February 25, 2010 by UTRGV Student Media

Volume 66, No. 19

THE PAN AMERICAN

February 25, 2010

Faculty workload decision nears implementation By Brian Silva The Pan American The university will soon conclude what has at times been a heated policy discussion on the faculty workload criteria, with the ﬁnal verdict on this controversial and widely discussed issue due within a week. Talks have been occurring over criteria that will determine whether faculty who received tenure before 2005 will teach three or four courses per semester; the terminology concerning workload is referred to as 3/3 and 4/4, denoting the number of courses taught per semester.

The university switched pre-2005 tenured faculty from a 4/4 over to a 3/3 workload in 2005 under the direction of former president Blandina “Bambi” Cardenas, who oversaw the university’s mission switch from “learner centered” to “learner-centered research” institution. Essentially, the university planned to pivot from being primarily a teaching university to one that performs more academic research and less teaching per faculty member. The idea behind it was to give tenuretrack faculty more time to do research by requiring one less class, therefore allowing UTPA to become research friendly. A research-friendly institution

tends to provide a higher caliber of academic quality and collect additional funding from the writing of grants. The long-range plans of the university seem to have changed, however, possibly due to the economic crisis gripping schools across the nation. With some of the affected faculty wanting to focus on teaching but others looking to be able to do more research, the university needs to identify the criteria for qualifying for the 3/3 load. Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Paul Sale, who’s leading these discussions, has said that this portion of the transition process will be completed by March 8. The

criteria are set to be approved by Sale on Monday, March 1, with faculty getting their 3/3 or 4/4 assignments from March 1-8. March 8 is the date that ﬁnal planning for the fall schedule commences. Sale said the colleges need to know what their faculty teaching qualiﬁcations and capacities are so they can accurately schedule classes. “Unfortunately, we have this pragmatism of getting the schedules done,” Sale said. TALK OF THE CAMPUS Yesterday, the Faculty Senate, meeting in a special session, passed a resolution that declared that

departments should be responsible for setting the guidelines for 3/3 eligibility. “The resolution was to recommend we use the criteria developed by each department,” said Rajiv Nambiar, chair of the Faculty Senate. “This could help us decide how many of the faculty will teach four classes, versus doing more research and doing three classes.” Tension arose early in the discussion process when Sale had proposed several models, with many faculty saying he suggested one overarching model they didn’t agree with. The Senate has pushed for the right to establish criteria

SEE WORKLOAD || PAGE 6

Pillars of progress from UTPA alums By Alejandra Martinez The Pan American

Judy Chavez /THE PAN AMERICAN

PLIGHT TO PILLAR - Javier Palomarez, the president and CEO of the U. S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, is honored at the “Pillars of Success” ceremony Feb. 19. Palomarez earned his undergraduate degree at UTPA.

Friday was all about remembering and celebrating success at The University of Texas-Pan American. The university welcomed five of its most prominent alumni and honored them for achievements in a ceremony called Pillars of Success. Dana M. Gonzalez, Javier Palomarez and Tim Tully came back to their alma mater to share stories of success and reminisce about their time as students striving to achieve their goals. To accept the honor in name of Gustavo de la Viña, who passed away in October, was his daughter Dina Issa de la Viña. In representation of Anil Menon, who was on a business

trip in Bangalore, India, co-worker Jackie Michel spoke in his name. “It is said that the greatest measure of a university’s success is the accomplishments of its graduates,” said UTPA President Robert Nelsen during his opening speech. “After you meet our honorees, you will have to agree that UTPA is doing quite well.” The first honoree of the night was Gustavo de la Viña, who served as chief Border Patrol agent from 1997 to 2004. He graduated from what was then known as Pan American University in 1963 with a degree in physical education. He worked as a physical education teacher in the local school district until 1970 when he joined the

SEE PILLARS || PAGE 6

Two to tango: Police say blame for campus accidents varies By Roxann Garcia The Pan American UTPA students continue to grow weary of supposedly dangerous crosswalks leading to the university. But it could be that they can help avoid problems by paying better attention while crossing. Beginning in January 2009 and up until December a total of ﬁve accidents occurred on campus, as reported by the UTPA Police Department. Reports from the City of Edinburg

Page to 2 - end Big business might Time the denial about have packed their bags, but global climate change they never left

Police Department cite three accidents transpiring in 2009. Edinburg PD has reported only one this year and it did not happen directly around the campus. On Jan. 19, at the intersection of Sugar and University Drive, a vehicle struck a newspaper vendor as he crossed the road, says James Loya, assistant chief of police for the university. However, there were extenuating circumstances. “The reporting ofﬁcer stated that he was highly intoxicated at the time

Page 3 -Texas Jobs after Former demographer graduation becoming scarce makes stop at UTPA

of the accident,” Loya explained. “He was conscious on the ofﬁcer’s arrival and transported to Rio Grande Regional Hospital in McAllen with a possible broken nose.” In 2009, however, Edinburg PD reported two accidents off campus and only one immediately surrounding UTPA. “Of the three that were reported, only one happened at a crosswalk,” Loya mentioned. In February a male student cyclist was struck in the Wal-Mart parking

lot by a female driver backing out of a parking space. The cyclist did not require medical attention. In September a male student cyclist was almost struck by a vehicle driven by a female driver in the area of 1400 W. Schunior, past the Wellness and Recreation Sports Complex. The cyclist managed to jump off his bike and avoid contact with the vehicle before collision. An information report was documented due to no vehicle/ pedestrian contact. At the crosswalk at McIntyre and

South Sugar Road, a male driver struck a female pedestrian in early October last year. “The data shows only one crosswalk accident for 2009 and one more 2010,” Loya explained. “Of course there is concern any time there are pedestrians getting struck, but the bottom line is that the accidents we investigated were minor.” Mainly, the incidents were due to pedestrians on the phone or being

Hungry around Page 11 - Holiday giftcampus? guide

Bronc off season Page baseball 14 - Q&A kicks with volleyball player Rebecca Friday atToddy home

Watch the Weinermobile and its ocupants at work

Take our quiz and see which 107 food is for you.

SEE CROSSWALK || PAGE 6

February 25, 2010

Vol 66, No. 19

Illustrated Commentary

February 25 , 2010

1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539 Phone: (956) 381-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Brian Silva / brian.silva2@gmail.com NEWS EDITOR

Roxann Garcia/ nevaeh09@msn.com MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Kristen Cabrera / kristenmichellecabrera@yahoo.com ARTS AND LIFE EDITOR

Andrielle Figueroa / j27ig@yahoo.com SPORTS EDITOR

Sara Hernandez/ sarahdzm@hotmail.com PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Alma Hernandez / alma.e.hdz@gmail.com SENIOR DESIGNER

Roy Bazan / rbazanzz@utpa.edu ADVISER

Dr. Greg Selber / selberg@utpa.edu

Anthony Salinas / The Pan American

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE

Anita Reyes / areyes18@utpa.edu

ADVERTISING MANAGER

Mariel Cantu/ spubs@utpa.edu

WEBMASTER

Jose Villarreal / josemvillarrealcs@gmail.com

**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.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Pan American accepts letters of 300 words or less from students, staff and faculty regarding recent newspaper content, campus concerns or current events. The Pan American reserves the right to edit submissions for grammar and length. The Pan American cannot publish anonymous letters or submissions containing hate speech or gratuitous personal attacks. Please send all story ideas to thepanamerican@gmail.com. Individuals with disabilities wishing to acquire this publication in an alternative format or needing assistance to attend any event listed can contact The Pan American for more details.

Commentary

Doing your part for a healthy planet Sara Hernandez Sports Editor

Last week, the report “Climate Change in the American Mind,” published by Yale University and George Mason University showed that the Americans’ concern about climate change has dropped. From 2008 to this year, the belief that climate change is happening decreased from 71 to 57 percent of Americans polled. This only goes to suggest that some people care about topics like climate change (once called global warming) mainly because it’s trendy and not because of a true interest in changing the current environmental issues. Or maybe that the media set the agenda for what we think about. When the popularity of Al Gore’s ﬁlm “An Inconvenient Truth” was at its peak, I was

talking to one of my friends who thought that the politician was exaggerating. On another occasion, while having lunch with an acquaintance and talking about cars, trucks and gas, I mentioned that a small car may be more convenient both because one would spend less money on fuel, and because its emissions would be less harmful to the environment (not to say that I know a whole lot about automobiles). To which he responded: “Do you really think the environment is actually in danger?” He concluded that if he had the money, he had the right to buy himself any kind of car he desired. Well, I was left speechless. Of course, it’s a personal choice to “believe” in global warming and it’s up to each individual to put beliefs into action to prevent the worsening of the climate situation. But isn’t it easier to take warming

as fact rather than ignore it and then have to face the consequences later on? Yes, there is something to the argument that most warming is part of a natural earth cycle, as the globe cools off and warms up periodically. But what if human impact is making it worse? On the other hand, who am I to judge when my actions to prevent global warming don’t go further than collecting empty bottles of the water I consume daily and throwing them in the recycling bin? So I try to commute on foot when a destination is nearby, which usually doesn’t get me very far. I am deﬁnitely far from being an environmentalist, but the belief that something’s better than nothing is what takes me, and most people, through the days. Everyone, including myself, looks good going “green” and

wearing a T-shirt with the recycling sign on it. But how many of us are actually willing to take action and attempt to reduce green-house emissions by simple things that can be done daily? And where are all the people involved in bigger movements to make an impact, convincing as many as possible to change their behavior so we can move forward to a “greener” planet. We all know how to protect the environment; the methods are nothing new to anyone. Maybe all it takes is that we actually believe, or admit, that we are, in fact, harming the planet. Although we might not be able to go back in time, we can always do something to make the future better, way better than it may be if we don’t get past the denial.

3 New psychiatric standards generate ﬁeld ferment February 25, 2010

By Erin Menendez The Pan American May 2013 is an important date for the American Psychiatric Association; as the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) will be published with amendments to current diagnosis criteria. According to the dean of Social and Behavioral Sciences Kristin Croyle the proposed changes are in a patient’s best interest and reﬂect current research and help psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and counselors make the most

accurate diagnosis. While Frederick Ernst with a Ph. D. in psychology warns of 3rd party inﬂuence he has noticed in his 10 years as a practicing psychologist. As with other areas in the medical ﬁeld, insurance and pharmaceutical companies have an impact on the treatment and diagnosis of mental disorders. “The number of people inappropriately on psychiatric drugs is staggering but this works well for the medical and pharmaceutical industries,” Ernst said. Patients must have a clinical

diagnosis based upon the DSM codes be covered by insurance. And with expanding new categories of mental disorders there is a diagnosis available for a wide range of symptoms. “The medical establishment has taken hold of every conceivable personal problem and created a diagnostic entity to cover it. Without an ofﬁcial medical diagnosis, no insurance coverage for whatever is being brought to the attention of the professional,” professor of psychology Ernst said. “As a result, there is virtually no personal problem that could be brought to my attention that would not satisfy the

diagnostic criteria for mental illness.” More speciﬁcally, changes to the future manuscript include areas such as Asperger’s syndrome/Autism and binge eating/eating disorders and have been made available for public review and comments at DSM5.org. To begin, the American Association of Psychology is considering reclassifying Asperger’s syndrome into a more general category under the autistic spectrum. Yet with the number of children diagnosed with autism on the rise, this may lead people to believe the disorder is increasing.

In reality, assistant dean of the college of Social and Behavioral Sciences Kristin Croyle said, “My understanding is that the increase in diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorders is mostly a function of the ongoing changing way that professionals view those disorders, so that children are being shifted from other disorders to autistic spectrum disorders. The actual incidence of autistic symptoms in the population is likely not dramatically different than it was 30 years ago.” These proposed adjustments are

SEE DSM || PAGE 7

Noted demographer talks census, race By Roxann Garcia The Pan American In order to encourage participation in the upcoming U.S. Census, The University of Texas-Pan American in conjunction with the U.S. Census Bureau welcomed a noted demographer to campus Tuesday. The event, sponsored by the Student Union, featured Steve Murdock, who serves as the Allyn and Gladys Cline Chair in sociology specializing in applied demography, migration, rural sociology, and socioeconomic impact assessment at Rice University. Murdock, who previously served as director of the Census Bureau and was the ﬁrst person to occupy the position of state demographer of Texas, spoke about the Hispanic population change in Texas. He also presented historical patterns and future trends affecting education, the labor force and economic development. The census is a decennial survey

mandated by the U.S. Constitution. The population is enumerated every 10 years and the results are used for the apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives, electors to the Electoral College, and the disbursal of federal funds. “People must become aware of how important the census is,” the former director stated. “It is used to allocate the Congressional seats, electoral votes and government program funding each state receives.” Not only is it a necessity in those terms but also, Murdock stated, about $435 billion per year and $4.3 trillion per decade are distributed to states on the basis of information gathered from the assessment. “The census of today is the United States of tomorrow,” Murdock stated. “It is changing everything in ways that are irreversible.” Since ﬁrst joining the union in 1845, Texas has grown twice as fast on average than the nation as a whole.

SEE MURDOCK || PAGE 7

Daniel Flores /THE PAN AMERICAN

LATIN LINGO - Steve Murdock, former U.S. Census Bureau director, speaks Tuesday in the Student Union Theater on Hispanic population change.

Conference speakers inspire with struggles By Minerva Morato The Pan American

Alma Hernandez /THE PAN AMERICAN

VIOLIN PRACTICE - Gustavo Guajardo, a freshman music major, practices outside the Fine Arts Auditorium Monday before a drastic drop in temperature zoomed in the next day.

Amid a rainy and gloomy day, a spotlight shined upon the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences during the college’s fourth annual conference last week at The University of TexasPan American. On Thursday and Friday, students gathered to listen to social science professors, students, and invited guests speak at more than 15 forums dealing with political science, anthropology, criminal justice, military science, psychology, and sociology. Among the 10 seminars held Thursday, “Transitions: Community College to UTPA, and from UTPA to advanced graduate studies” was one of the most well attended. Organized by sociology lecturers Juan Bustamante and Jenny

Chamberlain, the discussion focused on the academic experiences of a diverse student panel consisting of six students from UTPA and South Texas College. “This conference was to inspire students so they can listen to student experiences because they have been in their positions,” said Bustamante, lecturer on gender, ethnicity and family, plus undergraduate adviser. “I can talk and talk, but the reality is that they need to hear it from students. That was our purpose, to produce a student-centered panel.” Topics during the lecture ranged from the experience of undergraduate studies, the process of transferring from STC to UTPA, applying to graduate school, and acquiring internships. Inocencia Barco a criminal justice

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WORKLOAD

continued from Page 1 tailored to its constituents’ various ﬁelds. Nambiar said the Staff Senate and college councils will continue to meet with Sale through the end of the process. “The provost suggested one criteria that would apply to the whole university,” Nambiar said. “He quickly found out that that’s not what you should expect, because different disciplines have different requirements. He was quite willing to accept what the departments had come up with.” Sale, in agreement with faculty, has emphasized that faculty perform a wide range of types of research. But he also noted that originally, representatives of the six colleges came back with wide discrepancies in criterion. Those guideline suggestions were then provided, of which Sale pointed out there was more than one suggestion. Though Sale hinted that there may have been some miscommunication at ﬁrst, the Faculty Senate and provost now appear to be on the same page. “What the faculty should be comfortable with is the fact that the criteria we’ll be going forward with at this point will be one that they

themselves came up with,” Nambiar said. This apparent meeting of the minds is an example of what the long-time Senate goal of “shared governance” was designed to facilitate. Even though there may be more agreement now, there has also been widespread dissatisfaction with Sale over his handling of the process, with faculty in an uproar over the speed of the process. It was initiated in late November when the first committees were set up. Some faculty, upset at the quick pace at which the policy changes were progressing, suggested Sale should be chastised for miscommunication and mishandling of the process of establishing criteria for the 3/3 workload eligibility. As of late Wednesday, a draft resolution toward just such a remonstrance is said to be circulating through the colleges. Sale admitted that he’s embarrassed that he did not get to the situation sooner, explaining that at first he was new to the university and just getting acquainted, and then president Cardenas had serious health issues, which eventually led to her retirement in January 2009. He added that it would have been inappropriate to work on such significant policy while the

president was ill. ORIGINS OF THE PROCESS Questions have also been raised, given the seemingly sudden nature of this change of direction, regarding who may be behind the mandate for the workload adjustment. In December former interim president Charles Sorber said faculty workload needed to be looked at because of efﬁciency issues, in effect signaling that with reduced funds expected from the next several Legislative sessions, a regression back to wide-scale 4/4 loads was a possibility. Several months earlier, Gov. Rick Perry had issued an executive order telling higher education institutions to “undertake a broad and comprehensive review of systemwide opportunities for achieving cost efﬁciencies.” The order listed several areas, explicitly naming “faculty workload” as one. The process for formulating criteria started a few weeks after President Robert Nelsen was appointed Nov. 11. When asked recently if he and Sale had talked about the issue at that time, Nelsen remarked, “not to my knowledge.” “I talked once with him [Sale] about tenure standards at a Coordinating Board

CROSSWALK

meeting,” Nelsen said. “One of the ﬁrst things I was going to look at was tenure.” Nelsen pointed out he was then preparing to look at tenure and promotion documents. Doing so is a yearly task for the president, who sits at the end of an achievement-judgment food chain that runs from department level to college dean and then the college level before reaching the university leader. With regard to Sale’s performance, Nelsen said he did not want to give a “personnel evaluation.” He did not want to comment further on the process, but emphasized the university is a living, breathing animal. “The provost is gathering input from the faculty and colleges, and I don’t want to interfere with that process by commenting at this time,” Nelsen wrote via e-mail. “I am waiting for his recommendations, and I plan to talk with the faculty about those recommendations as soon as I get them. What I can say with certainty is that this administration values the opinion of the faculty on all academic matters and will listen to what they have to say.” Sale also emphasized that the process is not over; it will continue to evolve “as

PILLARS

continued from Page 1 caught in driver’s blind spots, Loya continued. Of the accidents that have occurred on campus, all were in parking lots. Only one required medical attention, a female cyclist who complained of pain to her hands and knees. In this particular case, she was at fault for failing to yield the right of way, Loya noted. The UTPA chief of police suggested that accidents could be a two-way street, no pun intended. “I would say with the amount of trafﬁc congestion we have here, pedestrian safety is a huge concern,” Chief of Police Roger Stearns stated. “But I would like to see a greater awareness by the drivers for pedestrians and the same by pedestrians for drivers.” As the university continues to grow

February 25, 2010

NEWS

it always should.” In yesterday’s Faculty Senate meeting Sale responded to speculative comments that this revisiting of the workload may have been caused by the state’s budget problems. But he added that his personal preference is against such linkage. “Budgets go up and down,” Sale said. “I don’t think workload should go up and down with budgets.” Sale made it clear that the university mission and faculty workload should never be affected by budget issues. He also reiterated that UTPA’s mission has not changed, though that has been debated. Sale expressed pride in the university’s faculty with regard to the increased number of research documents, which he called “absolutely tremendous.” He said overall research at UTPA has gone up about 35 to 38 percent over the past three years, which he called a ﬁrm achievement. He emphasized to the Faculty Senate yesterday that both faculty facets, teaching and research, are important to the university. “Whether you’re on a 3/3 or a 4/4 workload, you’re equally valued,” the provost concluded.

continued from Page 1 so does the need for pedestrians and drivers to be aware of each other and considerate, Stearns continued. Crosswalks are provided around the perimeter of the campus including streets: Sugar, Schunior, Van Week, 5th Street, Miguel A. Nevarez Drive, and University Drive. “Sugar and Schunior, presumably, are the streets I get the most complaints about,” the chief noted. “When making my rounds or even talking with staff members from the PD, it’s evident that there’s a large number of students and faculty that cross the roadways wherever they please.” Fortunately, Stearns continued, this carelessness has not resulted in any accidents yet. “But given the amount of population

we have here, it is only an amount of time,” he stressed. “And there is absolutely nothing other than encouraging and making people aware that the police department can do.” The department has debated issuing jaywalking citations, but Stearns and Loya prefer not take that route. “I would prefer to have voluntary compliance,” he stated. The PD and university, in partnership with the City of Edinburg, have taken extra precautionary measures by increasing safety around the most heavily used crosswalk, near the Wellness and Recreation Complex. Other efforts include redesigning parking lots C and C-1 between Sugar and Schunior while also adding signs with the hopes of increasing awareness.

Alma Hernandez /THE PAN AMERICAN

PEDESTRIAN CROSSING - Sophmore David Cortez and junior Mary Soy use the crosswalk on Schunior that connects parking lots C and S as trafﬁc yields to them.

Border Patrol. De la Viña was doing consultant work for the government in Bosnia when he died. His daughter said the whole family is very thankful for the honor. “When we got the phone call regarding the Pillars of Success we were blown away. We want to thank the university for this recognition,” she said. “Every time that I pass this street on my way to work I’ll know that my dad is going to be here and that’s a beautiful thing to know.” The second honoree was Gonzalez; she received a UTPA bachelor’s degree of science in biology in 1998, after that attended UT Medical Branch in Galveston, later specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. Gonzalez is currently the only Mexican-American bilingual OB/ GYN practicing in Victoria, Texas. “I feel very privileged and I was very surprised to be even nominated for the award, it was an honor,” Gonzalez admitted. “I had a positive and strong experience that helped support my education. I don’t think it could have been repeated or duplicated anywhere else.” The third honoree was Menon, president of Globalization and Smart Connected Communities for Cisco Systems. To accept the award in his name was Michel, director of innovation and intellectual property at UTPA. “He’s a delightful gentleman and a tremendous role model,” said Michel of her colleague. “I hope that you all have the opportunity to meet him in the future and experience his wonderful personality. And we hope that our students learn about what he’s doing.” Menon received an MBA from the university in 1984 and has done

consultant work for companies such as Coca-Cola, IBM, Pfizer, Sony Corporation, to name a few. The fourth honoree was Palomarez, who received a bachelor’s degree in ﬁnance from the university in 1986. Today he is the president and CEO of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C., which advocates for nearly three million Hispanic-owned businesses throughout the country. “I’m humbled to be here tonight. Thank you to my family and friends, all of their prayers, their help and enthusiasm put me where I am today,” Palomarez said. “I think all of us have a responsibility to pass it on to the next generation.” Palomarez has worked for Allstate Insurance and Sprint and has been featured in publications such as USA Today, Business Week, and The Wall Street Journal. The ﬁnal honoree was Tully, a Dallas native who came to PAU in 1968 on a baseball scholarship and earned a degree in physical education in 1971. In 1975 he started his own company called Southwest Precision Printers, L.P. in Bellaire, Texas. The company is now the second largest independent commercial printer in Houston, servicing world-wide. Tully got more than an education here; he met his future wife while in Edinburg and the couple married in 1971. “We love Pan Am, we come back as often as we can and we’re really honored to be a part of this tonight, and I’m humbled to be a part of Pillars of Success,” Tully said. “It means a lot to me to be out here with all these successful people and this is an honor I’ll never forget.”

February 25, 2010

NEWS

CONFERENCE

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DSM

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and sociology double major, was one discussed in the lecture was the of the six students specifically chosen reinstatement of a sociology club, to be on the panel due to her distinct which has been inactive for a few college experience. During the hour- years, Bustamante said. long presentation, “That was one of Barco, 46, spoke the topics we really about her transition wanted to discuss from attending a in the student university in the “There are so many re- panel,” Bustamante 1980s to being at sources for students said. “We used to a modern one. She to take advantage of have a club, so we also emphasized the want to institute it need for students instead of just coming again and provide to take advantage to class and going back o p p o r t u n i t i e s of research for the students. o p p o r t u n i t i e s , home.” What we want is scholarships, the connection and international between the people programs. Johnathon Jimenez who know about Because she Junior sociology major opportunities and returned to school the people who need in 2007 - 25 the opportunities. years after she It will be a great first began her college studies - contribution.” Barco urges students to enjoy their During the next few weeks, he college experience while gaining the plans on developing an agenda and necessary knowledge and skills to organizing the club’s first meeting. become leaders in their field. Besides research, Bustamante hopes “Hopefully this has inspired people to incorporate community outreach to slow down,” Barco said. “There is into the program. so much information out there, and a “I focus so much on academics, lot of times students are just so busy so it will center on academics,” that they don’t stop to realize what is Bustamante said. “But I also want to actually happening. It took me more integrate community service in trying than 20 years to discover what the to understand what happens outside in university had to offer. But now I stop society and why we need to empower and look.” other people, contribute, and give One of the more important ideas back to the community.”

Barco who intends to graduate next fall, plans to be a part of the organization when it comes to fruition. “This club is something that is in its formation stages,” she said. “But I have been involved with other clubs. Even though I have such a short time left, I would still like to become a part of it. If I can help it develop into something that is going to help future students, then it is worth it.” Johnathon Jimenez, a junior sociology major, attended the Thursday seminar and was inspired by the panel’s experiences. Like many students present at the lecture, the 21-year-old hopes to be a vital member of the organization until his graduation next spring. “I think a lot of students will be interested, and I am deﬁnitely interested,” Jimenez said. “There are so many resources for students to take advantage of instead of just coming to class and going back home.” Overall, Bustamante said, the lecture was for students to learn about the process of transferring to a four-year university, necessary preparation for graduate school, as well as the importance of internships and the chance to become involved in a revitalized student organization focused on networking. “I’m very happy that a lot of students attended and participated,” Bustamante said. “It was wonderful.”

shifting various diagnoses including schizophrenia to be more dimensional. Which means clinicians will now be able to take into account the severity of patient’s symptoms and acknowledge symptoms that do not ﬁt perfectly into the diagnosis and this seems to be a good idea according to Croyle, who has been at UTPA for 8 years. This is a step in the right direction according to Ernst, but he points out there have been many faults with the DSM. In the past homosexuality was a diagnosis.

He believes the focus has slowly drifted from serious mental disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder to people unhappy with a temporary situation such as heart break. Medication can be a temporary solution; one must remember the medication does not treat the cause but rather the symptoms such as those produced by depression. Perhaps more helpful to these patients would be a class that teaches people coping skills. For more information about the DSM-5 visit dsm-5.org.

MURDOCK

continued from Page 3 In 1990 state population was estimated at 16.9 million and increased by almost 14 percent by 2000 to 20.8 million people living in the Lone Star State. It is expected that the state population will pus 25 million in the latest survey. The growth of Texas is evident but the increased number of Hispanics in Texas and the country as a whole can be surprising to some, Murdock stated. From 1980 through 1990 the growth proportion rate for Anglos stood at 34.14 while Hispanics were recorded at 49.11. In 2000 through 2005, Anglos were recorded at a mere 12.73 while Hispanics stood at a 67.73 proportion rate. Nationally, 40 percent of births last year were of Hispanics, and the group has become the nation’s largest minority. The census includes citizens, non-citizen legal residents, non-citizen, long-term visitors and illegal immigrants. “Some ask, ‘what is going to happen once immigration ceases,’” Murdock began. “Well we still have 52 percent of the growth we had before, if that does happen it will cause our growth to slow. But in a broader sense, Texas and the U.S. will continue to have increased populations.” In different regions of the United States the growth of Hispanics has become overwhelmingly evident. In the Northeast the Hispanic population has grown by 14.9 percent since 1990. The Midwest has grown at about 8.8 percent while the South at 32.8 percent and the West at 43.5

percent. This week it was reported that Georgia is the state that has experienced the largest inﬂux. It is projected the percent of net change attributed to each race and ethnicity group for 2000 through 2040 will be overwhelmingly Hispanic at 77.6 percent. The second largest indicates a melting pot of other ethnicities at 12.6 percent. The race and ethnicity of the country may be changing, but there is also an age gap to be considered. “Thirteen years from now ﬁfty percent of the population, at 18 years of age in Texas will be non-Anglo,” Murdock noted. From 1990 through 2000 the U.S. indicated 49 percent of the population was between the ages of 45-54 while Texas had 60 percent of the same age group. In 2000, 70 percent of all Anglos in Texas were 65 and older. The percentage of Hispanics 10 years or younger, however, was recorded at 44 percent and this is expected to make a tremendous difference by 2040. By then 69 percent of Hispanics will be 10 years or younger while Anglos will be at a mere 17 percent of 10 years or younger. Data indicates the percentage of young Hispanics will outnumber the percentages of Anglos not only in population growths but also in age difference. “The reality of it is that we may have an increasingly younger population but with that comes a new generation,” Murdock concluded.

Alma Hernandez /THE PAN AMERICAN

HAPPY FEET - Freshman occupational therapy major Luis Infante skates off the back steps of the Student Union on Monday.

Project Percent of Next Change Attributable to Each Race/Ethnicity Group for 2000-2040*

*Using U.S. Census count for 2000 and Texas State Data Center 1.0 population project scenario for 2040

THE PAN AMERICAN

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February 25, 2010

THE PAN AMERICAN

February 25, 2010

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HUNGRY ON 107? WHERE TO CHOW DOWN IN THE UTPA UNIVERSE Are you in a hurry?

Yes.

Are you watching your weight?

Yes.

I want a burger.

No.

Are you in the mood for breakfast?

No, I don’t.

Nevermind.

No.

Yes.

With a side of chicken fries.

I’m going to want dessert, too. Salad or sandwich?

Salad.

I want five different kinds of syrup with my pancakes. Sandwich.

Would you rather have a soda or a smoothie with it?

PANINI Soda.

I want to be able to draw on the bag that my sandwich comes in.

I don’t care how much it costs.

Blizzard.

Slushie.

I want a meal named after a musician.

Only if I can get it for a dollar.

Pie or frosty?

Cheesecake.

Are you over 50?

Yes.

Smoothie.

I want to watch my food being microwaved.

Frosty.

Pie.

Neither, I want soup.

I really like when my fries are served cold.

I want game-night food.

I really like having to beg for my ketchup.

I want Chinese food.

Quick Wok

I want Mexican food.

Do you want to go somewhere with a fully stocked bar?

No.

I want Italian food.

My car needs to be serviced while I eat.

Yes.

I like breathing in secondhand smoke.

THE PAN AMERICAN

Page 8

February 25, 2010

THE PAN AMERICAN

February 25, 2010

Page 9

HUNGRY ON 107? WHERE TO CHOW DOWN IN THE UTPA UNIVERSE Are you in a hurry?

Yes.

Are you watching your weight?

Yes.

I want a burger.

No.

Are you in the mood for breakfast?

No, I don’t.

Nevermind.

No.

Yes.

With a side of chicken fries.

I’m going to want dessert, too. Salad or sandwich?

Salad.

I want five different kinds of syrup with my pancakes. Sandwich.

Would you rather have a soda or a smoothie with it?

PANINI Soda.

I want to be able to draw on the bag that my sandwich comes in.

I don’t care how much it costs.

Blizzard.

Slushie.

I want a meal named after a musician.

Only if I can get it for a dollar.

Pie or frosty?

Cheesecake.

Are you over 50?

Yes.

Smoothie.

I want to watch my food being microwaved.

Frosty.

Pie.

Neither, I want soup.

I really like when my fries are served cold.

I want game-night food.

I really like having to beg for my ketchup.

I want Chinese food.

Quick Wok

I want Mexican food.

Do you want to go somewhere with a fully stocked bar?

No.

I want Italian food.

My car needs to be serviced while I eat.

Yes.

I like breathing in secondhand smoke.

February 25, 2010

Annual anthology, festival celebrate poetry By Lupe Flores

darkblue_of_saturn@yahoo.com

Justin Halpern’s Twitter account based on his father’s quirky sayings has gained enough popularity that he has been given a pilot. William Shatner is in talks to play his father.

Cult god Joss Whedon and Morgan Spurlock of ‘Super Size Me’ are working together to create a Comic-Con documentary. The geek-umentary will follow diehard comic fans around at the San Diego, CA event held in July.

It began in 2007 as a simple pachanga that allowed 17 students and professors from The University of Texas-Pan American to recite their works of poetry one evening. And in just three short years, Daniel Garcia Ordaz, an MFA graduate student at UTPA, with the partnership of Brenda Nettles Rojas and Vanessa Brown, has turned the simple affair into a fullﬂedged international poetry festival accompanied by the publication of an annual anthology of works from artists all over the world. “Boundless: The Rio Grande Valley International Poetry Festival Anthology,” is once again calling for submissions, for its third edition. The March 21 deadline is followed by the days-long Rio Grande Valley International Poetry Festival that commences right after publication April 22. Poets need not be registered for the festival or be in attendance in order to submit for publication, something Garcia Ordaz says is an isolated instance among most similar festivals. “But we let local folks know the publication is international [to encourage them] to participate,” said

Garcia Ordaz, who is from WHERE. “We started this so all [interested] local poets could get published and get noticed.” Vanessa Brown, creative director of RGVIPF, embellished that thought, saying that, “Boundless” is “one of the more open anthologies, because we don’t require our poets to attend the festival. This still gives them the excitement” and self-satisfaction to see their name in print, regardless. This year’s participants will have the honor of being published in a bound edition complete with an ISBN [International Standard Book Number]. “It will assist in the distribution of the anthology and allow libraries and bookstores to collect them” for all to see, Garcia Ordaz said. Although its beginnings are relatively recent, “Boundless,” sponsored by the non-profit organization Art That Heals, Inc., has already accomplished its mission of promoting cultural literacy and creating venues for talent that come from the RGV. Since the festival and book itself are international, Garcia Ordaz and his fellow founders take pride in how the publication “gives folks from around the world the chance to read the poetry and [about] the culture of the Valley and vice-versa.” “They influence us and we influence them,” said Garcia Ordaz,

“We’ve had submissions from Europe (London), Mexico; this year we have one from India.” Poets from Germany and Australia have expressed interest in the past. Whether one is a poet seeking a publisher or just wants to recite poetry come April, the RGVIPF and “Boundless” are perfect opportunities. For more information contact Garcia Ordaz at 358-7211.

SUBMISSION CRITERIA ARE AS FOLLOWS: Up to three poems in legible format, may be of any topic and language (translations must be provided if not in English). There is a 35-line limit per poem, not including title and spaces. Submissions must be done in preferred electronic mail format; Mailed submissions will not be accepted, so be warned! Poems must not have been previously published; exceptions are self-published chapbooks with limited distribution. A cover letter must be submitted with information not be found with along with the poetry. Cover-letter will include: poet’s name, title of poem, e-mail address and telephone number; a short biography of no more than 50 words that must focus on your life as a writer, plus a $7 check payable to Art That Heals, Inc.

Renowned political activist, author shares life experiences

By Victor Ituarte victorituarte@gmail.com

It’s not tough to imagine what would motivate an 18-year-old American beat poet in the late 1950s to live abroad in Mexico City, but it may be hard to imagine what would keep him there for over 40 years. The young man, John Ross, grew up to be a renowned author and activist. Ross, now in his 70s, visited The

University of Texas-Pan American on Friday as a part of a tour to promote his new book, “El Monstruo: Dread and Redemption in Mexico City.” The talk, “1810-1910-2010: Cycles of the Mexican Revolution,” drew nearly 40 students, faculty, staff, and community members to a Social and Behavioral Sciences classroom. David Carlson, an assistant professor of history at UTPA,

Jamie Cullum will release his latest album ‘The Pursuit’ in the U.S. on March 2. Cullum pushed the U.S. release date to coincide with his potential tour.

Leading pediatricians in the U.S. are pushing the redesign of hot dogs and candies because they pose choking hazards. If these products cannot be manufactured differently, the next move is to provide new warning labels on the packaging.

who teaches English at McAllen Memorial High School. However unrealistic it may seem for foreigners to travel to attend the festival, their involvement in the anthology has increased over the years. “It’s gotten bigger as far as contributions. Each year the book has grown by ten pages ﬁlled with local and foreign poets’ work,” said Brown, who is UIL Director for La Joya ISD.

Alma Hernandez / the pan american

ROSS THE BOSS - John Ross waits to take the stage as David Carlson opens with some words about the political activist.

helped arrange the speaking engagement after hearing about Ross’s plans to embark on a nationwide promotional tour. The Mexican American Studies program at UTPA co-sponsored the event. “I write about Mexico and social movements and social conﬂicts. I was born on the left (side of the political spectrum) and my parents were members of Communist parties. I grew up as a radical in a radical household,” said Ross, who is originally from New York City. “I came to be very close to social movements, particularly after the earthquake in 1985 when the citizens of Mexico City rebelled against their government because their government didn’t take care of any business. People were left dying under the rubble. People had to dig them out and do everything the government does for them.” He also noted that he was the one who broke the ﬁrst story of the Zapatista rebellion in Chiapas, weeks before it actually happened. “I accompanied that movement for the last 16 years. I’m very tied to social change. I use my journalism as a way of provoking social change,” Ross added. The Zapatista National Liberation Army, known in Spanish as Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional or EZLN, is a guerilla group that formed in the Mexican state of Chiapas in order to retaliate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

in 1994. His visit to UTPA came together nicely. “I heard rumors that he wanted to go to the Narciso Martinez Cultural (Arts) Center in San Benito. I thought it would be great to also have him do a speaking event of some kind in the Edinburg/McAllen area,” Carlson explained. “Basically, through mutual acquaintances and colleagues, I contacted John Ross and I told him, as long as he is coming to the Rio Grande Valley, I could help him out on that leg of the book tour. Through e-mail and intermittent cell phone conversations, we worked it out.” “It’s, of course, the bicentennial of the Mexican War of Independence against Spain in 1810 and it’s the centennial of the Mexican Revolution,” Carlson said. “The Mexican Revolution of 1910 was the first social revolution of the 20th century.” Ross took the time to offer some words to aspiring journalists. “The way you write is ﬁrst you live, and then you write it. Look at the way people looked, the way the sky looked like, what were the songs and chants they were singing. How were they dressed? How did they talk to you,” he suggested. “I used to work with tape recorders and it changed the way people talked. People all of a sudden were addressing the tape recorder. I like to have conversations with people. I think it’s important to… get their stories in the most honest way that you can.”

February 25, 2010

ARTS AND LIFE

Page 11

Undergraduate finds accomplishment UTPA By Pamela Morales pmorales@broncs.utpa.edu

The search for success in college and beyond starts with effort but extends to using all available resources to learn and improve. Saturday an English major at The University of Texas-Pan American got some insight on how to be active in the pursuit. Haydee Villarreal was given the opportunity to present an abstract of her essay, “Godwin vs. Darwin: Survival of the Most Valuable?” at a conference, Bridges and Borders: Exploring the Confluence of Languages, Disciplines, and Cultures conference. The conference at The University of Texas at Brownsville/Texas Southmost College was put on by the English Undergraduate/Graduate Advancement and Development Society, also known as EGADS. Villarreal is a junior from McAllen. Her essay was ﬁrst written as a ﬁnal paper for a Survey of English Literature class last semester but unexpectedly became an entry in the British Literature section of the Brownsville conference. Dr. Rebecca Mitchell, a professor in the English department, had suggested during class that students submit their work to any publications within or outside the campus. “I always encourage (students) to pursue any avenue for taking their work to the next level,” said Mitchell,

UTB/TSC, wanting to show her mother who has been at UTPA for four years. But Villarreal, also part of the Honors and professors just how dedicated she program, felt that the suggestion wasn’t is about her work. Yet, another too reassuring. obstacle followed. She said at first, After the first she didn’t plan presenter was on submitting it “ I hope this, even introduced by because she felt itʼs a small a UTB English her essay wouldn’t though p r o f e s s o r, be as good as the Villarreal’s already others. But after a c c o m p l i s h m e n t , worried look a few days, she motivates other writers to became more decided to go for it noticeable. The first anyway. get their work out there. section of British “I thought if Literature had you try,” Villarreal Itʼs not as hard as one students presenting recalled, “then might think it is. ” thesis papers for there’s a chance a master’s degree. of being chosen Intimidation even if it is not flushed her face. guaranteed. If you “I think don’t try, there’s a Haydee Villarreal intimidation came 100 percent chance English major from being among you won’t get people who have chosen.” been working on T h i s 20-some-page philosophy soon became a reality when Villarreal papers,” she related. “My essay was received an acceptance letter. She only 10 pages and so I felt like I was was ecstatic to tell her mother whom not on their level.” When her section’s turn came she said was very happy for her and very proud of her accomplishment. around, she realized just how worked Although the acceptance was up she was getting about presenting. A satisfying, Villarreal soon realized small technical error moved her from another challenge: presenting the being second to first but Villarreal was glad she was able to lead off. abstract in front of a crowd. “I got compliments from the Not knowing much about the conference or how it worked or who professors,” she said, “and they told would even attend, Villarreal still me my work was original and asked traveled an hour from her home to me how I came up with the idea (about

Godwin and Darwin).” Her idea came when she read Godwin and Darwin’s texts during class and found that both philosophers were different because of their view of who is justified to survive. Godwin favors to save the intellectual while Darwin favors the strongest and smartest. Villarreal’s argument saw that although both were different, their view of justification clashed when given another thought. Mitchell, who also attended, said Villarreal’s essay was strong because of her ability to compare two different texts of thought, “She was able to bring out the similarities in logic in Godwin and Darwin’s arguments.” Overall, Villarreal’s experience helped her learn about presenting and gave her confidence to submit to other events. She said Mitchell’s reassuring remark about attending more conferences gave her motivation to keep writing and submitting. She also said that the conference seminar she heard on how to publish works in journals was helpful. Mitchell noted that the path Villarreal took to presenting is a natural one. “I think just about everyone has some level of anxiety about the value and quality of their own work,” she insisted. Villarreal concluded that her experience is one that other students might find helpful. “I hope this, even though it’s a small accomplishment, motivates other writers to get their work out there. It’s not as hard as one might think it is.”

Seen & Captured

Alma Hernandez / the pan american

MY BOLOGNA HAS FANS - (From left) Luis Leal, Gilbert Burnnemann, and Darral Simmons pose in front of Wienermobile on Feb. 24 at the COAS circle.

Jeffers Theatre brings farce to life in March run By Cecily Saldana cecilydino@yahoo.com UTPA’s University Theatre Productions will present its first play of the year, Michael Frayn’s “Noises Off” from March 3- 8. “Noises Off” is a play within a play in which the audience gets a glimpse of what happens on stage as well as backstage. It follows the cast, crew and director of a play called “Nothing On,” a British sex comedy, while they try taking the production to Broadway. Originally a one-act British play, it has developed into a three-act deal over the years and has been tweaked to appeal to an American audience. “It’s just a classic farce,” says the play’s director, Jack Stanley. “It shows the best and worst of what can happen during a production and takes it to the extreme.” The cast members echoed this appraisal. “It’s a bunch of running around; it’s just chaotic,” says Cassandra Dean, a TV/film major who acts in the play. Stanley hopes “Noises Off” will help the audience get a better understanding of what goes into forming a production. It captures what really can go wrong in a show. He selected the play last year and has been working on it for about six months. It has some interesting scenes. “It’s an all-out farce, pretty much anything goes. One character is in her underwear the whole show,” Dean said. One thing that has helped the play come together smoothly, according to Dean is the casting. “It’s been a lot of fun. We all feed off each other really well,” she said. “I think Dr. Stanley did a great job casting.” With all the chaos and half-naked people running, around “it’s not a children’s play,” warned Stanley. As always, children younger than third-grade age will not be allowed to enter. If you really want to see all the exciting commotion that is happening backstage, this is the perfect opportunity. “Noises Off” is set to run March 3-6 at 8 pm, March 7 at 2 p.m. and a final benefit performance March 8 at 8 p.m. at the Albert L Jeffers Theatre in the Communication Arts & Sciences Building. Reserve seating is $12.00, general admission is $8.00, $3.00 for non-UTPA students and UTPA students/faculty/staff get in for free plus a guest with valid UTPA ID. For reservations or more information please call the University Theatre Box Office at 956 381-3581.

Page 12

February 25, 2010

THE PAN AMERICAN

Census jobs offer:  flexible hours up to 40/wk  mileage reimbursement  work near home

VOTE AT UTPA LIBRARY SUBSTATION

www.2010censusjobs.gov 1-866-861-2010 WWW.FIDENCIOFORDA.COM

February 25 2010

THE PAN AMERICAn

Page 13

February 25, 2010

Broncs and Lady Broncs each drop one at NJIT ers, the top defensive team in the Great West, held the Broncs to 8-for-24 shooting from the field in the first half, UTPA continued its turbulent Great including 3 for 9 from behind the arc. West Conference season by losing to But they turned it around in the New Jersey Institute of Technology 66- second, playing with better composure 59 in the nightcap of a men’s-women’s as their decision-making helped the doubleheader Saturday at the Fleisher Green and Orange Athletic Center in come back with Newark, N.J. the three-ball. In perhaps the UTPA made six of “We played particularly worst first half of 10 three-pointers, the season accordwell in the second half including senior ing to Broncs head Nick Weiermillcoach Ryan Marks, getting close at the er’s 4-of-6 effort UTPA’s 33 percent from downtown. end.” shooting from the “We never field was certainly got settled. We going to make it Ryan Marks ended up not getdifficult for them UTPA basketball coach ting good lucks to rebound in the at the basket in second, and it did. the first half,” After a couple of key runs in the said the business management major second half, the Broncs (3-6, 4-24) from Elmira, N.Y. “In the second we cut the Highlander 15-point lead to concentrated on running our stuff and three with two minutes left but three getting back on defense and I think consecutive missed shots helped NJIT that’s what made us play better.” (8-15, 3-3 GWC) outscore the Broncs Weiermiller led the Broncs with 19 8-4 in the remaining pivotal minutes. points while newcomer Aaron Urba“It was a disappointing loss for us. nus added 13. Senior postman Luis We played particularly well in the sec- Valera chipped in with 11 points ond half getting close at the end. We while grabbing a game-high six rewere fortunate not be down by greater bounds. margin at the half though,” first-year coach Marks said. “We certainly had LADY BRONCS opportunities to win the game but a In the first game of the doublecouple of bad breaks that didn’t go our header, GWC’s third-place Lady way the last five minutes made it hard. Broncs dropped their ranking to the To win on the road you have to play the Lady Highlanders in a 70-66 loss. full 40 minutes and we didn’t do that.” Down 11 with 1:40 left in the Indeed, they didn’t as the Highland- game the Lady Broncs cut the lead to

By Alvaro Balderas Alvaro_tx@msn.com

three on an impressive 12-5 run. With six seconds remaining, UTPA (10-15, 6-3 GWC) sent NJIT to the foul line making it impossible for the Lady Broncs to do something down four with four seconds to go. Battling back and forth throughout the game, Pan Am stuck around for the entire contest but lack of stops on the defensive end helped NJIT (10-12, 5-1 GWC) avenge their only conference loss, courtesy of UTPA back on Jan. 14. Senior Nacogdoches native Aleeya Grigsby posted her third straight double-double with 18 points and 10 boards, while freshman Bianca Torre (Harlingen) added 16 points. Senior Rose Esther Jean pitched in with eight points, 11 rebounds and swatted a career-high six blocks. The Missouri City native needs nine blocks to tie UTPA’s all-time record in blocks with 133. Senior Marah Guzman had 14 points and seven assists in the loss and admits it’s hard to win a conference road game especially when exchanging baskets in key moments of the game. “We played hard and never gave up for a second,” the dietetics major said. “Unfortunately our shots were not falling for us. We caught up by converting steals into offensive opportunities but as soon as we got close they kept on answering back with baskets and that made it hard on us.” Both the men and women return to the hardwood Saturday when they face Houston Baptist at Houston.

Judy Chavez/THE PAN AMERICAN

JUMP UP - Junior Matt Mierzycki practices lay ups at the UTPA Field House. He played 19 minutes Saturday at NJIT.

Great West Conference Standings As of 2/24/2010

Men’s Basketball Team USD HBU UND NJIT UVU UTPA CSU

Overall

W 15 7 7 8 11 4 7

L 9 19 18 15 15 24 19

Women’s Basketball

GWC

W 6 6 4 3 4 3 2

L 1 2 3 3 6 6 6

Team UND NJIT UTPA USD CSU HBU UVU

Overall W 15 7 7 8 11 4 7

L 9 19 18 15 15 24 19

GWC W 6 6 4 3 4 3 2

L 1 2 3 3 6 6 6

Fraternities organize 5K walk/run February 25, 2010

Page 15

SPORTS

during the Great Depression and now has 135,000 members across the country, including an RGV chapter in The weather Saturday morning Estrella’s House was established was ideal for any runner: cool and in June 2000, and assists 1,100 cloudy with just children a year, the right amount providing refuge of breeze, makfrom abusive ing the 6:30 a.m. households. It “Iʼve been running is named after registration for since my first year of 2-year-old Esa 5K walk/run hosted by Beta high school in 1947. trella Rojas, who Sigma Phi and It really keeps the was killed in July Theta Lambda of 2000 by her baby fat off.” not seem like mother’s boysuch a task. friend in EdinHeld at the Dean Padavon burg after going Edinburg Mu81-year-old runner missing. It is one nicipal Park, the of three such adrace attracted vocacy centers in more than 80 runners and raised the Valley and one of 67 in Texas. over $2,000 for Estrella’s House, “What Estrella’s House does is a child advocacy center in Edin- provide a comfortable place for burg. abused children, recording their sto“We had a pretty good turnout ries so they don’t have to relive their given that this is the ﬁrst year we do experiences by reciting them again this,” said Christi Myers, Beta Sigma and again,” said Cassandra Disbro, Phi member and a board member of an organizer for the event and Beta Estrella’s House. “It’s kinda cloudy Sigma Phi member. “It’s really paso I know that keeps some people thetic how many kids they have to from coming out, but for most run- help every year. We want to make ners this is perfect weather.” that number as small as possible.” Beta Sigma Phi is a national serEvery runner and donor at Saturvice based sorority started in 1931 day’s event tried making that more By Benny Salinas Bsalinas@broncs.utpa.edu

Alma Hernandez/THE PAN AMERICAN

FOREVER YOUNG - Dean Padavon, 81, was the oldest runner at the Beta Sigma Phi and Theta Lambda 5K walk/run.

possible with every step and dollar given. Among them was 81-yearold Dean Padavon, the oldest runner at the event. “There’s at most three or four runners my age in the Valley,” Padavon said after asking a fellow runner to help him read his time: 33:14. “I’ve been running since my first year of high school in 1947. It really keeps the baby fat off.” The event boasted 100 donors and had no set monetary goals; organizers wanted to make as much as possible. “It’s not that hard to put these things together,” Myers said. “It’s just a matter of organizing things and getting things set up with the city since we’re doing it at a city park. The biggest thing is advertising and finding donors.” Myers, whose day began at 4:45 in the morning on Saturday, was able to attract major sponsors including Shell Gas, Watermill, and Sunharvest. The event included door prizes and shirts for those involved. “Overall, we’re happy with the way things turned out this year,” Myers said. “Hopefully next year we’ll be able to make this bigger and raise some more money for the cause.”

Golf kicks off Lady Broncs affected by injury, look forward to GWC spring season

By Sara Hernandez sarahdzm@hotmail.com

The rain interrupted the University of Texas-Pan American men’s golf team’s spring season opener at the Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate, hosted by Francis Marion University Monday and Tuesday. After the tournament was cut short to 36 holes due to heavy raining on day one, the Broncs finished 14th with a score of 611. Kevin Kirakossian was the best Bronc, finishing tied in 25th with 150 points. Brandon Reyna and Armen Kirakossian trailed one and two hits behind placing 33rd and 41st. Adam Haley tied for 75th followed four spots behind by Orlando Moreno. Wake Forest won the tourney with 583 shots; the individual winner was Jackson Taylor from Davidson College. In October, the Broncs participated in the Sam Houston Elkins Lake Invitational, which was also shortened to 36 holes due to weather. The Broncs scored 587 points then. The leader was also Kevin Kirakossian with 140 hits. The Broncs will return to action April 4 when they head to Nashville for the TSU Big Blue Intercollegiate.

By Neena Hernandez Nhernandez23@broncs.utpa.edu

The University of Texas PanAmerican’s women’s tennis team has no worries when it comes to preparation for the Great West Conference, but it’s never good to lose. Last weekend the women played against The University of Houston and lost 5-1. In the singles competition, the only wins for the Lady Broncos were Mexican senior Luisa Cantu defeating Joanna Kacprzyk in two sets (6-1, 6-2) and senior Nina Ciric from Serbia beating out Laura Ring 6-2, 6-1. The Lady Broncs lost by default in the sixth spot against Alexandra Pickerill due to a sprained ankle sustained by sophomore Reetta Raty, a native of Tammisaari, Finland. In the doubles, Houston won big in all three spots. Megan Bedeau and Cantu lost 8-1 against Bryony Hunter and Elena Kazlmleruk. Ciric/Sarah Burton lost 8-2 against Joanna Kacprzyk and Maja Kazlmelruk. Another loss was taken by default for the third spot. Head coach Chris Taylor takes a win or loss as an opportunity to set up for the Great West Conference. “I don’t think we’re playing to our capabilities yet. I think we’re a better team than what’s Great Western reflected,” he said. “I

think the girls are still confident as soon as Reetta gets back in the lineup that in it and itself is going to make us a better team. For the women’s team this is climbing a mountain. Right now it is not about losses, it’s about getting better every time we play.” For Ciric, the team should win matches to better themselves. “It’s very important for us to win all these matches because it builds up our confidence,” she explained. “It’s very important that we go very serious in all these matches and get better as to go into the conference. These are not important but for your own confidence for just playing better, it’s crucial.” Cantu noted that the group could stand some improvement in the pairs. “I think we need to work harder in the doubles so we can be really ready for the conference tournament,” she remarked after the loss. With Raty recovering from injury and with a chance to get back on the courts next week, the team needs to play as a complete team to beat out opponents in order to show the league what they’ve got by the time the GWC tourney arrives, April 30. UTPA will meet the University of Texas at El Paso away from home Feb. 25 with two more matches following, Feb. 26 in Las Cruces, N.M., and Feb. 27 back in El Paso.

Alma Hernandez/THE PAN AMERICAN

TOUGHENING UP - Sarah Burton (pictured) and Nina Ciric lost 8-2 against Joanna Kacprzyk and Maia Kazlmelruk Saturday.

February 25, 2010

Time to let the good times roll

The Broncs have their engines ready to take off with a new plan, a new crew, and a new destination 2010 BRONC BASEBALL HOME GAMES DATE OPPONENT

TIME

2/26

3 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m. 1 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m. 3 p.m. TBA 6 p.m. 1 p.m. TBA 6 p.m. 1 p.m. TBA 12 p.m. 6 p.m. 1 p.m. 12 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m. 1 p.m TBA 12 p.m. 3 p.m. TBA 2 p.m. TBA

2/27 2/28 3/05 3//06 3/07 3/09 3/10 3/16

Alma Hernandez/THE PAN AMERICAN

CURVE BALL - Right-handed pitcher junior Arnold Franco and the UTPA baseball team prepare for the Al Ogletree Classic, which begins tomorrow at 3 p.m. and marks the start of the 2010 season. By Sara Hernandez sarahdzm@hotmail.com The countdown has come to an end. The University of Texas-Pan American baseball team is ready to kick off the 2010 season tomorrow in the Al Ogletree Classic with a double-header against UT-Brownsville and Prairie View A&M starting at 3 p.m. at Edinburg Baseball Stadium. After one year under the guidance of head coach Manny Mantrana, the coaching staff has brought in a new generation of players that promise to change the fate of the program. More than 50 percent of the roster is new to UTPA baseball. “It’s our ﬁrst recruiting class… so those 19 new players we brought them for a reason, to begin to turn around the fortune of the program,” Mantrana said. Although according to the head coach these 19 fresh players are going to be crucial for achieving the team’s goal of having a winning season, the guidance and experience of returning players is also going to be very important for the Broncs. “Those are the ones that were here last year that have seen how we want to do things as far as practices, structure, the intensity, the focus, the drills,” he said. “Last year everybody was learning the new system, this year all the new guys have to learn but the old players know the system, so it makes it a lot easier for the new players to understand what we’re doing and how we’re doing it.”

For example, inﬁelder Abraham Garcia, who heads into his last season with the Broncs, said that the coaching staff has succeeded in setting objectives for the group, which has trained together for six months. “There are a lot of new players, but our coaches have done a good job working hard on team bonding,” said Garcia, who hit .348 as a junior and is a three-year starter. “Everybody is clicking and having the same goals for the team.” Garcia was the leading hitter for the Broncs last year. The McAllen native got 67 hits in 182 at bats in 2009 as well as 38 runs and the most home runs with six. Closely behind was Jose Mendoza from Corpus Christi, also a senior this year, who had a .348 hitting mark in 204 at bats, with 44 runs. The team’s hitting average was .292 in 2009. For new players like freshman right-handed pitcher Eric Donelly from Coral Springs Fla., one of 11 pitchers that hope to form the backbone of the team, the transition to college baseball has gone smoothly so far thanks to the warm reception returning players have showed them. “It’s been pretty much what I expected, it’s a lot of work but I enjoy it,” Donelly said. “Our teammates have been very good and welcoming from day one, so the team chemistry is very good.” Last year’s leading pitcher, senior Scott Wingo from Garland, who had a 5.56 ERA, also returns to the Broncs. UTPA’s average ERA was 9.43. Fri-

day, Wingo will start the game against UTB in the season debut. Besides Wingo, three junior transfers will make up the starting-pitching squad. Cody Plunk from Lawton Okla. is set to start the game against Prairie View A&M Friday night, Hayden Daugherty (Elk City, Okla.) will pitch Saturday and Leo Chang from Sarasota, Fla. will be in charge of the mound on Sunday. “I feel confident going into this year… everybody can go out there and compete, they all work hard,” Wingo said. “I think the four starters we have should be able to keep us in all the games.” And with big changes come bigger expectations, the program is looking to have its first winning season in nine years in its first year as part of the Great West Conference after 2009’s 14-41 record. UTPA will host the conference tournament May 2528. “We’re looking to turn around the program this year, we’re looking to get back to the winning ways that used to be Pan Am baseball, so we’re looking to a winning season,” Mantrana said. To this, Mike McCarthy from Wallingford Conn., who transferred to UTPA after playing for the University of Vermont for one year, said that although the expectations for this year’s team puts a lot of pressure on both newcomers and returners, the preparation that the team has gone through gives the player confidence that good things will result. “There’s a lot of pressure because

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Great West Conference Tournament 5/25 - 5/28 * Denotes conference game there’s a lot of expectations for this year, but we’re working hard so we shouldn’t feel any pressure,” said McCarthy, who plays catcher “We want to deﬁnitely win conference and then go to regionals.” As part of a conference, a team can qualify to the regional championship automatically by winning the tourney, whereas an independent university faces an uphill struggle. The Broncs are somewhere in between, as the Great West Conference is in its beginning stages, and does not get an automatic bid. This year, the Broncs will play 30 home games compared to 24 away occasions. Also, the Broncs will en-

counter big schools as Texas, when they go to Austin after this weekend’s action, and Notre Dame which will come to the Edinburg Baseball Stadium March 9 and 10. As the team prepares the last details for the Al-Ogletree Classic, in which UTPA, UT-Brownsville and Prairie View A&M will play each other twice, Garcia reiterated his enthusiasm for starting his last campaign as a Bronc with the trust that it will be a successful season for UTPA. “We’re more than ready, the coaches have done a great job keeping us prepared,” he said. “It’s my last season, so hopefully it will come up well. I’m anxious.”