeed been somewhat of a love/hate relationship. “People always say that blues jazz is more appealing than Latin, because it gets you in calm, relaxing mood, but I say that Latin jazz is way more inventive and while it is a little more eccentric and up beat, you definitely get a high from it,” said Frontera bassist, Matt Johnson. The jazz scene at UTPA has been swinging away with the help of Professor Dean R. Canty who conducts

the Jazz band ensemble. Canty came to UTPA in 1967 and teaches Symphonic Band, Jazz, and Trumpet. The conductor has played everything from famous bigbands, swing, and Latin. “After 39 years of a very successful Jazz ensemble, the Dean of COAH cancelled it,” said Canty. “We are now in the re-building process, with great anticipation of becoming a great jazz band.” When asked about the Latin Jazz scene Canty was quick to explain that, “Jazz has been an uphill battle, as there are no real good places to listen to it, no radio, and no real jazz clubs.” The 11th annual Brownsville Latin Jazz festival kicked off with the Frontera Jazz Quartet performing at Gazpacho’s Bistro on Oct. 11th. The festival was a free outdoor concert featuring the best from the Valley as well as international Latin Jazz bands. On Sunday, the last day of the festival, the Jazz bands put on one last concert. There the crowds cheer and wave flags, and make noise for their favorite bands to win the title of Best RGV Jazz band. It usually lasts about nine hours with food and beverages, great music and fun, in which the advertisers point out “This show can’t sell out…it’s free!” The Frontera Jazz Quartet’s playing dates are every Thursday 8 p.m. to midnight at the Tre Fratelli Restaurant in Brownsville Texas, and on November 2 they will be performing at the South Padre International Music Festival from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The poetry scene in the Rio Grande Valley appeared to be dormant for a while, but has recently undergone a growth period due to those who have taken it upon themselves to get the word out about the written word. When “The Poet Mariachi,” Daniel Garcia Ordaz was growing up in poverty, his defense against the torment he received at school for being poor was writing. “We grew up with hand-me-downs, government cheese, food stamps and all that. We had to rely on our wits to survive,” said the University of Texas-Pan American graduate. Writing became one of his outlets after his oldest brother Max and father passed away. All of his feelings poured out onto a piece of paper—angry poems, stories about his childhood, even country and punk songs. While Ordaz lives for poetry, he is also a singer (he belts out in song during readings), a journalist and photographer. Ordaz finds himself inspired by life: the good and the bad. “Rich or poor, we all have plenty to complain about, but I focus on the positive elements of our culture,” he said. “That certainly makes me feel like my poetry has found acceptance.” Ordaz founded the Poetry Pachanga and the Inaugural Rio Grande Valley International Poetry Festival planned for 2008, gatherings giving poets the opportunity to take part in contests and readings. He has held readings with various school districts and in the community as well. With the help of other poets, local businesses and authors, the poetry scene has gained popularity in South Texas. “The frontera area is attracting people from all walks of life and as a result the poetry scene is on an upward trajectory,” said Ordaz. To help cultivate the poetry culture, the Dustin Sekula Memorial Library of Edinburg hosted poetry readings in the past so experienced writers and amateurs

See POETRY page 10

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

October 18, 2007

Page 9

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Spanish-speaking networks becoming popular norm for news nationwide H

ispanic TV networks such as Telemundo and Univision have grown considerably due to the demand for entertainment and news in Spanish. What may come as a surprise, however, is that the networks are garnering attention in areas far beyond the Hispanic-dominated Rio Grande Valley. The growth of these stations is indisputable. Telemundo reaches 93 percent of United States Hispanic viewers in 142 markets through its 16 owned and operated stations, 36 broadcast affiliates, and nearly 684 cable affiliates. In June, Univision made television ratings history when the series finale of “La Fea Mas Bella,” beat all English television broadcasting networks as the most watched show for the night and the second most watched show of the week.

ASSIMILATION Blanca Gomez, a lecturer who teaches a Spanish-language media class at the University of Texas-Pan American, said watching the news of their native countries is the first step Spanishspeaking U.S. residents take to adapting to a new style of life. “People want to know what is going on in their native countries as well as in the U.S.,” said Gomez, also a news anchor for the Spanish news network, Univision. “They show interest to learn about the new country they live in and they do it by watching news in a language that they understand.” She also said that there is a process that people have to go through in order to catch on to the new society they belong to. “We can’t expect these people to come into the U.S. and learn the language right away,” said Gomez. “But we have to give them credit for getting informed and step by step assimilating into American society.” Conversely, Jack Stanley, Theater-Film-TV professor in the communication department at UTPA, said he thinks that the popularity growth and demand for the networks is due to lack of assimilation. “There are people who come from Spanishspeaking countries who don’t want to learn English and assimilate into American society,” said Gomez.

“Especially in an area like the Rio Grande Valley where most people speak Spanish.” Another reason why Hispanic TV networks have grown so much in popularity is because people that have roots in other countries want to still have a connection with home. Another factor that might influence the rapid growth of these networks is that these outlets are offering forms of entertainment not available elsewhere, such as TV novellas. “I think Univision and Telemundo would better themselves if there were to add English subtitles to their productions,” noted Fred Mann, a lecturer in the communication department. “I especially would enjoy the novellas with a translation underneath. My wife gets tired of translating for me sometimes.” While much talk about Spanish-language television may be about assimilation, the networks have also had an impact on the United States. In 2006, NBC Universal Television Group signed a two-year, first-look development deal with Galan Entertainment for the production of telenovelas and other Spanish-language formats in English. As part of the accord, NBC Universal, Galan Entertainment and Telemundo said they would leverage existing assets and expertise of the novela production system perfected by Telemundo — the second-largest Spanish-language content producer in the world — for the Spanish market. Telemundo agreed to license all its formats, in addition to other acquired formats, to Galan Entertainment which will re-develop them into English. QUALITY Mann also said that not only do Spanish-language outlets offer different programming, but their professionalism and quality have improved. “Look at KNVO Channel 48 news, they have excellent photography, production values and editing with their stories and scripts,” he said. “Quality work will get the audience.” Stanley agrees with Mann when talking about quality in these TV stations. “These networks have certainly improved the quality of their program offerings,” Stanley said. “The

production values: sets, costumes and locations are on par with any broadcast or cable outlet anywhere.” Programming has also taken a change for the better. In September, Univision held the first-ever Spanish presidential debate. Democratic candidates took the stage at the University of Miami and were asked questions in Spanish. Candidates, who wore earpieces, heard a translation and gave answers in English, but answers were translated into Spanish. Gomez stated that Hispanic TV networks have the pressure of direct competition among themselves to have quality programming for the public. “People expect quality work,” Gomez said. “Hispanic TV networks are obligated to have good programming because competition is out there, and if people don’t like what they see, they can easily change the channel.” She also said that although these networks compete with one another, Spanish-speaking networks are not dangerous for major TV networks such as NBC and CBS. “I don’t think that Hispanic television represents competition for these networks because different audiences are targeted,” Gomez said. “Spanish-speaking networks target Spanish-speaking audiences and vice-versa.” David Carren, Theater-Film-TV associate professor at UTPA, thinks that Univision and Telemundo’s growth is due to the fact that major networks have ignored the Hispanic market for many years. “This is starting to change in the prime-time sphere with network series like ‘Ugly Betty’ and ‘The George Lopez Show,’” he said. “However this material is still limited and doesn’t address sports, news, music and a whole variety of programming that the Hispanic outlets have been serving so well.” As the Hispanic market grows in the U.S., the situation will change, and the major networks will probably expand their Spanish programming. “I think that there is a real possibility that Telemundo and Univision could grow large enough to rival the major English-speaking networks if these entities don’t get in front of the issue,” Carren concluded.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

October 18, 2007

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Spanish-speaking networks becoming popular norm for news nationwide H

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October 18, 2007

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

MOVIE REVIEW

TV CORNER

Top-notch performances make ‘Clayton’ work

By FRANK CALVILLO The Pan American

Many people might not have heard of the new legal thriller “Michael Clayton,” and this is no accident. Warner Brothers, the studio behind the film, have taken great pains to ensure minimal promotion in theaters, billboards and on television. This could be due to just fear that the film, which offers a look at the dark side of corporate law, would have been treated less serious had it been

well-known that Hollywood favorite George Clooney was the star. They needn’t have worried. “Michael Clayton” is the story of a divorced, broke, middle-aged lawyer who works for a prestigious New York law firm. He no longer appears in the court room, but rather acts as a sort of “fixer” for the firm, taking care of difficult clients and “special cases” by way of various “connections.” When a long-time friend and associate (Tom Wilkinson) has a nervous

IMDB.com LEGAL ISSUES - Clooney takes on a role of lawyer in Gilroyʼs ʻMichael Claytonʼ

breakdown at the end of a multi-million dollar case, panic ensues among the firm and Michael is called in to do damage control. But as he delves further into the case, the crazy ramblings of his associate begin to make sense and he soon finds himself in a web of danger as he squares off against the firm’s client, a major corporation, who will stop at nothing to win. The film is the first time out in the director’s chair for screenwriter Tony Gilroy (the masterful scribe behind the “Bourne” series,) who also penned the film. Like his previous outings Gilroy has a precise talent for knowing when to speed up the film’s pace for the action and when to slow it down for the story. He has constructed a subtle thriller with brains, thereby satisfying both action lovers as well as fans of serious storydriven drama. The film’s talented cast is probably reason enough to go see the film. As the manic-depressive associate, Wilkinson literally steals the show, out shadowing every other actor on the screen while giving the performance of his career. As the evil corporation’s representative, Tilda Swinton downplays what could have been a cartoonish part. Her portray-

al of the character is both insecure and neurotic, making her more vulnerable as opposed to neurotic. Acclaimed director and character-actor Sydney Pollack is on-hand, doing serviceable work as always, as the head of Michael’s firm. As the star of the film, Clooney could just as easily have phoned in one of his typical, run-of-the-mill performances. However, he decides to play the character as he is written: broken, disillusioned and conflicted. He doesn’t give a movie star performance; instead he gives a performance that is a portrait of a beaten-down individual struggling to hold it together. “Michael Clayton” could easily be considered a “thinking man’s John Grisham,” and in a sense, rightfully so. The film succeeds in venturing into territory that we wish Grisham’s stories did. It is doubtful how much of a financial success “Michael Clayton” will be, but regardless, I believe the film will live on due to the tightly-woven script and the contributions from its stellar cast. While the film won’t shed light on any major issue that hasn’t already been brought to the forefront, it succeeds as one of the most cleverly-constructed thrillers to come around in a long time.

MUSIC REVIEWS

Foo Fighters, Radiohead take risks on latest By BRIAN CARR The Pan American

t’s been 12 years since Foo Fighter’s self-titled debut brought Dave Grohl into the post-Nirvana lime light. In 1995 it was generally assumed that the drummer’s solo venture would garner some associative success, and that Grohl would slip away into obscurity with Foo Fighters amounting to little more than a foot note on the legacy of the Kurt Cobain fronted band. But a dozen years later, and with four albums as testament, Grohl has established himself as one of a very rare breed – a musician with staying power. Very few musical acts can keep it together for over a decade. The Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2 and Greenday are a few that come to mind. And while most would not argue that Foo has the same influential power on popular music as these three bands, you would be hard pressed to find any other acts to label Foo’s peers. It could very well be that Foo has endured because of the credibility afforded to the one time Nirvana drummer Grohl. But the chief songwriter has been able to capitalize on an entirely different market than his one-time front

man Cobain. Grohl has been able to write uplifting and catchy songs. This was the predominant style evidenced on the ’95 debut, as with the sweet perky ditty “Big Me.” But on their latest album “Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace” Grohl has taken a more melancholy approach to his craft. Songs like “Let it Die” and “Summer’s End” are more haunting than heroic, and the instrumentation is sadder and more varied. If “Echoes” does anything for Foo it will be to bring critical appeal. It’s still Foo Fighter’s, but you could argue they’ve lost the fight.

Foo Fighters

Amazon.com

adiohead is the most recognizable, influential and commercially creative band of the past 20 years. Their albums “OK Computer” and “The Bends” changed the landscape of rock music by introducing lush, textured and ambient harmonies to a general listening public that trended toward formulaic and simple. Whether or not you like the band is irrelevant. Their relevance is unquestionable. Their music bridged a gap for acts like Modest Mouse, Wolf Parade, The Liars, The Strokes and The White Stripes to climb over. They reconfigured head music from organic to urban. They set a precedent for extremes, crafting songs that shift from lullaby to death rattle. Arguably, however, they fell into the overindulgence hangover of commercial appeal. But their recent release “In Rainbows” has breathed new life into the band, by turning up the volume. This is ironic, though, because there is only one place you can get the new release – www.inrainbows.com. But the ironies continue. The album can only be found at one internet address, but the price options are infinite.

This is because Radiohead is taking donations for the “In Rainbows.” No money, no problem. You can have it for free. Got a million dollars weighing you down? How about buying yourself “In Rainbows”? The 10-song album climbs and crawls through audio playscapes. It is deep, driving and haunting. “Jigsaw Falling into Place” builds upon a simple guitar lick that awakes a stubborn backbeat reminiscent of garage rock. “15 Step” clacks like reggaeton with lead singer Thom Yorke’s smokey vocals wavering like a lounge singers.

Radiohead

Amazon.com

What

You’re

Not

Watching “Reaper”

By JEANETTE PEREZ The Pan American

ctober is the month for all things spooky, chilling and terrifying. Haunting your television screens in a creepy, tickle-the-funny bone manner is the CW’s new comedy thriller, “Reaper.” Throughout his life, Sam Oliver (Bret Harrison) always got away with everything. Sam’s life looks bleak but everything changes once he turns 21. It’s then that Sam realizes someone else had bigger plans for him — Satan. Sam’s soul has belonged to the Devil (Ray Wise) since birth, and it is his time to serve Hell’s king as bounty hunter, collecting souls escaped from the fiery pits. Along with his friends, new powers and vessels, Sam prepares to face his destiny as the ‘reaper.’ Watch Sam send evil back to Satan’s lair Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. on the CW.

POETRY

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can come together to offer their thoughts for people to hear. Lauren Espinoza, a 22-year-old English major at UTPA, is a poet on the rise. She’s been writing since the second grade and enjoys the visceral experience. “For me, it’s very cleansing, kind of a purging of things that won’t come out any other way,” said the McAllen native. For her, poetry and culture are vital to the RGV. “People need to be exposed to different art forms that aren’t movies or TV and not be force fed images but rather create their own images using their mind,” said Espinoza. Other venues taking a part in supporting the arts are coffee shops, museums, bookstores and the UTPA Student Union. “The Valley poetry scene that I know of was jumpstarted by the Millennium Cafe and publications like the Mesquite Review,” said Ordaz. “Impromptu readings at coffee shops and at places like the Lopez Bar in the late 1990s and early 2000s helped to give the genre a nice boost.” Although poetry hasn’t yet become a trend in the RGV, Ordaz said he will continue to sing out for those willing to listen.

October 18, 2007

PROFESSOR continued from page 1

was a very close friend of mine and I will miss him dearly.” Born in La Serena, Chile, Paredes was strongly encouraged by family to continue his education after losing his father at age 8. He eventually graduated from La Universidad de Chile in Santiago, Chile with a bachelor’s degree in math. After the September 1973 military coup in his native country, he came to the United States and attended Columbia University in New York. Paredes eventually completed his master’s in mathematics and doctorate in mathematical economics at the University of Utah. He came to Pan American University — as it was then named — in 1982 after being hired as an assistant math professor. Here, he became one of the university’s busiest faculty members. Paredes was in charge of the Louis Alliance for Minority Stokes Participation program that provided financial support for undergraduate research students from 1993 to the present. He was also director of the Texas Pre-freshman Engineering Program, TexPREP, starting 1996, and director of the Bridge to the Doctorate program. Along with those duties, he still found time to coach the Bronc soccer team for many years. Many remember Paredes for constantly persuading young students to

continue their education. His legacy will prove to be a lasting one through of all the programs he was involved in, said longtime colleague Edwin Lemaster, dean of the College of Science and Engineering, who knew Paredes well. “He did an excellent service to the university,” he said. “I think his work with [TexPREP and Bridge to the Doctorate program] will be his legacy.” Miguel Paredes, his son, told The Monitor that he believes his father was able to study in the United States because of the mentoring he received from his brother and others, and this influenced his father’s interest in mentoring students. “For him, education was a ticket in a way,” he said. “I think the reason he worked in programs he did was because he wanted the kids to have the same opportunities.” Since his death, UTPA has started the Dr. Miguel Paredes Endowed Research Scholarship Fund for Mathematics, supported by the math department. Instead of flowers, his family asks for monetary donations to support the fund. Paredes is survived by his wife, Sonia Paredes, and four children, Angelica, Miguel Jr., Marcelo and Mario Paredes.

AIDS continued from page 5

The infection spreads throughout the body within three days and kills so many CD4 cells that the immune system may no longer function effectively. Ramirez said that HIV cannot be detected by tests until one to six weeks after the infection. Early signs of HIV are nonspecific symptoms like chills, fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat and diarrhea. “The person is going to think they are coming down with the flu,” Ramirez said. “They are not going to think they have HIV.” The virus also has the ability to become dormant, and patients many not experience any symptoms for up to 15 years. It is during this so-called latent phase that those who are infected have the greatest chance of spreading HIV to other people, Ramirez said. Roughly 25 percent of people with HIV don’t know they have it, he said. But this 25 percent will infect 54 percent of all new cases. “If you don’t know anything about the disease, there are more chances of you getting it,” Ramirez said. Contrary to common beliefs, HIV cannot be transmitted by things like having casual contact with an infected person, hugging, coughing, sneezing, telephones, sharing drinks, swimming pools, toilet seats, door knobs, giving

blood or mosquito bites, said Ramirez. It can be passed on through any kind of unprotected sex with an HIVpositive person, sharing hypodermic needles, from mother to child during birth and by blood transfusions or getting unsafe piercing or tattoos. There is currently no cure for HIV, but patients can live up to 20 or 30 years if they are treated properly with medication, Ramirez said. “When people come into my office, they are very concerned that they are going to die,” he commented. “It’s my duty…to give them hope and explain to them the disease is not deadly anymore like it used to be.” Though medicine continues to advance, Ramirez said attitudes toward people with HIV have not improved. “There’s a lot of discrimination, even among the medical community. One of the challenges I have in my practice is that some of the other specialists don’t want to treat my patients because they are HIV positive,” he said. “The community needs to get involved and promote more education among the community, and do more education towards their peers and the rest of the population, and also to have more consideration for the people who are affected by HIV. They are not to be cast away. They are just like anybody else.”

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NEWS

RESEARCH continued from page 1

resources to help support their causes.” Cynthia Brown, associate professor of economics and finance at UTPA, was a guest speaker at the group’s third meeting on Thursday. She said that the essence in establishing a new center is figuring out how it fits in with what is currently being done on campus and how it fills a need. “The most important thing to think about right now is ‘how you structure the center’ and ‘how do you structure it so that it can leverage the existing things on campus,’” Brown said. She also reminded group members that to establish a center, the university must identify a funding source. “All centers have to be formally established by the university. There’s a HOP policy that describes what has to go into proposing a center,” Brown said. Right now the group is in its beginning stages and members are trying to coordinate the level of experience its planners have. “It is a great endeavor,” Fowler said. “But their coming together is very exciting.” IF BUILT Goals for the center have not yet clearly been set, but Ernst has motivation for future endeavors. A possible aim of the group could be in helping better char-

acterize border life and immigration. “I think kind of globally speaking, improvement of life in the [Rio Grande Valley] could come from the research,” he said. “This kind of research tends to have that sort of net effect… everybody’s life improves and we understand life better.” Ernst also said their research interest is especially important if the center is built. “If you don’t have a passion for the research you are going to do, it’s going to die on the vine,” he said. Even though the idea started in the sociology department, Ernst hopes that it will bring researchers with common interests together. Tony Casas, a special projects coordinator for the College of Health Sciences and Human Services, said the committee is meeting on a regular basis to see how they can collaborate. “There are a lot of ideas out there and we’re getting together to see who is doing what and what we can do for the university,” Casas said. “We’re basically brainstorming possibilities for research.” Guang-zhen Wang, a sociology professor at UTPA, said the Rio Grande Valley has much to study in population research because it is so close to the border. Wang has taught population research classes and has conducted her

DREAM continued from page 1

years, and that sign an affidavit promising to file an application to become a permanent resident at the earliest possible opportunity. Hector, is originally from Reynosa, Tamps., Mexico, but emigrated to the United States with his family at the age of 14. At first he was afraid and angry to be in a new country, he said. But soon he realized he should take advantage of the educational opportunities available here. The DREAM Act would give students an opportunity to apply for temporary citizenship for six years while they obtain an associate’s degree, complete two years toward a bachelor’s degree, or join the U.S. military for two years. If they are successful in completing two years of higher education or have served two years in the military, these individuals will be granted permanent immigration status and eventually citizenship. Some say the advantages the United States will enjoy once these individuals graduate will not only boost the economy, but will reward good character, because this is one requirement for receiving citizenship assistance. “The country’s going to receive people that are going to increase education, increase wages, the social economic status of people will rise and since

they are the consumers, they are going to buy more because they’re going to have an advantage of having better wages,” said Cecilia Sandoval, a UTPA political science lecturer. The biggest benefit, though, would be that these individuals would be able to become employed after graduation, said Dennis Mcmillan, vice president for enrollment and student services. “It’ll be a great opportunity for some of our students,” he said. But critics outside the university say the DREAM Act will waste educational resources on students who will more than likely put their skills into practice in other countries. Rick Oltman, spokesman for Californians for Population Stabilization, told the Los Angeles Times that students could be taking away educational opportunities from legal residents and citizens who pay taxes to fund higher education. He also said that the United States should not show favoritism to illegal immigrant students who happen to be at the right place at the right time, because the next generation will undoubtedly expect the same treatment. “If we just give the students a break, who will be the next group we will have to give a break to? We’re constantly moving the line,” Oltman

own demographic research. “With a population research center at the university we can do a lot of things,” she said. “We can collect data, we can publish and at the same time we can train our students in terms of population research.” According to Wang, important things to be researched in the Rio Grande Valley include fertility, migration and mortality and healthcare. “They are all related to population research,” Wang said. “Focusing on the lower RGV we would make a great contribution at the national level. I’m really excited about it but it might take years to really establish [the center].” Omar Camarillo, a graduate student working on his master’s degree in sociology agreed that a population center would be beneficial to UTPA. “It would bring the fields of sociology, criminal justice, and psychology together,” Camarillo, from San Juan, said. “I think students would benefit from it.” Camarillo said that the Valley has a lot of potential for studying demographic statistics unique to border towns. “We can find out what type of healthcare people have, and if they still even visit curanderos,” he said. “[Other things that could be researched are] what type of health insurance and the types of jobs.”

said. “It’s unfortunate for these kids... but who should feel the discomfort, these kids or American citizens’ kids who feel the discomfort when they take away resources and seats in college classrooms?” That is one of the other complaints about the act: that it rewards, rather than penalizing, parents who bring their families to the country illegally. Unfortunately, young people are caught in the middle of this difficult quandary.

“It’s hard for people to understand why I’m still pursuing my education if I might not be able to get a job in the U.S. when I graduate.” - Hector UTPA student and illegal resident

In order to mitigate the possibility that law-breaking will be rewarded, though, once an undocumented immigrant individual graduates from high school, the DREAM Act provides a path to permanent legal status to those who meet a number of requirements. Among them is arrival in the Unites States prior to the age of 15 and an American high school degree or equivalent.

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COMING OUT continued from page 3

group, shows that 91 percent of young non-Christians and 80 percent of young churchgoers ages 16 to 29 perceive present-day Christianity as “anti-homosexual.” One of the most frequent criticisms, the study revealed, was that the church made homosexuality a “bigger sin” than anything else. In the Rio Grande Valley, where The Roman Catholic Diocese estimates about 799,225 Catholics live in a society of roughly 1.1 million people, members of the homosexual community are not completely aware of where negative feeling derive from, but they do feel the pressure of those negative mindsets.

COMING OUT Alfonso, who has not come out to his family and friends, said stories from fellow members range greatly in regard to reaction. However, he finds stories of suicide attempts because of parental rejection “pretty scary.” “There are one or two (coming-out stories) that are good stories with happy endings,” he said. “But knowing how my family is and how conservative they are, I wouldn’t think it would be a good idea to do it.” At UTPA, where GLB has existed for five years, feelings are mixed, Alfonso said. During the parade, while

the group got “a few odd stares,” reactions were generally positive. “Most were smiles and peace signs,” he said. “But when we gave out the little rainbow-colored ribbons, some people rejected them. They accepted the Skittles though.” It’s not just strangers, however, who show contempt toward the culture. Alfonso also has friends who “aren’t very accepting of homosexual people.” “They’ll lecture you and say ‘you shouldn’t do this’ or ‘God is going to punish you and you’re going to go to hell,’” he said. Denise Villarreal, member of the Baptist Student Ministry, hopes that members of the GLBT community don’t place immediate blame on religion. “We try to reach out to them. We’re not going around saying ‘Oh, these sinners are going to burn,’” she said. “We try to befriend them. We don’t agree with what they do, but we’re not going to stop loving them for it.” Villarreal, senior art education major, said feelings about homosexuality often depend on the type of people -not the church itself. “People are the ones who sway what the church stands for. They tend to change that based on who they are,” she said. “It’s really sad things are like that,

HESTEC continued from page 3

regardless of race or ethnicity.” According to Roland Arriola, vice president for Community Engagement at UTPA and chair of the National HESTEC committee, only 4 percent of the nation’s scientists and engineers are Hispanic. Arriola said that the overwhelmingly small percentage of Hispanic engineers is probably attributed to discrimination the community has endured, adding that it is HESTEC’s obligation is to serve the population in the Valley, a largely Hispanic one. “Ten years ago, there were no engineers at UTPA, and now we have 914 students in the engineering program,” he said. “HESTEC tries to serve the Hispanic community of the region, but it is open to everyone and it encourages all students, regardless of ethnicity, to purse careers in technical fields. No one is excluded.” He also said Latinas Day is one of the few programs which specifically encourages young girls to pursue careers in engineering and science. Arriola added that if the school housed engineering students to its maximum capacity, UTPA would have one of the largest engineering programs in the nation. Karen Lozano, a mechanical engineering professor at UTPA, said that there is definitely a lack of not only Hispanic women in the Science,

Technology, Engineering and Math fields, but all women in general. According to Lozano, female engineering students make up about 18 percent of engineers nationwide. “In general, it doesn’t matter if the girls are Hispanic, it’s still very low for all females,” she said. Lozano added that HESTEC’s attempt to attract young girls into STEM fields is “doing wonders” because of its size and the amount of girls it reaches. “I think HESTEC is by far the largest attempt to attract Hispanic females,” she said. “What [UTPA] does for students by devoting a whole day to [Hispanic women] makes an impact on students as well as on their parents.” Lozano said that she has taken part in many conferences with many parents who feel that STEM fields, and engineering specifically, should be a male’s profession. “It’s not just a matter of educating the kids,” she added. “A lot of people don’t even know what engineering is. They just have that stereotype that it’s just for boys.”

HESTEC 2007 The event fared well this year, with an estimated 85,000 people attending. This broke previous attendance records, according to Arriola. “The attendance record is impor-

October 18, 2007

NEWS but some people are very judgmental.” Gutierrez said events surrounding National Coming Out Day are geared toward attempting to quash preconceived notions about homosexuals. “This past year, I spoke with one of my closest friends -- who is very conservative -- about images and stereotypes,” he said. “I told her that we’re not all sleeping around and that [the stereotypes are] not true.” Though today’s young people have become much more accepting of homosexuals, after entire generations where homosexuals were all portrayed as drug

addicts or HIV-infected, getting the real message of the lifestyle has proved difficult for Gutierrez. “It’s hard to try and make the community look good when you have decades of stereotypes working against you,” he said. Alfonso said small parades and days of commemoration alike help send the message of a growing community. “I think it just educated people and shows that there the subculture is here in the Valley,” he said. “They have to recognize it; not because they want to, but because it is here,” he said.

Veronica Gonzalez/The Pan American COLOR PARADE - Deanna Schneyer, junior marketing major, Apolonio Gutierrez, sophomore English major and Carlos Ibarra, freshman pre-law major march around the quad.

tant because it means that the community is becoming more aware of the importance of science, technology, math, and engineering careers for young people,” he said. Before HESTEC’s inception in 2002, there were fewer than 300 students enrolled in mechanical engineering, according to the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness. In 2006, UTPA enrolled over 500 students in the major. All expenses to cover HESTEC activities are donated by a slew of corporations and sponsors, including CocaCola, HEB, and NASA, according to Arriola. This means UTPA does not use any funds to pay for HESTEC activities. All the revenue earned is used to pay for expenses, and leftover money is used for scholarships. “It doesn’t cost UTPA a single penny,” he said. “It’s a big win/win for the university.” Arriola said they mostly measure HESTEC’s level of success by counting how many students are enrolled in the engineering school, but that they try to graduate at least 100 students every year. Last year, he estimated the school graduated about 50 students, while this year that number neared 100. He estimates a total of $1.5 million has been given to the Student Financial Aid Office since HESTEC began.

ROADS continued from page 3

clerk for the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects at UTPA, has a high-profile vehicle and travels daily through Van Week. “Whoever is responsible, [roads] need to be fixed appropriately, that’s what taxes are for,” she said. “They need to not just patch it up with dirt, because that comes out with rain and leaves just a bigger hole.” Earlier this year, Edinburg road constructers repaved a portion of Schunior running west all the way to Mon Mack Road. This week, Marvin Boland, director of planning and construction for Physical Plant, said outside source Wilson Construction was hired to rebuild the intersection out of concrete instead of just asphalt. According to Boland, having a concrete roadway will provide both a smoother ride as well as a sturdy foundation for the high volume of traffic the intersection sees daily. He said excessive use and heavy rainfall contributed to the potholes around campus. “When you have thousands of cars going through this road daily, it takes a beating,” he said. Although no accidents have been reported because of potholes, Boland said he does not want to take that chance.

ALUM

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During spring ‘06, Gonzalez enrolled in Project Lead, a fast-paced, one-year program at UTPA that allows individuals to attain a master’s in educational leadership while giving graduates both classroom and field-based instruction. “The master’s degree program I was a part of was one-of-a-kind,” Gonzalez said. “My colleagues and I got to work closely with our professors, which allowed us to learn more effectively.” And with their help and enlightenment, Gonzalez says she was able to understand what it takes to be an effective administrator, and confidently pursue a career as one. She got a taste of the actual administration field when the current principal of Sauceda Middle School, Nancy Castillo, entrusted Gonzalez to be the principal of her summer school program. It was then that Castillo saw strong administrative potential in Gonzalez and offered her the position as dean of instruction for the upcoming school year. “She noticed I was a hard worker, and knew she could trust me with the work that needed to be done there,” Gonzalez said. “I was then fortunate enough that Principal Castillo had faith in me to carry on the position as dean of instruction for her school.” Her sister, Elisa Pacheco, is the principal at Truman Price Elementary also in Donna. Pacheco said her sister’s early start is one to be proud of. “Project Lead was very beneficial for her,” Pacheco said. “Raising a child, and being able to get out of the master’s stage in one year helped her greatly.” Pacheco, 35, was also a part of Project Lead, and she said that helped them grow professionally while bonding as sisters and “was an experience like no other.” According to Gonzalez, the desire to grow is essential to thrive professionally. “If there is anything I’ve learned after receiving my master’s is that education never stops there,” she said. “Things are always evolving, especially in the educational field, and we need to be ready for those changes, and continue to provide the best education for our students.” Gonzalez said she sees an even brighter future for herself. She plans to eventually apply for the superintendent program and pursue her doctoral degree. “You see, one thing about professionals is that we must be successful at whatever we do because everything we do is an art,” she said. “A career is not an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. job. It’s something you must take home with you and always try to make better.”

October 18, 2007

Page 13

SPORTS

VOLLEYBALL

Lady Broncs improve to 9-15 at Loco Invite

Kellie Phillips reaches 1,000 career kills By ALEX DEL BARRIO The Pan American

It was one up and one down on Saturday for The University of Texas-Pan American as the Lady Broncs (9-15) finished 1-1 at the Loco Invitational Tournament in Birmingham, Ala. The women fell in their first contest to Birmingham Southern by a margin of three games to one. The Lady Broncs led the match one-nil after a 3022 game-one win. They had 19 total kills in 48 chances with only five errors enroute to earning the first tally of the match. UTPA then fell three straight games to lose the match 30-22, 27-30, 27-30 and 28-30. Junior Kellie Phillips led the charge for UTPA with a careerhigh 27 kills in the losing effort, joining the UTPA career 1,000-kill club. She became just the fifth Lady Bronc to accumulate 1,000 career kills. “I felt this was a game we should

RULES

have won,” said Lady Bronc head coach Angela Hubbard. “We looked a little sluggish out there, but we’ve been on the road so much, it just happens. I felt we should have played better. I felt we were a better team but we just didn’t show up at the end.” Chelsea Blakely recorded a double-double, her seventh of the season, as she added 59 assists to her career record and tied a career high with 25 digs. Freshman Marci Logan added 15 kills of her own for the Lady Broncs. “Chelsea is one the leaders of the team and is one of the best setters I have ever coached,” Hubbard said. “Just by watching her play you can see she controls that offense. She has a lot of heart and passion and impressive body control.” Things fared much better for the Lady Broncs in the nightcap. Despite the 3-1 setback against Birmingham Southern, UTPA rallied behind a strong effort from Phillips and Ytzel Trinidad to sweep a match with Fisk University (3015, 30-13, and 30-23). Fisk University was over matched by UTPA as it reached 20 points only late in the third game of the match.

Phillips was again strong, adding 13 more kills to her career total. Both Phillips and Trinidad (a local from Mercedes) were named to the AllTournament team for their outstanding performance. “They both played really well,” Hubbard noted. “Ytzel did a great job and probably played the best defense I have seen her play all year at that tournament, and Kellie [Phillips] joining the 1,000-kill club speaks for itself…they played great.” The Lady Broncs will be back in action Saturday afternoon as they take on Utah Valley State at 2 p.m. at the UTPA Field House. Saturday’s match up will be just the second of four scheduled home games for the Lady Broncs’ 2007 season. The Wolverines come to Edinburg with an impressive 14-7 record including 7-2 away from Orem, Utah. UTPA’s last victory over the Wolverines was in October 2005, at home. NOTES: The Lady Broncs have re-scheduled a home match with the University of Texas-Brownsville. The original date was Nov. 3. It has been rescheduled for Nov. 1, at 7 p.m.

Onydia Garza/The Pan American

ABOVE THE REST - Junior Deanna Schneyer records one of her 12 kills in the Lady Broncsʼ home debut against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Oct. 9. Saturdayʼs game against Utah Valley State kicks off a three-game homestand.

Volleyball 101: Rules of the court with the Lady Broncs

By DANNY GARZA The Pan American

On Oct. 9, the Lady Bronc volleyball team had its first home game in front of a packed Field House. Everyone went crazy every time a point was scored, however not everyone had an understanding of the game itself. Here are some of the details nascent volleyball fans might do well to learn. Several confused faces filled the Field House when the match was separated by three games. Sometimes the match is won by a best two out of three, but on the high school and college level, its separated by the best three out of five. There are six basic positions that can be filled and administered in different ways depending on the positioning system the team runs.

There are many terms to volleyball, but there are three basic ones commonly used in the game: the kill, block and dig.

THE KILL The kill is an attack that is not returned by the opposing team. In order to perfect the art of the kill, an individual must know the technique that goes along with it. Kellie Phillips has developed the skill of laying down a perfect kill, or spike. Phillips is not only the leading scorer this season but recently surpassed 1,000 for her career. Phillips waits for the perfect opportunity to strike when setting up a kill and then lets the opposing team have it. “I just try to make the transition all the way outside the court and wait for the setup, trying not to go too early,” she

said. “Then I keep the ball in front of me and hit it as hard as I can” Most kills result from outside hitters receiving a pass from setters and pounding the ball down with a spike.

THE BLOCK The block is a defensive skill that requires an individual to hold both arms above the head to stop or slow down the opposing team’s attempted kill. A good block always gets the attention of the crowd in a game and there’s always a sense of shame when you’re on the other end of a crippling block. Deanna Schneyer has embarrassed many players looking for a spike against her. Schneyner proves she is a force to be reckoned with above the net with a total 65 blocks in 2007. “Big hands help a lot,” said the jun-

ior jokingly. “You want to press over and penetrate the other side.” The sense of power after a good block puts Schneyer in state of dominance. “I feel huge,” she said. “The harder they hit the harder it looks when it goes down.” Middle blockers look to block other teams’ attempted kill without hitting the net or crossing the center line, both violations that give the point to the attacking team.

THE DIG The dig is a skill that is used to receive the opposing team’s attack on the backline. The skill is used to control a hard-driven spike and initiate a counterattack. Rebecca Toddy of McAllen is a

defensive specialist, or libero, for the Lady Broncs; she leads the team with 360 digs. Toddy believes that studying the opposing teams’ next move is the key to defense. “It’s more of leading the ball and looking at the opposing team’s body language,” Toddy said. “Speed is everything too; if they hit the ball hard then you have to be able to react quicker.” An effective dig allows the defensive players on the backline to set up an offense. After a successful dig, the second hit is normally a pass from a setter to one of the outside hitters, who will try for a kill. As fans watch the Lady Broncs in their upcoming home matches, perhaps this short briefing on rules and terminology will help them better understand what they are seeing.

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October 18, 2007

SPORTS

CROSS COUNTRY

Cross Country teams struggle in Fayetteville

UTPA will host Independent Championships By GABRIEL SALDANA The Pan American

In their final meet before the National Independent Championships, the Bronc and Lady Bronc programs finished in 21st and 23rd places, respectively, to close out action at the 19th annual Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival in Fayetteville, Ark. Crossing the finish line for the Green and Orange in 83rd place Saturday was J.J. Hernandez of San Juan and P-SJA High. Garnering the highest position in the 31st spot for the men’s team was frontrunner and La Joya High School grad Luis Nava with a time of 31 minutes, 14.4 seconds. “My performance was not that good,” Nava said. “I’m not satisfied with what I did [and] I know I could have done more. I was good for the first three miles but once I hit the fourth mile my body just shut down.” The standout runner also noted other obstacles last weekend.

“I was nervous about the size of the tournament,” he said. “It got to me mentally but I know what to expect for next time.” Also contributing to the squad’s collective tournament posting of 2:46.50. was Edinburg North High School alum Roly Vela in the 146th position overall, recording 33:42.70. Capturing victory laurels at the Chile Pepper event was host University of Arkansas, with a first-place showing on the men’s side. “We did okay,” said head coach Dennis Darling. “I think the team was in awe about how big the meet was, so it took us out of our gameplan a little bit. They got a little side-tracked because of the size of the meet but we know what to expect for next time.” The women’s program closed the tourney just below the top half of 41 teams, in 23rd. In a rush for the line exBrownsville Hanna High School runner Carolina Izaguirre crossed in the 71st spot, recording a time of 22:37.9. “Carolina is our frontrunner on the women’s side,” Darling said. “We wanted her to be in the top 30 this time around.” Finishing behind Izaguirre in the

123rd spot was Houston native Shardae Bey, posting 23:37.7 and Edinburg native Rose Escovedo in the 169th spot, at 24:38.5 Texas Tech claimed victory in the women’s division in Fayetteville, posting a collective time of 1:45.43. Rounding out the top five on the women’s side was the University of Arkansas, Virginia Tech, UC Irvine and Oklahoma State. The Bronc teams recently adopted a new running strategy focusing on a “run as a pack” tactic at the start of a race, and an every-man-for himself approach toward the end. This is meant to give weaker runners a morale boost and get them across the end line higher up in the ranks. “It’s definitely helped us out on the women’s team,” assistant coach Hugo Cervantes said. “There isn’t usually a big gap between our first and fifth runner and that’s really helping us out in our overall standings. It’s been on and off on the men’s side.” UTPA will hit the track at home to host the National Independent Championships on Oct. 27, where they will shoot for first place laurels. “I feel like we should win on both the men’s and women’s sides at the Independent” Darling said.

The men’s team has succumbed to injuries and illness and is currently running at “about 80 percent,” according to Cervantes. “Once we get key players back in

there like Angel Ramirez, that’s going to make a big difference,” Cervantes said. “Hopefully we can get everybody at 100 percent for the National Independent Championships.”

Onydia Garza/The Pan American BACK TO BASICS - Freshmen Rolando Vela (left) and Jorge Rodriguez look to improve on their performance at the Chile Pepper Invitational.

October 18, 2007

Page 15

SPORTS

MEN’S SOCCER CLUB

Soccer club drops 2-1 road decision to Longhorns

Schmidt’s squad plagued by nagging injuries By ERICK QUINTERO The Pan American

The injury bug has bitten the University of Texas-Pan American men’s soccer club late in the season. And with regional play fast approaching, the men are hoping to enter as the top seed from the Texas Collegiate Soccer League’s Southeast division. The soccer club is hoping to add another victory to it’s 7-3-0 record this weekend in a re-match of an early-season forfeit to San Antonio College. Should they win on Saturday in San Antonio, they’ll be a lock to enter regional play with the possibility of advancing to nationals. “We’re going to have to realign a few things, fine-tune others, find the weak spots and try to support those areas and hopefully go out there and get a ‘W’. I’m pretty confident we will, pretty confident,” soccer club adviser Marcelo Schmidt said. UTPA forfeited the original game on Sept. 9, citing travel issues. The game’s result will count twice because SAC also forfeited this weekend’s game

WOMEN’S SOCCER CLUB

against UTPA. So they will be 9-2-0 if they win. Currently, the top team from each of the three divisions is invited to regionals. Host University of Texas-San Antonio gets an automatic bid and four other teams with the best records are invited to round out the eight-team pool. Texas A&M (5-0-4) leads the Central division and Stephen F. Austin (6-2-2) tops the North division. The men enter the SAC game bogged down with six injured, including five starters, which leaves huge voids to be filled in Schmidt’s formation. Armin Gonzalez, Jose Ramon, Chris Dulham, Eder Ramos, Rodrigo Castillo and Diego Chon are all unavailable for the Broncs. “Since we’re not NCAA Division I, we don’t train as much and kids will get tired no doubt about that,” he said, adding that with the injuries the most ideal substitutions will not be applicable. “I think we’re still the team to beat, we’re a talented team. Even with those six loses [injuries] we should be doing better than the past game,” Schmidt said. Schmidt still has forwards Juan P. Davila, Luis Barrenechea and top scorer Juan Reynoso, who leads the Southeast with eight goals, at his disposal. Will O’Connell from the University of North Texas leads the TSCL with nine.

Battling fatigue on top of the injuries, the Green and Orange have dropped two games in a row; a 4-3 loss to Texas A&M No. 2 on Oct. 7 and a 21 defeat against UT No. 2 Sunday at Austin. San Antonio College is coming off a 2-1 upset over Texas A&M on Sunday and enters the game with some momentum. Nonetheless, Schmidt said the Broncs should be in good shape against SAC. “Taking out A&M was an incredible surprise; their best result so far had been a tie. We have to prepare and go out there as if it was the first game,” Schmidt said. “We’re going to have to go out there and present the best that we have.” On Sunday, against UT No. 2, the men took an early 1-0 lead with a Barrenechea goal at the 12th minute, on a Roel Trevino assist. But the Longhorns, down a man, managed a 2-1 comeback win in the second half. Their goalie received a red card but they scored in the 50th minute on a header and on a penetration drive that reached the net at the 75th minute. “We played a very poor second half, might be fatigue, might have been something else; it was not a good game,” Schmidt said. “We’re working toward regionals, so we’re conditioning for it. We’re going to go strong on conditioning and they [UTPA] better respond on Saturday.”

Onydia Garza/The Pan American JUKING - UTPA senior Juan Reynoso fakes and looks for a breakaway during a game against Texas A&M. Reynosoʼs eight goals are tops for the men.

Women give up three first-half goals against UTSA, lose 3-0 weekend after being invited to participate. But, they will be placed in the toughest bracket along with Tyler College, Rice University and the University of Texas-Austin A team.

Women’s team finishes season sans victories

forward to concentrating on the tournament and trying to do our best there.” In spite of a winless year, the Lady Broncs will head to the Region IV Tournament hosted by UTSA next

Whether the struggles came from defense, offense or team unity, the University of Texas-Pan American women’s soccer club just doesn’t have that spark this year, and has endured a tough season. In their final contest on a hot, windy Sunday afternoon, the Lady Broncs remained winless on the year as the Lady Roadrunners from the University of Texas-San Antonio spent most of the game in Bronc territory and paid dividends, traveling back home with a 3-0 victory. With the loss, UTPA finishes the regular season with a 0-5-1 mark. “I think we improved a lot,” women’s soccer club adviser Oscar Coronado. “We showed heart. The team was tired after driving nine hours. I told the girls that we needed unity in the team. Right now we are looking

Onydia Garza/The Pan American ON THE PITCH - Freshman Yoli Pena (left) looks for junior forward Jessica Gomez. Pena and Gomez were this yearʼs go-to gals for the Lady Broncs.

By RAMIRO PAEZ The Pan American

UTPA leading scorer Jessica Gomez displayed a good performance, positioning herself four times with great looks at the goal, but came up short each time. In the first half before UTSA was able to get on the board first, UTPA had two excellent opportunities to score by Gomez. The first one came when she broke through the middle of the field through UTSA defenders, but could never position herself quite the way she wanted to as one defender stuck with her and disrupted her shot. The second came down the left side of the field, but Gomez didn’t kick the ball hard enough to have a chance to penetrate behind the goalie. Then, the Blue and Orange were finally able to pull together and score three consecutive goals before the half. Standing on the left side of the field uncovered, Yesenia Villegas received a great pass from one of her teammates and ran straight to the goal to give the Lady Roadrunners a 1-0 advantage. On a free kick from the outside, Jordan Backues upped their lead to 2-0, scoring from center, and on their final score, Maury Martel received a pass standing in front of the net uncovered,

after UTPA coverage broke down. The score could have gotten worse in the second half as the three UTSA free kicks came up just short of the goal, but second-half goalie Yoli Pena prevented all of them from going in. “It was a good game,” said UTPA defender Dulce Martinez. “We did our best and it was a lot better than before. We worked together and so far we’re getting there. We had a bad season, but I think we can get better. A lot of people were injured and that is what affected us the most.” Even though the season didn’t go quite as expected, it certainly wasn’t for the lack of trying as the Lady Broncs have plenty to be proud of. After a 0-0 tie in their first meeting back on Sept.16, the women traveled back home from Sam Houston State the previous day after playing in a very competitive game against the Lady Bearkats, suffering a 2-1 loss. The long road trip home and the thought of their 10-1 loss on Oct. 7 against UTSA created a hangover for UTPA in the first half, but responded with valiant defensive effort in the second.

Page 16

BASKETBALL

By JULIET PEREZ The Pan American

Other than the Friday night lights provided by local high school football stadiums, there is a new season of pride and spirit; this is the beginning of college basketball. The University of Texas-Pan American men’s and women’s basketball programs held their annual Midnight Madness on Friday as organizations, students and the community joined in the celebration. The ‘F’ parking lot was filled with the aroma of fajitas grilling and loud music booming through the amps. The University Program Board’s Spirit Committee provided numerous activities for campus fraternities and sororities. Kappa Sigma, won the dance contest, as well as most spirited while Delta Zeta took first place in the car decoration contest. The new organization, the Outdoor expedition Club, made the best cut of meat in the fajita cook-off. But the night essentially remained for the introduction of this year’s Bronc basketball squads and marked the first day teams across the nation could officially hold practice. Brian Burrell, a senior shooting

S P O RT S THE PAN AMERICAN

guard and last year’s leading scorer for the men said, “I think it’s good for us, good for the athletic program. The more support we have the harder we’re going to play, the harder we’re going to go. We need the community, and the students behind us.” Head men’s basketball coach Tom Schuberth worked the national recruiting trail and signed five players in the off season including three junior college transfers; Nate Hawkins, Emmanuel Jones and Adinson Mosquera, a Colombia native who adds depth in the middle. True freshmen Nick Weiermiller and Damon Franklin take the men to another level. “We had 14 wins last season, we’re hoping to duplicate that at, or least have 14 or more,” said Schuberth. “That’s our goal to win 20, any time the college basketball team wins 20 games, that’s an outstanding season, so that is one goal of ours.” Tamara Vaughn, a senior shooting guard for the Lady Broncs said, “We’re looking to break records, and go down into history. Also to win 18-plus games.” Head women’s basketball coach DeAnn Craft, said she was excited for this season which has 16 home games. “Our starting back court is back, and

we think we added some dynamite new players, so we’re very, very excited to get started,” Craft said. According to Craft, new players to look out for this season are Maria Ben Erlingsdottir, a 6-foot-2 Icelandic National Team member, and junior college transfers Jessica Walker and Michelle Cottrell, who are shoe-ins for heavy minutes. Both squads expressed their desire for a greater student turnout at home games. Or as Tiona Wilson, a senior guard on the Lady Broncs squad said, “On the road we don’t have fans, and at home we don’t have fans. It would be great just show some love because we’re representing them, they should come and help us out.” The men’s basketball team will have their first two home games on Nov. 10 and 13 at 7 p.m. The first home game from the Lady Broncs will be on Nov. 12 at 5 p.m.

October 18, 2007

1,022 1,022

StatsAtAGlance Kellie Phillips’ total career kills, good for fourth alltime at UTPA

9 9

Number of wins the volleyball team has posted this season, three more than last year

On Oct. 20 the women’s volleyball team begins a threegame homestand.

Mike Flynt’s age when he returned as linebacker to Sul Ross State’s football team for his final year of eligibility after 37 years.

ShortSports TENNIS

Onydia Garza/The Pan American

ON FIRE - UTPA junior college transfer Emmanuel Jones (above) attempts a onehanded reverse jam at Midnight Madness. The burning of the letters was one of the many attractions at the annual sponsored by the University Program Board.

The University of Texas-Pan American women’s tennis team will take the court today in Lubbock at the ITA Regionals hosted by Texas Tech. The four-day tournament gives the women a chance to gauge their skills after a less than stellar performance at the fourth annual Scarborough Specialties Open Sept. 22. In the latter tournament, the Lady Broncs posted a 1-5 record in singles competition and a 3-3 doubles record. Susie Buksik had the lone singles victory for the women; a three-match sweep of Air Force’s Sarah Cassman 3-6, 6-0, 6-2. The men’s side will resume play on Sunday at the ITA Regionals, a fourday tournament hosted by the University of Texas.