August 30, 2010 by UTRGV Student Media

Volume 67, No. 01

THE PAN AMERICAN

August 30, 2010

Students respond to parking largesse By Roxann Garcia The Pan American

Students returning from summer vacation will be greeted with a change in parking along the southwest side of campus. The University of TexasPan American recently underwent a redistricting of lots B and B-1 located directly in front of the Communication of Arts and Science building and the University Center. Aug. 5 workers had spent the day spray-painting curbs and putting up new signs near parking lot B outside of Heritage and Troxel Residence halls. Originally the reserved parking lot was mainly used by faculty and staff but has now been designated as residential parking. The maintenance crew painted over “reserved” and replaced it with “resident” for each of the 141 spaces. The reaction to the decision, made by the Parking and Trafﬁc Committee during their last ofﬁcial meeting in June, has been dire. Faculty and staff were upset over the lack of notice given by the committee about their decision. Many felt it was a breach of shared governance between the university community and the university itself. A belated e-mail circulated a few days after the paint job only added to the irritation from the university community. Changes were not only made to Lot B located nearest to the dormitory halls but also to its neighbor, Lot B-1. The lot to the right, south of lot

SEE PARKING || PAGE 6

Alma E. Hernandez / THE PAN AMERICAN

A ‘LOT’ OF CONTROVERSY - Parking lot ‘B’ was once reserved parking designated for faculty and staff. On the morning of Aug. 5, UTPA staff received a rude awakening after arriving to a suddenly sectioned off lot. Maintenance crews repainted the spots gray, redesignating them for residents.

Nelsen talks University future, budget cuts at Convocation By Alejandra Martinez The Pan American To mark the start of the new school year, President Robert S. Nelsen addressed students, faculty and staff at The University of TexasPan American Thursday morning for the annual fall convocation. During his speech Nelsen discussed his visions for the university’s future and ongoing budget cuts. Nelsen identified and discussed six goals that for the university. They are as follows: to enhance UTPA’s engagement with the community,

Page 2 - Big business Introduction of might new have packed their bags, but theyEspañol never left section.

local businesses, education and cultural organizations, and health providers; to leverage the university’s location on the border by initiating projects linked to the Valley; to optimize effectiveness and efficiency in processes that affect students, faculty and staff; to target research centers relevant to the South Texas area; to collaborate with schools around the Valley to improve graduation rates and prepare students for higher education; and to provide students with a high quality education that will prepare them to become the

Page 3 - Jobs after Student-led bio-chemistry graduation becoming scarce petition in works

next generation of leaders. “We will succeed in this mission that we’re on to educate our students, to transform the values through education, because that is what we are here to do,” he said as he began his second term at the helm. Other plans that are in the works for UTPA include continued investment in programs that will beneﬁt the area, creating a teaching degree for physical science, as well as an online master’s degree in health sciences, and a new bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. A doctoral degree in clinical

psychology focused on Hispanic mental health, and one in developmental education are in the works as well. There is also a possibility for a master in political science, he said. Nelsen recognized that these are tough times for the university due to the $7.4 million budget cut made earlier this year. He also reiterated that an additional $10 million slice should be expected to begin in upcoming months. However, this does not discourage him. The president is conﬁdent that the university will survive this massive

Page 11 - Holiday gift pizza guide Mom-and-pop

Proarama Page 14 - Q&A de withingenievolleyball player Rebecca ria civil sera Toddy ﬁnalmenta implementado.

joint battles biggies

hit on its revenue. “In this tough times we must be aggressive because we are all about the students and all about the Valley in which we live,” he stated. “We cannot let the budget derail UT-Pan Am.” Nelsen commented that no money has been cut from the core mission, which is teaching students. However, things like travel expenses had to take a hit in order to pay for faculty salaries. The president is looking to build

SEE NELSEN|| PAGE 6

Lady Bronc volleyball campaign under way

August 30, 2010

Editor’s Note

Reintroducing new Español section, page 14

It’s the start of a new school year and with this comes new beginnings. As per tradition, The Pan American newspaper is here to greet new and returning students on their first day. In this issue you the reader will notice a new (sort of) section added to the paper. Page 14 is now home to our Español section of the newspaper (The Spanish section made its first appearance in this paper from 2006-2008). We at The Pan American felt it was important to represent the 88 percent of Hispanic students at UTPA in this heavily Hispanic region. Having stories en Español also allows this newspaper to further prepare its student journalists for professional job opportunities available throughout the country and even internationally. Though, these are not the first stories written this year in Spanish. The section has essentially been active since June and the reader can log on to panamericanonline.com and click on the ‘Español’ tab for more stories. Therefore it is with great pleasure that we formally reintroduce the Español section of The Pan American. Kristen Cabrera Editor in Chief

Vol. 67, No. 1

Commentary

Housing hurdles leave tenant unsure I’ve lived in Unity Hall since I enrolled into UTPA Fall 2007. The dorms are where I’ve made the majority of my friends and the Sara Hernandez three different Sports Editor roommates that I’ve had are definitely among my top girlfriends. I’ve enjoyed coming down to the lobby on sleepless nights to find many residents hanging out there willing to play pool, sit down for a talk or walk to Whataburger to satisfy midnight cravings. Yes, there are restrictions such as needing to sign in all of your visitors and sign them out before 1 a.m. and paying to have overnight guests who, in addition, can’t be of the opposite sex. Last year, they made us swipe our IDs before entering the building, which I hated, but as they said, it was for safety reasons, there’s not much you can argue with there. As I turned 21, I was happy to finally be able to live at Bronc Village. After all, all these restrictions get old as you start growing up and you feel

like a little kid when you don’t have the freedom to invite people over without going through somewhat of a bureaucracy. So I moved to Bronc Village for Summer I and II hoping to be placed in the same apartment I was going to live in the entire school year. I didn’t, but I was told I was going to be moved to my permanent apartment as soon as the keys for it were available. That day never came, but I didn’t mind because I was getting along pretty well with my roommates and knew that by the time the fall started I’d be moved with the roommates I had requested. At the beginning of August, I called and asked if I could be placed in my new apartment before the end of the summer, so as to not have to take all my belongings home and bring them back again a week later (I never completely unpacked because I was expecting to be moved “any time”). But they told me that I had to pay a $180 fee to stay the week between summer II and the fall semester. I didn’t do it. It would have been convenient, but I wasn’t willing to pay almost half of a month’s rent to stay a couple of more days. All I could think

was, “why do they make it so hard for students to want to stay here?” I understand there are rules, but this one just didn’t make sense to me. I have a Housing Scholarship during the school year, so I’m staying, but of the two roommates I had at the time, one paid the fee even though she was only going to be there for half of the week, and the other was obliged to move out completely although she has lived in that apartment for one year and was planning to stay for at least one more year. She’s now considering not coming back. Overall, living at the dorms has been a pleasant experience and I certainly recommend it if you want to live a full university experience that only a small percentage of UTPA students get to have. I’m looking forward to rooming with three of my best friends (whom I’ve made as a resident) at Bronc Village, but the fact that the management (not the RA’s, whom I honestly admire and respect) makes residents feel unwelcome at times like these leads me to seriously consider leaving Residence Life for good after this school year.

Illustrated Commentary

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

EDITOR IN CHIEF: Kristen Cabrera kmcabrera22@gmail.com NEWS EDITOR: Roxann Garcia roxx.gar11@gmail.com ONLINE/SPANISH EDITOR: Denisse Salinas dns_145@hotmail.com ARTS & LIFE EDITOR: Benny Salinas 9_benny_9@live.com SPORTS EDITOR: Sara Hernandez shernandez261@gmail.com PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR: Alma E. Hernandez alma.e.hdz@gmail.com SENIOR DESIGNER: Jennifer Tate jen489@gmail.com DESIGNERS: Alexis Carranza alexis091@aol.com Ashlynn Biel ashlynn.biel@gmail.com ADVISER: Dr. Greg Selber selberg@utpa.edu ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE: Anita Reyes areyes18@utpa.edu ADVERTISING MANAGER: Mariel Cantu spubs@utpa.edu WEBMASTER: Jose Villarreal josemvillarrealcs@gmail.com

Delivery

Thursday at noon Letters to the Editor

Elias Moran/THE PAN AMERICAN

The Pan American accepts letters of 300 words or less from students, staff and faculty regarding recent newspaper content, campus concerns or current events. We reserves the right to edit submissions for grammar and length. We 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.

August 30, 2010

Students petition for bio-chemistry degree

By Pamela Morales The Pan American

With the current budget cuts from the UT System and the unsteady economy throughout the country, it would seem that demands for funding of any kind might be disregarded. In the College of Science and Mathematics, though, students and professors together are trying to make their voices heard. With the College of Science and Engineering now split into two with the creation of the science/math college and one for engineering, there are high hopes of quickening the process of building a new program in bio-chemistry. At UTPA, it is currently only offered as a minor because the numbers of classes are not enough to make a bachelor’s degree. The ﬁrst proposal to take the next step was presented to the Academic Planning Committee in 2008, when it approved the launch the program. But due to lack of funds, it didn’t happen. It wasn’t until last year that a couple of professors begin to hear more and more students demanding a bachelor’s in bio-chemistry. “A lot of students, when we starting talking about pushing for

the degree, were very interested,” said Joanna Rampersad, assistant professor in the chemistry department. “And literally all of them were saying, ‘OK, we want to start putting everything into place so that we can get everything set up so as soon as this degree is ready to go, we can jump straight into it.’ And the sense of urgency has increased because a lot more of them, I think, want to have that biochemistry option. Then they’re all looking at us going, ‘Well, when are you getting started?’” Although the proposed curriculum is currently stalled at the Academic Planning level, Rampersad and her colleague, Hassan Ahmad, also a professor in the chemistry department, must persuade the new dean of College of Science and Math that a bio-chemistry degree is needed at UTPA. Bio-chemistry is the study of chemistry of biological matters, such as DNA and diseases. In most cases, individuals with such a diploma work in the forensics ﬁeld with their knowledge of identifying DNA along with an understanding of the biology of the human body. Not only do

they help in law enforcement but in pharmaceutical, hospital, agriculture and education jobs, where they’re are able to develop new or improve medical drugs, prescribe necessary treatment, create pest-resistant fertilizer, and help institutions with research, among other tasks. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, about 50,000 jobs are expected to be open within the next eight years for bio-chemists. Rampersad and Ahmad conducted a survey of 400 senior high school students across the Valley and more than half said they would attend UTPA if it offered a bio-chemistry degree. “We’re a major undergraduate institution in the state, in the nation if you take Hispanic students,” Ahmad said. “If we don’t provide the undergraduate program in biochemistry, professionally I think, we’re just short-changing our kids here in the Valley. They have to travel at least 250 miles from here to get a degree in bio-chemistry. And many of them do…but not everybody is as fortunate as others.” The situation of ﬁnancial limitation was true for David Villanueva,

alumnus of UTPA, and now student at the University of Houston - College of Pharmacy. “I couldn’t afford to move to SA for the [bio-chemistry] degree,” said Villanueva. “One of my ﬁrst classes [at UH] is medical bio-chemistry and the class is proceeding fast. If I didn’t have a good background in biochemistry I would already be lost. But a bio-chemistry degree would have been better.” In order to push the proposed curriculum onto the interim provost’s desk, Rampersad and Ahmad need 200 petition signatures and are able to persuade the new dean of College of Science and Mathematics, John Trant, to support their proposal. Once that is done they will have to wait until the UT system stamps an OK for the program to start its journey.

Faculty mentoring program used throughout university University eases new faculty members’ transition by incorporating peer advising

By Belinda Munoz The Pan American

Every year new faculty members join The University of Texas Pan American, but not all end up staying for long. In an effort to retain incoming faculty, the Vice Provost’s Office has developed a Faculty Mentoring Program to better guide and welcome new faculty. The program is university funded, and has encouraged faculty development since being implemented in the 2007/2008 academic year by former Provost Dr. Paul Sale and Dr. Ala Qubbaj, the current vice provost for faculty affairs. “The program incorporates peer mentoring support, where each new faculty is paired with an experienced faculty ‘peer mentor’ from their same discipline,” Quabbaj explained. Yanci Swenson, 36, a graduate assistant for the office, feels that the Faculty Mentoring Program helps incoming faculty better integrate into the university. “There were a lot of faculty coming to UTPA and they weren’t staying because they were finding it hard to navigate UTPA, so the system was spearheaded so that they could help the retention, help them transition to a brand new university,” Swenson said. Linda Matthews, 48, professor

and Faculty Senate chair for the luncheons, banquets and workshops Department of Management as well for all of its new members. Quabbaj as a recent mentor, feels that a good feels that these aspects are important mentoring program will create a in order to support faculty while domino effect of success for the they are transitioning into their new academic/community lives. university. “The New Faculty Support Pro“Effective mentoring at the gram consists of early stages in year-long strucfaculty careers tured activities should result in “ I also believe mentoring and experiences 360-degree ‘win’ that will orient outcomes,” she is invaluable for exposing new faculty to the said. “By this I new faculty to the values university and the mean the new valley, and help faculty should be of this institution. New them achieve their more successful fullest potential as in managing faculty is the future of teachers, scholand excelling in UTPA. ” ars and members research, teaching, of the universiand service ty,” Quabbaj said. activities. This in Some program turn should have Linda Matthews activities include positive effects Faculty Senate chair a “President’s Refor our students, for the Dept. of Management ception and Proour departments, gram Kickoff” and colleges etc. an end of the year “I also believe mentoring is invaluable for exposing reception. Mentors of the program are new faculty to the values of this expected to help teacher’s reach their institution. New faculty is the future potential by offering guidance on how of UTPA. Investing in programs like to best get started in research, in terms systematic mentorship can help insure of ﬁnding funding, writing proposals and publishing results and by offering that the future is a bright one.” To gain better faculty success, the advice on how to best teach students. program offers a welcome reception, They may also help new faculty estabacademic orientation, multiple lish their own individual professional

growth plan. A one time mentor himself, Dr. Dumitru Caruntu, 46, a professor for the Mechanical Engineering Department, also feels that the program is a great asset to the university. He personally thanks Quabbaj for the program’s implementation and professor Robert Freeman for being his personal mentor. “This is a necessary program for new faculty,” Caruntu explained. “They get the chance to be mentored by senior faculty in their ﬁrst tenuretrack year. They get the chance to learn ﬁrsthand how to become a successful faculty member.” To achieve success, Dr. Caruntu feels that new faculty must learn to adequately balance the responsibilities associated with teaching, research and service at UTPA. “A successful faculty should have excellent achievements in all three areas teaching, research, and service. He (she) should have excellent student teaching evaluations, offer new courses, publish journal papers, present and publish in peer reviewed conferences, be very active in seeking both external and internal funding, involve both graduate and undergraduate students in research, and do service to his (her) community at local (department, college, university), and national

and international (American and International Societies) level,” he specified. Someone who knows all about balancing faculty expectations is former Iowa native, Robert Schweller, 31, assistant professor of computer science at UTPA. He was in the first group of faculty to take part in the Faculty Mentoring Program in 2007. “When I arrived here I was informed that this faculty was my official mentor,” Schweller recalled. “There were two, with this faculty covering this aspect, research, and this faculty concerning this aspect, teaching.” Schweller recanted. Schweller was mentored in the area of “research” by Richard Fowler and by Pearl Brazier in the area of “teaching”, who are both professors of computer science at UTPA. Schweller believes that the program is efficient because it offers support in formal and informal aspects of the job. “Whenever I had a teaching question I would go to the one faculty and ask something like what do I do with my syllabus, or how do I fill out a drop add form,” he noted. “Just kind of random questions and similar things other faculty occasionally needs to talk about, you know, what is expected to be put in the development plan for tenure for example. So those things were helpful to have.”

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August 30, 2010

NEWS

PARKING

continued from Page 1 B, situated in front of the University Center, has also been converted, from general to reserved parking. Those displaced from their original parking home will battle with hundreds of other regulars from that lot over just 158 spaces starting Sept. 1. Additional signage at the entrances to the lots now reﬂects new names. Zone 3, now lot B-1, is speciﬁcally for reserved permit holders. Zone 2 will be for general permit holders located nearest to the colleges such as the Social and Behavioral Sciences, Education, and Health/Physical Education buildings. Zone 1 is designated for remote parking on the outskirts of the university. Once the fall semester begins, students who originally park in lot B-1 will be faced with fresh paint and a new sign. “I’m used to parking here often throughout the school year. It’s just easier once I’m out of class to walk in this direction,” said 21-year-

old Laura Adame, a psychology major from Edinburg. “While I’m glad residents are getting the much needed space, I don’t think this helps the overall parking situation for the university,” The number of students who live in dorms and have cars is at the core of the problem for the situation. Currently there are 667 residents who live on campus during regular semesters with 283 spaces available for parking outside the new lot. With the recent addition, residents will now have 424 possibilities as of Sept. 1, when tickets will begin for those violating the parking changes. Of the 667 residents on campus, 558 hold a residential parking permit. “A speciﬁc portion of the population parks on campus 24/7,” Chief of University Police, Roger Stearns stressed in two weeks ago. “Instead of being here for eight hours like a workday or a few hours for a class, they’re here for 24 hours

of the day.” Residents applaud the recent decision and look forward to a safer environment when parking on campus. Elizabeth Ramos, a nursing student originally form Harlingen, stressed the importance of the newly added parking spaces. The 22-yearold has been living in the dormitories for nearly four years. “We needed the space. Every other dormitory has had designated parking spaces,” Ramos said. “Heritage and Troxel hadn’t and that’s because we had to share with other students.” Ramos stressed safety as a concern of hers. Especially as a female student, she noted, trekking to the car at night is a worrisome journey to take. She has spent four years watching exhausting pursuit Heritage and Troxel residents have had in attaining lot B. “This was something SGA (Student Government Association) had been ﬁghting for us since before I got here,” she said. “There were always

a new science building that will cost around $49 million, as well as renovation of the business administration building at a cost of $46 million. An area has been set aside for a hospital to train students going through the nursing and physician’s assistant programs. This would result in an expenditure of about $4.75 million.

Nelsen said he would like for all these programs to serve the area. “I’m here for the long haul. We will continue to push forward, to work for the Valley, to ensure the success of our students,” he said. “You are my team. We are all a team. We are in this together, we will work together, and we will succeed together.”

petitions to sign and we would get the signatures needed but nothing would happen afterwards.” SGA president Alex Rodriguez, who began his term shortly after elections in April, is reluctant to applaud the decision. The Harlingen native notes that while the residents were in dire need of the space, he was disappointed in how the situation was handled. “I think the committee could have notified students more, prior to the change, that way everyone could have prepared for the change,” the senior said. “At the same time the residents do need the spaces as a security measure since they are closer to the dorms. I just wish the situation could have been handled accordingly.” The 22-year-old business management major has lived on campus since his freshmen year. Other students who have moved out of the dorms are also happy with the decision.

Sonya Treto, a former Heritage resident, is thrilled about the deal. She felt it was a hassle having to walk further to her car, especially with laundry or heavy items to carry. Treto is, however, happy that her sister, who just moved into Heritage, will have a closer parking space. “Problems I faced while living there was having to remember to move my car back to our section Sunday nights,” she said. “During the weekend we were able to park in that closer lot, so I would. But come Sunday night I had to move it back in order to avoid getting a ticket on Monday. And a couple of times I would forget, that was annoying.” Still, the police chief said that for the time being “lot counts” will be done daily, to make sure they are being used effectively. If residents are not taking advantage of the new parking, the committee will explore other options, he noted.

NELSEN

continued from Page 1 up the stature of UTPA by creating more doctoral programs and new research areas. “We will generate the resources to build the needed facilities and programs by working closely with the legislators, finding corporate sponsors, and connecting with the families in the Valley,” he promised. There are talks about adding

Aprillyn Sanchez/THE PAN AMERICAN

NELSEN AND FRIENDS - Left: Inﬂuential members of the university community listen to President Nelsen’s Convocation last Thursday at the Fine Arts Auditorium. Right: Nelsen also answered previously submitted questions from members of the UTPA faculty.

Art department ﬁlls chair position

August 30, 2010

NEWS

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Fitzsimmons to succeed Crisafulli, interim Weaver as fall semester begins

By Melissa Guerra The Pan American Painting, sculpture and a knack for drawing are essential to the overall development of an artist, and it so happens that The University of Texas-Pan American will welcome a new chair for the art department effective fall semester who has all those factors covered. New chair Susan Fitzsimmons, who will be succeeding Anthony Crisafulli, describes herself as an “artist, mother, teacher, and someone who has always searched for wisdom.” The department’s new chief attended Webster University in St. Louis for her undergraduate degree in art, and then moved to Southern Illinois University in Carbondale for a master’s of ﬁne art. Upon receiving her MFA, she moved to Chicago and began taking classes at the Chicago Art Institute where she had a studio in the downtown area. After two years in the Windy City, the artist moved to New York and settled into residence at Henry Street Settlement on the lower east side of Manhattan. There she had several oneperson shows at a midtown gallery while also working at the Martha Jackson Gallery and several other design ﬁrms. “Like all artists, I worked several places and a variety of jobs in New York to survive, but the Martha Jackson Gallery

was particularly memorable because of its stable of famous artists that I got to meet and work with: Sam Francis, Louis Nevelson, Helen Frankenthaler to name a few you might recognize. I learned very

Susan Fitzsimmons quickly about money and power in the art world,” she said. Fitzsimmons, originally from St. Louis, made her circuitous route to UTPA starting with the University of Mississippi and later moved back to her hometown in Missouri to join University of Missouri-St. Louis. She coincidently arrived in Hattiesburg near the Gulf Coast two weeks before Katrina in 2005. She then transitioned to Empire State College, the branch of State University of New York (SUNY) set up for distance learning. She started as an

arts mentor (professor), and was asked to move to Saratoga Springs, N.Y. to help set their new interdisciplinary graduate program: three degree programs: M.A. in Social and Policy Studies, M.A. Labor and Policy Studies, M.A. Business and Policy Studies. Fitzsimmons collaborated with chairs and faculty from around the state and worked under Dean Ted DiPadova. “At that time, distance education was considered an innovative approach. It was a challenge and pleasure to learn how to work in an interdisciplinary mode,” she noted. Ironically the chair has passed through these parts before. She came to the Valley about six years ago and interviewed for the position and did not obtain the job. “I met some lovely people, and when I didn’t get the job I thought that’s life, move on,” Fitzsimmons said. “A road not taken, maybe I will double back and see how things go this time,” were her thoughts when she saw the ad in the Chronicle for the chair role at UTPA. She promises that, “the art department here will create a dynamic new presence for the visual arts in the Valley as we move into our new building at the Haggar Building. While we value the humanitarian purposes of the arts most highly, we also hope to provide economic stimulus for the region by emphasizing

Broncs Move In!

Alejandra Moreno/THE PAN AMERICAN

HOME SWEET HOME- A banner hanging in the lobby of Unity Hall welcomes residents back after summer break on the ﬁrst move in day August 27.

facility during the summer of 2011. Because of budget constraints, the current plan is to make the OTHER ART NEWS Michael Weaver has been sitting as move in two stages. Stage 1 will interim chair for the department since mean moving the art studios and offices that are currently on the main fall 2008 succeeding. “I enjoyed working with the Art campus, and Stage 2 (the following faculty tremendously, and learned a year, hopefully, stressed Weaver) all lot from them. They are a dedicated of the studios and offices currently and hard-working bunch,” Weaver housed at the old Wal-Mart building (the MFA program, printmaking, mentioned. In reference to rumored building sculpting, etc.) Ultimately the while department will plans, Weaver be at the new site. recently confirmed that the university The University “While we value the huis not in the will also be manitarian purposes of the process of building renovating the arts most highly, we also a new art building, space currently as was previously shared with the hope to provide economic suggested; Department of stimulus for the region however, it will Music and Dance. be renovating the With the art by emphasizing entrepreold Haggar factory department shifted neurship and creativity. ” on East Freddy to the larger, offGonzalez and will campus location, be moving the Susan Fitzsimmons Music and Dance department there. will then have Art Department Chair The architects needed extra room (both UTPA’s and on campus, says a contracted outside Weaver. Further firm) have been consulting with the art plans for the renovation of the Fine faculty about the move throughout the Art Complex include a new Fine Arts summer. They have a pretty solid idea Auditorium. The project is in the what the general layout of the area will process of design, and construction be, notes Weaver. The timeline calls for will begin August 2011, says Marta the renovation to begin in the spring 2011 Salinas-Hovar, one of UTPA’s most term. Faculty will begin to move into the involved architects. entrepreneurship and creativity.”

Alejandra Moreno/THE PAN AMERICAN

HEAVY LIFTING - Erika Campos (left) and Anissa Leverett move in to Unity Hall on Friday afternoon.

THE PAN AMERICAN

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August 30, 2010

Retirement wave hits campus The fall semester begins with the loss of some inﬂuential names that have been a part of The University of Texas-Pan American community for many years.

By Roxann Garcia the pan american Administrators located on the fifth floor of the Student Services Building will no longer be greeted by Vice President of Business Affairs Jim Langabeer. Students and faculty over on the other side of campus will also no longer witness Dean Edwin LeMaster making his way throughout the Science and Engineering buildings. The same will apply to his wife, Jane, over in the Education Building. And finally, President Robert Nelsen will no longer have his right hand, Carol Rausch, as his chief of staff. Each of these long-time contributors will welcome the new semester with a retiring mindset as they separate into their individual retirement plans. All can agree, however, on the positive changes the university has undergone since their arrival. Langabeer ﬁrst set foot on campus in 1988 when he gained the position as chief business ofﬁcer. At the time, Staples or even Wal-Mart did not exist; back before the switch to the UT System in 1989, the university community was excited to even have a McDonald’s, the Illinois native noted. Upon arriving in ’88, he was part of the effort to add buildings like the Wellness and Recreation Center, new buildings for science and engineering, plus new structures for health services. The VP’s job entailed providing oversight to a number of campus entities including: the Budget Office, Payroll, Grants and Contracts,

Accounting, Sustainability, Institutional Compliance, Environmental Health and Safety, Human Resources, Physical Plant, and the Police Department. Upon retiring at the end of August, Langabeer plans to read as much as he can, golf, and spend some time at his condo on South Padre Island. He also plans to take up some cooking as well. “My son took a class in New York on cooking and had a great time,” he noted. “He and his wife both cook together and I think that’s a neat little operation. Since my wife will continue to work, I figure I should learn how to do so on my own.” The chief business officer has an institute located in San Antonio on his ‘favorites’ list in his computer for further information on this endeavor. He is thinking of learning Italian style. Nonetheless the VP has mixed emotions about his retirement. “I get a lot of reason to get up in the morning because I know I’ve got to go to work,” he admitted. “For 50 years I’ve been doing so and now I’m going to shut it all off in a day. I ask myself, ‘what am I going to do?’ You read a book and play a little golf. Something will fill the day, I just don’t know what it is yet.”

One floor above in the SSB, another long-time employee will say goodbye to the university. Carol Rausch, assistant to President Nelsen, will retire effective at the end of the month. Rausch, originally from New Jersey, first arrived in the Valley as an early childhood education teacher at Sam Houston Elementary in McAllen. She then joined the university community in 1980 as chief of staff under former UTPA president Miguel A. Nevarez. Rausch has served under four presidents total: Nevarez, Blandina “Bambi” Cardenas, Charles A. Sorber, and finally Nelsen. The notion of retirement first hit Rausch two years ago when she served under Sorber. Although the quit-plan was set to go, she decided to stay and welcome Nelsen, settling him in and helping him learn the ins and outs of the university. “I wanted to have time to show him how the president’s office works and share with him my experience here and a lot of the history I’ve

August 30, 2010

encountered,” she recalled. “I know a lot of the folks and the constituents here so I felt it was important. It turned out to be time well spent.” Once retirement has kicked in, Rausch plans to head out to the South Padre to volunteer at the Sea Turtle Inc. Rescue Center as well as birding centers in the area. She holds a master’s degree in environmental education and plans to put it to good use while volunteering. Rausch also plans to help out at the Coastal Studies Lab at SPI. “I want to give back, on my own time, and try different things,” she noted. “I want to be able to travel, hike mountains, go scuba diving or snorkeling, and just do things while I’m still young enough to do so.” But like Langabeer, Rausch has also been hit with a wave of mixed emotions upon retiring. She notes that there will be some grief when talking with colleagues, and that’s not something she wants to face just yet. “I walk onto campus and I think, gee, I’m part of this ﬂuid energy that operates here. I’ve spent a lot of time here and I believe in what Pan Am does and the difference it makes in the minds of students and the region,” the veteran said. “These students are changing the economic and social landscape of South Texas and I’m happy to have been a part of that.” Further away on the university map, two more retirees will be joining the bunch. LeMaster, dean of Science and Engineering, and his wife Jane, executive director for

THE PAN AMERICAN

the Center for Learning, Teaching, and Technology, will leave at the end of the month as well. Jane LeMaster arrived at the university as a faculty member in 1995 and began a tenure track with the College of Business Administration. As executive director, she oversees all operations for the center, which serves and supports faculty needs for any classes in using online technology. The center helps develop and design the courses while making sure it has the same high quality as a student would get in a classroom setting, LeMaster said. The proud Weslaco Panther ex notes that the notion of retiring came about from her husband. Both decided in the end that it was a good idea, although Jane admits she took hedged before ﬁnally saying yes. “I took more time than he did in deciding if it was right for me but we still have a lot of years ahead of us that we would like to use to visit our children or travel,” she said. Edwin LeMaster, a Texas native, ﬁrst arrived on campus in 1970 when the school was called Pan American University. The retiring dean’s most noted accomplishment, he feels, is his participation in building the engineering program. “It’s interesting because when I first arrived the Physical Science Building used to be called the Engineering Building but Pan Am didn’t have an engineering program,” LeMaster began. At the time the university was considering joining with Texas A&I University in Kingsville (now part of the Texas A&M System) and it was decided that the idea would fall through, he noted. It wasn’t until the university joined the UT System in ’89 that the program began to grow.

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The commonality is that both LeMasters are sad to leave the university. “You get used to being somewhere so often; all your friends are here,” Edwin LeMaster explained. “We have these meetings all the time and get together and start drinking coffee with one another. We talk about our grandkids and you become accustomed to that idea.” The duo does plan to use time wisely. The first thing on the agenda is to head to The Island for a week to read and fish out on the pier. Edwin LeMaster has a boat he has yet to get out on the water. Afterward they plan to spend a 3-week trip to Egypt and Jordan in October. “We plan to do things we haven’t had the time to do before. Just sit and relax!” his wife exclaimed. “But we also have art projects at our homes that we plan to indulge in. Ed likes to partake in welding and I have a master’s degree in fine arts so I plan to take up my arts again.” One thing is for sure, however, the members of the retirement bunch all plan to stick around in the Valley during this leisure time of their lives. Langabeer and his wife will continue to reside in Edinburg, Jane and Edwin LeMaster will do the same with their home just up 107 and Rausch will move to a place she has in Port Isabel. “It’s like watching your child grow up,” Rausch concluded. “You don’t ever leave it, you always keep in touch.”

Photos by Tammy Ayala and Courtesy of subjects Design by Alexis Carranza the pan american

THE PAN AMERICAN

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August 30, 2010

Retirement wave hits campus The fall semester begins with the loss of some inﬂuential names that have been a part of The University of Texas-Pan American community for many years.

August 30, 2010

THE PAN AMERICAN

Page 9

Photos by Tammy Ayala and Courtesy of subjects Design by Alexis Carranza the pan american

August 30, 2010

International Film Series to be screened at UTPA For eight years Susan Weeks Coulter has worked to bring films from underrepresented countries to the surface. As the founder of Global Film Initiative, a non-profit film distributor, she has chosen a series of films every year from developing nations. The Global Lens film series will make its UT System debut on Sept. 9.

Justin Halpern’s twitter-feed turned CBS sitcom “$#*! My Dad Says” hits the silver screen this fall. Despite complaints from the Parents Television Council, William Shatner will take the role of unsolicited and often politically incorrect father Sam.

Seventeen years in the making, Danny Trejo returns to the big screen as the lead in ‘Machete,” written, produced and directed by Robert Rodriguez. The ﬁlm opens in the U.S. on Sept. 3.

Courtesy of Global Lens Film Series CULTURAL LEANINGS - The first film in the series, Becloud (Vaho), a tangled story of three Mexican neighbors, will be shown in the Student Union Theatre Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. and on the 10th at 3 pm. The film is “an enthralling mix of history, memory and atonement.” By Yngrid Fuentes the pan american

Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley and her Irish singer-songwriter beau Jonathan Rice will release their ﬁrst album “I’m Having Fun Now” under the name Jenny and Johnny on Aug. 31. The album combines 60’s inspired melodies with beautiful harmonies.

Next time you’re miserable while waiting in traffic, just remember China’s epic 62-mile gridlock last week. After an unusually high volume of traffic on the BeijingTibet expressway, thousands of commuters were stuck in their vehicles for nine days.

The University of Texas-Pan American will join the efforts to promote cross-cultural awareness, as the first university in the UT System to show the Global Lens Film Series. With films from all over the world, the series offers a window into different traditions and rich cultural lessons. Starting Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. with “Becloud (Vaho),” a Mexican film directed by Alejandro Gerber Bicecci, the series films will be screened admission-free at the Student Union Theatre, and will be open to the public and UTPA community. “This would be the best venue to see something on the big screen that I know of in the whole Valley, for a constant menu of foreign films, and well done films too,” media and marketing librarian Virginia Gause said. “Just because people come here from many countries doesn’t mean the general public understands all these various cultures,” Based in San Francisco, the Global Film Initiative is a non-profit film distributor created in 2002 by Susan Weeks Coulter, a former Peace Corps volunteer who decided to start the organization after the events on 9/11. “When the organization was founded, the idea behind it was that we wanted to be able to support countries and regions

that are typically underrepresented within the international film community,” Global Lens Series manager Jeremy Quist said. “We wanted to help support some of those countries and help promote their films and make them more accessible to the U.S.” With the purpose of promoting crosscultural understanding through cinema, Global Lens strives to acquaint American audiences with the taste of international films, building awareness about the world beyond America’s borders. “Ironically, it is the United States, and specially its youth, that suffers disproportionately from this lack of exposure to other cultures,” says a statement on the organization’s Website. “The stability of America’s ethnic mosaic depends on deep cross-cultural understanding, particularly between young Americans and the children of recently arrived immigrants.” Each year the initiative puts together a series of foreign films from developing nations. After the first series, in 2003 and 2004, the group has collected over 65 films from around the world. “We’re always looking for more countries, but they have to be from the regions that we support, which are Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and a little bit in central Western Europe as well,” Quist said. “We’re looking for a really strong story, a really strong narrative with a strong cinematic and artistic quality behind it, and we’re

looking for an authentic voice, for plan to release them as they are screened some sense of cultural authenticity, so that they can be immediately used.” we’re interested in the films that could For more information contact her at have only come vgause@utpa.edu. from and could The success only have been of the films and made from the the reception of countries that they the audience will “This would be the best come from.” determine future venue to see something on The 2010 series screenings of the at UTPA features series. the big screen that I know 10 films that “We’re very will be screened exited about it, of in the whole Valley, for on Thursdays and we hope to get a constant menu of foreign at 7 p.m. and as many people Fridays at 3 p.m. interested and films. Just because people once a month. really appreciate Each screening and enjoy the come here from many will include concept of these educational series.” Business countries doesnʼt mean the activities and analyst Nadia general public understands presentations Gallegos said. “We love related to the all these various cultures.” it and its been country in turn. great exposing For a full schedule the project, and visit (http://php. we’re looking lib.utpa.edu/ forward to globallens/) make it happen Virginia Gause After each every month,” Media and marketing librarian release, UTPA will G a l l e g o s be able to keep continued, “ its just a matter the films, and they of getting the will be available funds, and we’re for students at the gonna work hard university library. to get them and keep promoting “We plan to circulate them just like we it.” For more information contact do with other films,” Gause said. “And we ngallegos@utpa.edu.

August 30, 2010

ARTS AND LIFE

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“Tulle Room” means success for local

By Andrielle Figueroa the pan american

Edinburg native Cynthia Valdez, better known as Cindilu, has no qualms with the couture passion that she has been given. Creating new, inventive accessories and outfits has transformed her life goals for the future. Valdez has actualized her visions for three years by showcasing items at the McAllen ArtWalk on North Main Street. The local arts scene illustrated demand for original pieces and convinced her to open her own store. “I was at ArtWalk for a year and a half straight every month. Now I have loyal customers coming back,” Valdez said. “That inspired me to have something where they could go everyday as opposed to once a month.” Her new clothing and accessories website, dubbed the Tulle Room, opened May 20. Valdez admits she had a tough time finding the perfect title. “It was really hard because I didn’t want it to be something stupid, but tulle was the first fabric I worked with,” Valdez stated. “I have huge boxes in my room everywhere and I would have to walk over it so I thought, ‘I live in the tulle room.’” On the website, three cartoon women greet the viewer with elaborate red hairpieces, and, just under, the words ‘The Tulle Room – Exclusive & Simply Unique.” When asked who she makes products for, Valdez easily replied: for people who like to stand out. “I have been in retail for so long. I already know they get good stuff and

then it filters down to crap, then they sell it to you for five bucks,” Valdez explained. “I think the style can fit anyone. This is a little more expensive, but it is something that is handmade and unique.” Although Valdez is credited for all of the sewing and altering, she relies a lot on her boyfriend, Bradley Gamboa, who handles the web portion of her internet-only business. Valdez adds that all the graphics and website is completely on his shoulders. Valdez also receives help from friend and inspiration Michelle Touchet. She explained that with Touchet, 25, as a model for her products, it makes her job more fun. “I think that in any kind of business you have to have to have good communication. Michelle and I are good friends,” Valdez said. “We see it more as dress up time than work.” All in all, she said loves what she does and gathers her impetus from friends and life. The 23-year-old plans on working throughout the summer to fuel her move to Austin. “I think the main inspiration is the people around me and my friends,” Valdez said. “I want people to think, ‘I want to wear this to my birthday,’ so you wait until your birthday to wear it. It isn’t something you just toss away.” On Sept. 25 she will head to New York for the two-day World Maker Fair. The fair, hosted in New York, Los Angeles and London, chooses 60 designers from around the world to display their work. Attracting more than 3000 people a day, the fair provides designers with new opportunities to

By Benny Salinas the pan american

Alma E. Hernandez/THE PAN AMERICAN TULLE-ING AROUND - Fashion designer Cynthia Valdez embellishes a headband in her living room to be sold on her website. Valdez specializes in creating and altering clothing and accessories. spread the word about their work. “When you have talent and work hard you don’t need to go New York City,”

Valdez said. “NYC will come to you.” For more information on Valdez’s merchandise, visit thetulleroom.com.

Edinburg pizzeria serves up authentic NYC taste

By Lupe A. Flores the pan american

Armando’s Pizza currently operates on 1900 W. University Drive, in a suite surrounded by other local eateries and a seemingly endless chain of nationally owned restaurant franchises. But names like Pizza Hut, Papa John’s, or Quizno’s don’t intimidate the owners of this nearly 20-year-old establishment. The growth of Armando’s authentic and delicious reputation came over time. It was 1991 and owner Armando Villareal, then 27, wanted to take a chance in a new market. So he traveled nearly 2,000 miles south to Texas’ Rio Grande Valley hoping to engage its people in the New York pizza style, which originated in the early 1900s. “He came down here and found a small place for his restaurant,” said his wife, Nelly, who met her future husband that same year. “He believed many people would come, but no one knew of us, not even the stray dogs.” After an unsuccessful yearlong stint on McAllen’s 23rd street, his pizzeria

moved to Nolana Loop, where she said, “business began to grow.” “Most of our clients were professionals, people from out of town who’d hear about it and who knew what true New York pizza was,” she said. “True New York pizza” is wide, thin and foldable. And Armando’s Pizza was the ﬁrst in both the McAllen and Edinburg areas to serve this type by the slice, something Nelly said she sees all the time now around the Valley. By 1999, they randomly decided to try a new location in Edinburg, coincidentally in an area where an academic and New Yorker himself, discovered it: The late Professor Jack Hagler of The University of Texas-Pan American. Nelly never failed to emphasize how important he is to them for introducing their restaurant to the university community. “Here is how we became acquainted with the university community,” she said, alternating from English to Spanish. “[Hagler] was passing through University, saw the sign, came in and said it reminded him of a pizza joint back in New York.”

Rent-A-Text to provide possible ﬁnancial relief for students

Tammy Ayala/THE PAN AMERICAN PIZZA MIA - Jose Hernandez, an employee of Armando’s Pizza for 18 years, pulls a fresh pepperoni pizza out of the oven. And he loved it. Hagler would send his students to eat at Armando’s and had them critique the restaurant for extra credit. “That’s how we started growing in the University,” said Nelly with a smile on her face as she reminisced. “I want to especially thank him for introducing us.” What keeps students like junior Fred Rincon, 23, coming here are the giant, foldable slices of pizza goodness, not to be confused with Pizza Hut or Papa

John‘s offerings, which can be too greasy or so thin and crispy, they break off. “It’s pretty tasty. I really don’t like going anywhere else when it comes to eating pizza or Italian for that matter,” the computer science major said. “Their subs are just as good.” Their ingredients are always fresh, the dough always homemade and the service never short of the best quality. “They like [it’s originality],” Nelly said.

Preparing for a new semester can be hard on any wallet. According to the UTPA Assist website, the average cost per semester per student is now $7,038.50. Five hundred of those dollars, Assist reports, go to books and supplies. But if the University Bookstore’s new Rent-a-Text program is a success, however, students may pay less than half of that this fall. Starting July 19t along with 738 other Follet Higher Education Group stores, the University Bookstore began participating in Rent-a-Text. The program, initially tested in a few of the company’s stores last fall, including one in Arlington, set out to provide students with heavily reduced prices on textbooks. “We’re anticipating a huge response,” said store manager Sergio Lopez. “Right now not too many people know about it because we just started it, but it’s gonna grow fast.” As of now, about 40 percent of the books at the university bookstore are available for rent at 50 percent or less of the original price. When a student finds a book to rent, all they will need to do is provide a license and a form of collateral such as a credit card number to pay for the textbook. For the fall, students will need to return books by Dec. 18 or they will be charged the full price of the text. They can also opt to buy the book at the end of that period. Textbook rental isn’t a new phenomenon though. Online company Chegg has been renting textbooks to students since 2007 and leased its two millionth book this year. Francisco Saldivar, a 20-yearold junior accounting major at UTPA, used Chegg for the first time this summer. “It was pretty hassle-free. I had to pay for shipping the book to my house but shipping back was free,” Saldivar said. “Overall I paid 16 bucks for an 80-dollar book.” In a time of financial insecurity, savings anywhere can be a big help. “Everyone is broke right now. No one has money,” Lopez said. “So by cutting your textbook costs in half, you save one to two hundred dollars. This is a huge deal for anyone.”

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30 de agosto del 2010

Español Médico para ayudar a comunidad Hispana Con el fin de ayudar, profesor de español toma un paso adelante y crea subespecialización. Por Yngrid Fuentes The Pan American La Universidad de Texas-Pan Americana con el fin de ayudar a la comunidad hispano hablante decidió crear la subespecialidad en español médico especialmente para personas que hablan el español por herencia y quieren poner la lengua que heredaron al servicio de su comunidad. Glenn Martínez, director del departamento de Lenguas Modernas y Literatura y creador de esta subespecialidad piensa por que es necesario llevar a cabo este proyecto. “No hay suficientes doctores y enfermeras que son bilingües”, afirmó Martínez, “entonces me pregunto, que puedo hacer yo como maestro de español?, y esto fue lo que decidí hacer (subespecialidad en español médico)”. De acuerdo con Martínez, la subespecialidad responde a un problema de toda la nación, ya que el lenguaje afecta a 14 millones de personas cada año, comprometiendo la calidad de los cuidados médicos para pacientes de habla hispana, que pueden entrar a un consultorio y salir sin mucha mejoría debido a falta de comunicación, mala interpretación y

falta de entendimiento. Siendo la primera y la única subespecialidad en español médico en la nación, el programa fue creado con el propósito de usar las habilidades lingüísticas de aquellos estudiantes que hablan el español y quieren aplicarlo de manera útil para la comunidad hispanohablante. “Yo lo que pensé es que lo que necesitábamos hacer es crear subespecialidades diseñadas particularmente para lo que quieren nuestros estudiantes y lo que necesita nuestra comunidad”, explicó Martínez. “Enseñamos a los estudiantes como es que la discriminación por parte del lenguaje entra en la salud de la población hispana en los Estados Unidos”. Por el lado personal, el haber vivido experiencias en las que personas han visto su salud afectada por una pobre comunicación entre profesionales de la salud y pacientes hace que Martínez sienta la necesidad de ayudar a otros. “Yo también he experimentado disparidades de salud”, explicó Martínez, “he experimentado familiares que han fallecido porque no han recibido el tratamiento medico adecuado”. Martínez continuó explicando como

esas experiencias se convierten en el experiencias durante un internado en un propulsor que convertirá a los alumnos hospital en Houston, experiencias que en los médicos y profesionales de la han convencido de la importancia la salud del futuro, los que marquen de una subespecialidad enfocada a remediar las la diferencia y limitaciones del respondan a las lenguaje. necesidades de su “Durante el comunidad. “ Explicamos a los estudiproceso vi mucha “Yo sabría que antes como es que la disgente que hablaba este proyecto es un español y llegaban éxito cuando vea criminación por parte del y hasta volteaban a estos estudiantes lenguaje entra en la salud a vernos, y nos graduándose de decían ‘¿qué la escuela de de la población hispana está diciendo? medicina y dando ’”, comento la tratamiento eﬁcaz en los Estados Unidos ” alumna. y eﬁciente a Aunque el hispano parlantes Glenn Martinez programa de entonces yo diré Director del Departamento de español lleva ‘esto es un éxito’”, Lenguas Modernas y Literatura solo 3 años, ya se comentó Martínez. graduó su primera “Es una muy generación de buena clase”, comentó Keyla de la Garza, estudiante alumnos, y a pesar del éxito que ha de biología y pre-medicina que se tenido, no se encuentra una carrera encuentra actualmente tomando la formal en español médico entre los subespecialidad en español medico. planes a futuro. “Yo lo que quisiera es que este “Es algo muy importante que deberían de hacer otras universidades, es algo programa se hiciera aún mas fuerte, que necesita aprender la gente que mas potente”, comentó Martínez, “sin embargo, no veo una carrera entra a la profesión médica”. De la Garza continuó relatando sus en español médico como algo que

se necesite, lo veo mas como una subespecialidad, una herramienta para fortalecer la formación”. Para poder llevar la subespecialización a cabo, Martínez tuvo que educarse en el área de salud. “Estoy haciendo una maestría en salud publica”, explicó Martínez “y eso es lo que toma para ser innovador, no puedes ser innovador y simplemente seguir haciendo lo que siempre has hecho, eso no es innovación, tienes que hacer un esfuerzo, un sacriﬁcio y reentrenarte, reintegrarte”. El programa no solo es resultado del esfuerzo de aquellos involucrados en su creación, sino también del interés de alumnos que consideran importante hacer algo respecto a la falta de comunicación entre pacientes y tratantes. Así mismo, es la respuesta de aquellos que se preguntan qué pueden hacer para mejorar su comunidad. “Yo estudié español, y me encanta el idioma pero creo que por detrás de mi amor por el idioma está mi amor por la gente que habla el idioma, el hispanoparlante”, comentó Martínez, “yo estudié español porque me interesa la persona que habla español, sin hablante no hay español”.

UTPA toma medidas para trasladar a pájaros de Ingeniería y Ciencias Por Denisse Salinas The Pan American Desde hace aproximadamente 5 años, pájaros en la Universidad de Texas-Pan Americana han sido un problema debido a los desechos fecales de estos animales en todo el campus y con énfasis en el área de ingeniería y ciencias. Se han tomado medidas para acabar con este problema, pero hasta ahora nada ha funcionado. Del 23 al 27 de agosto el Departamento de Salud y Seguridad Ambiental de UTPA tomó una medida mas para tratar de resolver la gran molestia que causan las aves a los estudiantes. “Tenemos dos problemas, uno es que tenemos demasiados clarineros y segundo, tenemos demasiadas palomas”, dijo Richard Costello, director de este departamento. “El excremento de las aves esta por todas partes y el problema es que cuando cae al suelo y no a la tierra, se convierte en hongo”. Costello mencionó que ese hongo es el que causa histoplasmosis, que es una infección que afecta los pulmones y se adquiere al inhalar el hongo por un tiempo prolongado. “Ya habíamos tratado diferentes cosas para ahuyentar a los clarineros, pero parece ser que lo

único que funciona son los cañones que lanzamos”, comentó Costello. “Este proceso no lastima a los pájaros en ninguna manera, solo los asusta para que así decidan irse a otra parte”. Este proceso se llevo a cabo muy temprano por la mañana y cuando empezaba a oscurecer ya a esa hora no había gente en estos edificios. Al principio, el proyecto iba a durar solo tres días, pero al ver que no estaba funcionando, el departamento decidió hacerlo el resto de la semana. El problema de las palomas es un poco mas difícil, para ellas se contrató a un especialista que usa a las palomas para entrenar perros. “Pusimos unas jaulas en el techo de los dormitorios y atrapamos alrededor de 50 palomas así que esta persona se los llevó a Raymondville para usarlos en aquella área”, afirmo Costello. El problema cuasado por las aves se atribuye principalmente a la abundancia de arboles de gran tamaño por lo cual estas aves encuentran las ramas de los árboles muy cómodas y se instalan ahí. “Yo pienso que la mejor y única alternativa es cortar o mas bien solo rebajar las coronas de los árboles desde pasillo que es lo que atrae a

Alejandra Moreno/THE PAN AMERICAN

CAÑONES DE GAS. - Fueron los que se usaron para asustar a la aves durante toda la semana pasada desde las 5:30 hasta las 7:00 horas y de las 19:30 hasta las 21:00 horas. los pájaros, quizá es muy cómodo para ellos venir y reposar ahí”, aﬁrmó Daniel Soules, estudiante de Ingeniería Mecánica. “Es cierto que los árboles adornan este pasillo pero es preferible que huela bien aunque

se vea mas sencillo”. Costello mencionó que en caso de que esto si funcione como es esperado, el proyecto se comenzaría en la biblioteca y en el ediﬁcio de Ciencias Sociales. En

caso de que este problema siga, la única opción que habría sería cortar las ramas de los árboles que como muchos estudiantes saben, es la razón principal por la que en este tramo abundan más las aves.

August 30, 2010

Lady Broncs start engines for season By Dionisio Rodriguez The Pan American– Walking onto the hard floor where the volleyball girls were getting ready to practice, one could feel the attitudes starting to change. From attractive young ladies, to ferocious competitors ready to gain another step above this year’s conference competition, the Lady Bronc intensity was intimidating.

This year’s volleyball team is a two-year project that has slowly been molded by Coach Angela Hubbard and her staff into a cohesive, wellgreased machine. With 12 returning players and fresh new faces eager to get on with the winning attitude, this year’s season looks promising to say the least. Hubbard is entering her fourth season and feels all the staff’s hard

Alejandra Moreno/The Pan American

over the top - Senior Rita Gonzalez (left) and newcomer Maria Kliefoth block an attack from Idaho State’s Haylee Thompson-Brock at Friday’s season opener.

work in recruiting is going to show in this season’s performance. “The girls have come together over the last eight months and are now ready to show how well they can play together,” she said. “We’ve really worked on our on-court strategy and really trusting one another to be in the right spot at the right time.” Three-year starter Marci Logan has bought into Hubbard’s belief and shares the same enthusiasm. Last year the team was 8-17 overall and 5-7 in the Great West Conference. “We’ve really gelled this offseason and grown as a team,” the Colorado native said. “Our mindset and focus has been more on what we can do in the conference against the stronger teams instead of how we can get better.” Ariana Bermea, a senior who transferred from Laredo Community College last year, feels a change in the demeanor of the Lady Broncs. “You can tell everyone is more focused, especially coming from a community college,” she said. “Not to say anything bad about that program, but the competition is a step higher. I personally have developed as a better player and it has to do with the attitude we carry ourselves with.” The new Bronc that Hubbard is raving about this is season is transfer middle blocker Maria Kliefoth. The 5-feet-10 sophomore is not only playing for a new team this season; she is coming halfway around the world from Berlin, Germany. “She is doing very well with the transition,” Hubbard said. “We love having her as part of our Bronc volleyball family and what she brings on and off the court. She will be a

SCHEDULE OF HOME GAMES DATE

OPPONENT

TIME

Aug. 27 Aug. 27 Aug. 28 Sept. 7 Sept. 13 Sept 20 Oct. 14 Oct. 16 Oct. 23 Oct. 30 Nov. 11 Nov. 13

Idaho State Lamar Oral Roberts A&M Corpus Christi Texas State Prairie View A&M Utah Valley* Chicago State* Houston Baptist* NJIT* South Dakota* North Dakota*

1 p.m. 7 p.m. 1 p.m. 6 p.m. 6 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 2 p.m. 2 p.m. 12 p.m. 7 p.m. 2 p.m.

Go to panamericanonline.com for this weekend’s results starter for us once the season begins.” The Lady Broncs lose starting outside hitter Noelle Mayor and libero Rebecca Toddy, but return other crucial players such as seniors Rita Gonzalez from Phoenix and Kaitlin Vasquez from Garland, as well as sophomore Sarah Davis of Murrieta, Calif . The season began Friday in the UTPA Fall Invitational against Idaho State at home. Expectations are high as is the confidence of every lady in the program. “We hope everyone comes out and supports us this year. There is nothing like having that fan base cheer

you on,” Bermea said. “People go to baseball and basketball games, they should really come out and see us play as well.” Hubbard has many goals for her team and for herself as a coach this season. “Aside from the court, I want these girls to become competent women in the world,” she said. “If you can make it through college sports, you can make it through anything. Of course winning is important and that is the reason we train so hard, but life lessons is what the coaching staff and myself are instilling into these ladies.”

Cross Country to host dual meet Sept. 4 against TAMUK By Sara Hernandez The Pan American

The road begins for the Broncs and Lady Broncs Saturday when the cross country teams break in the new season with the Bronc Buster in Edinburg, a practice meet between UTPA and Texas A&M-Kingsville. Although this race will be a friendly encounter, UTPA’s runners and coaching staff are preparing for a season full of high expectations that will conclude by the program’s hosting of the Great West Championship at Los Lagos Golf Course in late October. “It’s going be exciting for the university and the community to have a big event like this,” Head Coach Dave Hartman said. “That’s what I really wanted to do... encourage the people on campus and in the community to come out and watch our cross country teams competing in a high-level type competition.”

BRONCS On the men’s side, Hartman will try to bring the Broncs to a top-three finish in the conference with the addition of four newcomers that will reinforce the experience of five veterans. “Going into the conference this year we want to try to at least be top three overall,” he said. “Especially being in our home town we should be in the top three on the men’s side.” However, returner Angel Ramirez, who was the top finisher for the Broncs in last year’s conference meet, crossing the line in ninth place, thinks the team has potential to do greater things. “My expectations are to go out and win the conference team title,” the McAllen High School graduate said. “We have a lot of team potential and can certainly go far if we dedicate ourselves to work hard and come together as a team.” Ramirez, who did not participate in the 2010 track and field season due to a stress fracture, was part of the 2008 team that won the initial GWC Cross

Country Championship in Orem, Utah. Last year’s second-best finisher Omar Doria, a senior Edinburg North ex, will lead the team with the help of sophomore Frank Garcia from Edcouch-Elsa and junior Andrew Lopez from Nikki Rowe. Junior Mathew Kotut, from Rend Lake College, is the most promising addition to the Broncs. The Kenya native was a top-five finisher in last year’s Junior College National Meet. “Omar will play a tremendous role on the team; Mathew on paper is the stronger cross-country runner,” Hartman said. “Once Omar commits to running cross country, he has the possibility of being up there with Mathew… to pull Andy and Frank along with them.” As always, the team will be furnished by local talent such as Luis Serrano from Edinburg North, Ricardo Reynoso from Valley View, and Hansel Ibarra from Palm View.

LADY BRONCS The women’s team looks to improve from 2009’s fifth place mark and it returns all runners from last year’s squad. Leading runner Judith Chumba, sophomore from Kenya, sisters Diana and Hilda Galloso from Edinburg High School, along with sophomores Cinthia Adame from San Benito, Daphne Payton from Giddings High School and Michelle Zamora from Highlands High School in San Antonio will bring back experience for the Lady Broncs. Zamora believes that the homecourse advantage will be a factor that can allow the women accomplish a top-three conference finish. “I’m really excited, I think we are going to do very well, being used to environment and climate and all,” she said. “I think we are going to represent UTPA as a team in a very big way.” Also from Rend Lake College, Kenyan Lillian Lagat will strengthen the Lady Broncs along with local fresh-

men Tania Fabian from Sharyland. Britney Garza from PSJA North and Beatriz Garza from Rio Grande City will also complement the team. Hartman mentioned that finishing among the top three conference teams would mean success for the team and that the goal of both programs is to improve in each campaign. “That’s one thing we want in our program, a steady improvement from year to year,” he said. “Obviously we want to try to win championships every year, but as long we’re moving in the right direction we’ll be able to put ourselves in the position to win championships.” For runners like Lopez, the formula is simpler and the goal more clear; their incentive for getting the season going lies in improving each day to achieve a conference championship. “Look, we’re just going to go out there and bust our butts and do our best to win conference at home,” he said.

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the pan american

August 30, 2010