October 7, 2010

Volume 67, No. 6

THE PAN AMERICAN

October 7, 2010

Campus polling station resurrected

University community rallies to restore Early Voting site, starting Oct. 18

By Karen Antonacci The Pan American

Controversy on campus pushed for the return of an early voting location, won a week back as an extension of downtown.

With less than two weeks before the start of early voting for the Nov. 2 General Election, the UTPA early voting site has been reinstated as an extension to the other Edinburg location at the Elections Annex Building, but for the second week of voting only.

A similar offer has been extended to South Texas College.

This comes after students and faculty caused an uproar last week when the UTPA Library was absent from the draft proposal listing locations for Hidalgo County, Associate Professor of Political Science Jessica LavariegaMonforti said. Many students and faculty were concerned by what they saw as an abrupt change. The response was overwhelming: three students attended a Hidalgo County Elections Commission meeting Sept. 30 to voice their opinions. Other students and faculty circulated e-mails to raise

awareness about the issue.

When senior social work major Erica Ocana heard that there would no longer be an early voting station on campus, she started a petition that reached about 300 signatures in total.

“I started the petition as soon as I found out that the voting location would be removed from Pan Am, to let the students know about the situation,” the social work major said. “And they were quick to sign on, they thought it was wrong too.”

The primary reason the UTPA library was not included on the draft

proposal was due to budget cuts.

According to Hidalgo County Elections Administrator Yvonne Ramon, an early voting station costs from $10,000 to $12,000 to man.

In the primary election of 2010, the UTPA location only counted a total of 769 votes over the 11-day period, which means that each vote cost approximately between $13.01 and $15.60.

Despite other locations in the county costing more per vote, Ramon added that UTPA’s proximity to the courthouse, parking regulation, restriction of posted materials, and lack of communication with the county were also factors in cutting it from the early draft proposal.

As it stands now, UTPA students will be able to vote early for the Nov. 2 general election at the Wellness and Recreation Center from Oct. 25 to Oct. 29, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The UTPA location will function as an extension of the Edinburg location at the Elections Annex Building for the busier last week out of the two-week early voting period that lasts from Oct. 18 to Oct 29. Hosting for the first week of early voting, which traditionally sees lower voter turnout, was offered to South Texas College.

“We are happy that we were able to work out a solution to the early voting polling site,” UTPA President Robert S. Nelsen said in a statement. “Next year, we will work on getting reinstated as a full site once again.”

Magic number: Workload decision to be reached this semester.

By Roxann Garcia The Pan American Change is coming soon at the University of Texas-Pan American as the current workload policy is under scrutiny by a presidentially appointed task force.

According to a memo sent by President Robert Nelsen March 31 to all faculty members, department chairs and deans, a task force was created to investigate the current workload situation and develop solutions for university personnel.

Since the initiation, the task force of 18 faculty members has met with other faculty members throughout campus to decipher the workload conundrum. Given the state’s $21 billion shortfall, less money will be coming UTPA’s way, and the university has already had to give back $14 million, with more paybacks on the way.

When the budget cuts began in January, a series of minor ones were made, but looming on the horizon all along has been the possibility that the average number of classes faculty are required to teach per semester could increase from three to four.

Wendy James-Aldridge, psychology and anthropology associate professor, has been at the head of the task force since its creation. The Oklahoma State graduate came to the university when “there were six buildings and four trees,” she noted in reference to her arrival in 1974.

“Most generally, the faculty are looking for something more flexible and it’s going to take some background research,” Aldridge said. “It’s a big deal to faculty.”

SEE WORKLOAD || PAGE 3

Illustrated by Anthony Salinas and Alexis Carranza/THE PAN AMERICAN Page 2 - Big business Jennifer Tate’s fimight rst have packed their bags, but airport experience they never left

Page 3 - Jobs after campus Survey plumbs graduation becoming scarce racial data

Page 11 - Holiday gift guideof Racial dimensions

HESTEC

Todos de la Page 14 -los Q&Adetlles with volleyball player Rebecca Toddy jornada 10 del futbol mexicano

Volleyball’s Logan Player of Week

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October 7, 2010

Commentary

Learning how to fly in post 9-11 atmosphere

Before last weekend, I was one of the rare few my age who’d never flown on an airplane, so when the opportunity presented itself Jennifer Tate I hesitantly Senior Designer took advantage.

Being a tad bit nervous, especially after hearing way too many horror stories about flying, I pushed passed initial uncertainty and settled on just regarding it as a new experience.

Prior to the Sept. 11 attacks, I was the 9-year-old sister of a globetrotting Marine. I’d been to the McAllen-Miller International Airport various times to see my brother depart and then to welcome him home during breaks. The airport often wasn’t a big deal to me - I’d tended to roam around the terminal gazing through the floor-to-ceiling windows as the planes came and went. I remember standing at my brother’s gate, watching for him to come down the long corridor so I could finally give him a smothering hug following months of him being away getting to see him. Since then, however, much has changed and going to the airport is a stressful experience.

Living in a post 9-11 world, the concept of terrorism has created a sense of paranoia in our nation. National news networks frequently report the constant ups and downs of the Homeland Security’s color-coded threat level system, spurring nationwide concern.

Mandates concerning things like nail clippers, liquids over three ounces and various other household items are among recent restrictions to carry on bags. Not

to mention family members can no longer meet you at your gate, or give you one final embrace before the boarding. I hadn’t been to the airport since 2001 and getting ready for this flight I definitely did not know what to expect.

I had drawn many of my conclusions about flying and going through airport security from some recent movies. “Meet the Parents” especially. I had also asked a few of my frequent-flyer friends about the things I should expect (chewing gum, was the number one response I got out of them). And I’ve just about lost count of how many times I visited the official TSA website or Googled what items were approved to take on the plane or in checked luggage. I questioned whether they would confiscate my liquid makeup just because I didn’t have it in a Ziploc bag. I worried that I might accidently say something like “bomb” as I nervously walked through the security lines. My mother didn’t exactly help my anxiety by stating that I could be strip-searched if something I wore set off the metal detectors. My brain rattled with all the worst-case scenarios as I packed my luggage and laid out clothes for the flight.

It was time for me to leave for the airport and head into unknown territory.

I was somewhat excited, but at the same time the reputation that airport security has frightened me. I reached the security checkpoint in the airport; I tensely handed over my I.D. and plane ticket to a brawny female TSA official. She scanned everything thoroughly before waving me through to a line that placed me between a man, who was rather large and intimidating, and a short older lady who assisted me through the process, in broken English. I proceeded to take off

my shoes and belt, as those in front of me had done, and walked through the metal detector. The most alarming part was just when my hair was being patted down, but I was quickly let go and passed through the rest of security.

I sat by my gate with a crowd of strangers and waited. I began to glance at the different sets of people and started to notice the amount of luggage some travelers had brought to carry on. There were baby strollers, large suitcases, laptops, purses and sacks of McDonald’s food. My impression was you had to pack sparingly for carry on items, but everyone else had gotten a different memo.

I finally made it onto the plane but my mind was still whirling. However, I quickly learned that the experience wasn’t all that daunting; in fact it was quite easy. The nicest people in the world must, in fact, be flight attendants; they had a high tolerance for rude passengers and never let their smiles fall.

Once landed, I followed the crowd to baggage claim and we were practically free from TSA, airport security or anyone else with a badge. Only shuttle and taxi drivers were around, unless I was absolutely blind to the bright blue TSA uniforms that saturated my view earlier that day. I walked through the airport exit feeling as if I’d missed some additional step through security before leaving-that awkward “this is it?” feeling.

When my trip was over and it was time to fly back home, I recalled the steps I had taken just days before to get through the airport and onto the plane. I no longer felt like a novice traveler. I strutted to the Continental kiosk to print my boarding pass and check bags. I lined up to go through airport security and handed over

Illustrated Commentary

my plane ticket and identification to the TSA officer, who smiled at me and let me go through. I’m not going to lie, I felt like a bad-ass because I got a smile rather than a cold glare this time around.

I grabbed two bins, placed my computer in one and my shoes and bag in another before gliding through a metal detector.

As I walked through without an alarm ringing, I suddenly became aware of my belt still being around my waist and began to unbuckle it. The officer chuckled at me for a moment and reminded me I’d already gone through the metal detector without a peep, and motioned me through. Then as I began collecting my items a different TSA officer pointed at my feet and warns me that I’ve left my shoes untied. Still freaked out about my belt I began to panic and thought I’ve just hit strike two by wearing my shoes through security too. Just as my heart began to race, I realize his joke and grab my sandals from the plastic bin I had placed them in.

I had a little extra time before boarding began and started to wander around the different terminals of Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

There is very little TSA presence at this point, in comparison to the hundreds of people that rush through other parts of the building. Even with them near, the airport atmosphere wasn’t tense or

overwhelming. I just felt the busyness and not like Big Brother is watching my every move anymore. With this comfort in mind I headed to my new gate.

Once again I was up in the air, watching the earth pass by from a window. Once again we landed and the rush to the front of the plane began before our stop is complete. Once again I was back where I’d started. As I left the passengers-only zone, I watched those going through the security procession, while going around them. Although I’m not used to this part, I was the one walking down the long corridor this time. Even though I have to walk a little further than other passengers did when I was 9, I walked through a crowd of people waiting for their arriving family members and friends and reached my own collection of hugs.

This time, while I grabbed my bags and left the airport, I reflected on the nerves I had held a few days before. The uncertain anxiety I had felt about the airport no longer existed and not because I was leaving, but because the experience wasn’t as intimidating as I had expected.

I just needed to ask someone to direct me at me times. All the hype of strict security measures was minimized and the epiphany moment kicked in: airport security just gets overrated press.

Vol. 67, No. 6

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

DESIGNER: Alexis Carranza alexis091@aol.com

NEWS EDITOR: Roxann Garcia roxx.gar11@gmail.com

WEBMASTERS: Jose Villarreal josemvillarrealcs@gmail.com

ONLINE/SPANISH EDITOR: Denisse Salinas dns_145@hotmail.com

Selvino Padilla selvinop3@gmail.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

ADVISER: Dr. Greg Selber selberg@utpa.edu ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE: Anita Reyes areyes18@utpa.edu ADVERTISING MANAGER: Mariel Cantu spubs@utpa.edu DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Steven Kennedy srkennedy56@yahoo.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.

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October 7, 2010

WORKLOAD

continued from Page 1 Beginning in 2005, under former university president Blandina “Bambi” Cardenas, tenure-track faculty members were required to teach a 3/3 workload or in other words three classes per semester. The previous load had been 4/4.

The university has over 900 total faculty members, including those on tenure track along with lecturers.

Lecturers, usually those with master’s degrees instead of terminal ones, comprise 60 percent of the faculty. At issue here is the fact that though the faculty workload might go up, there will probably not be a commensurate increase in salary.

A faculty member’s average salary will vary throughout each college and department. In the College of Business Administration the average range is from $99-107,000 a year.

On the opposite end of the campus, pay for a member of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences will vary from $53-66,000 a year.

The transformation in 2005 was intended to make the university a more research-intensive higher-tier institution. However, the uniform decision for all faculty has not been entirely successful.

Research quantity and quality varies across the different disciplines, Faculty Senate Chair Linda Matthews said.

“For example, music and dance in the Communication Department may put on performances,” Matthews, a New York native, said.

“We are expected to output at least three articles a year. In the History Department, they’re writing books.

Who can really publish three books a year?”

Matthews, who arrived in 1997, noted that for tenure-track faculty, teaching is only one piece of the requirement. These faculty members are expected to teach, do research and perform service on various committees. At promotion time, they are judged by their performance in all three, but in essence, research has traditionally been the most important leg of the three-legged assessment stool.

As far as service goes, faculty serve on departmental committees that work on issues such as merit, tenure/promotion, or job search committees. University services may include working on committees dealing with curriculum, campus life, or even parking and traffic.

Matthews is one of many faculty members who have done time on several professional service committees such as conference/ journal reviewer, faculty adviser for various school organizations, and chair for other committees.

The faculty goal seems to be to let research-intensive members continue to churn out their work, and to allow teacher-intensive types continue to focus their efforts on that area. A possible

So far, the findings are remarkably similar and at the same time very different throughout the universities, Aldridge admitted.

“Our research turned out a bit paradoxical,” she said.

until December. Members are still in the process of conducting town hall meetings to get input and ideas on how to proceed. Each college has two representatives who administer meetings and engage in discussion.

Counting faces:

UTPA conducts a thorough tally of campus skin color

By Alejandra Martinez The Pan American

Graphic by Alexis Carranza BRINGIN’ HOME THE BACON - Based on numbers provided by Human Resources, listed above are a range of salaries of faculty members from various colleges at The University of Texas-Pan American. Included are faculty not eligible for tenure, on tenure track and tenured. Graph only shows full-time employees. solution is a sliding scale that allows teacher experts to stay on 4/4 and researchers to remain with the 3/3, granting them release time to pursue time-consuming research projects.

“We (task force) have been working over the summer on some solutions to the various problems we’re facing,” the chair-elect said.

“We’re focusing on ‘banking’ the overall criteria to create a fair and easier solution.”

The group has also looked to other peer and aspirant universities for examples on faculty workload.

These include, according to the OIRE, the University of North Florida, Cleveland State University and Illinois State University.

“Most of it differed in how administrations decided what to do.”

Most of the workload policies are driven by Board of Regent rules, Matthews noted. Another finding was that equivalencies are not fairly credited to various members.

For example a faculty member overseeing a student dissertation for a doctoral degree may have a 10 percent reduction on workload.

“But 10 percent doesn’t make sense with teaching three classes, so what we’re trying to figure out is how to evenly weigh these extra doings and still conform with the regents and system’s rules,” she explained.

The final proposal from the task force is not expected to come in

“Nothing has been decided just yet because we are still in the process of gathering information from everyone,” Matthews stressed.

Once the proposal is sent to administration come December, Nelsen and Co. will evaluate the suggestions and then submit guidelines and policies the faculty senate, college councils and finally all deans. The final draft will then be sent t the UT-System in March.

“Preconceived notions without gathering the right info was more of the shotgun approach,” Nelsen said via a phone interview. “The idea ‘either research or teaching’ got us into this predicament, but I’m looking forward to seeing what the task force will present.”

The University of Texas-Pan American can exemplify the saying, “America is much like a melting pot.” Or can it? At least data being gathered by the government will allow a more thorough examination of that credo.

New guidelines by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) require educational institutions to send out a twopart question survey to all students, faculty and staff, asking subjects to identify their racial and ethnical background.

This is for reporting purposes, to see how many minorities are attending the university, said S.J. Sethi, assistant director for the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness at UTPA. “They (DOE) do these statistical tables where they report the percentage of Hispanics, Blacks, Asians, etc., that go to college,” Sethi explained. “They want to see how many graduate by race and ethnicity, in the long run that helps to get funding for minority students.”

According to Sethi, if it can be proven that fewer minorities are going to college, more funding will be provided. Many policy decisions are based on the data that is gathered.

A study conducted by the Pew Research Center earlier this year showed that there was an increase of 144,000 students in freshman enrollment nationwide from the fall of 2007 to the fall of 2008. This 6 percent increase is the largest in the last 40 years and threequarters of the rise from minority groups.

From 2007 to 2008, there was a 15 percent increase in Hispanic enrollment, 8 percent for blacks, 6 percent for Asians, and 3 percent for whites.

Apart from this survey, the federal government requires educational institutions to do other type of reports in order to maintain accountability, Sethi said. These data results help to allocate PELL Grant monies, student scholarships and other funding.

“Every year, sometimes every semester, every institution of education is required to submit student reports on enrollment, courses taken, graduation, faculty teaching courses,” she said.

Although it’s mandatory that the university sends out these e-mails, it’s not required that students and employees fill them out. It’s simply requested, Sethi said.

74.2 percent of faculty and staff responded to the survey that closed Sept. 22.

All new and transfer students who filled out an admission application this year were not asked to fill out the survey

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October 7, 2010

NEWS

Grant seeks to improve quality of science teachers

By Pamela Morales The Pan American On Sept. 1, the College of Science and Mathematics received a $1.2 million grant from the Robert Noyce Scholarship Program to improve the quality of high school physics and chemistry teachers in South Texas. The grant comes from the National Science Foundation, which according to www. nsf.gov, promotes the quality of research and education in universities.

This external, merit-based grant was made possible by Edgar Corpuz, assistant professor of physics, and four other team members from the colleges of science/mathematics and education.

“We saw this is as something appropriate for supporting our new BSI and physical sciences program,” Corpuz said. “It’s a new course that is being approved by appropriate offices and being reviewed by the assistant of the UT system . . . but we are expecting it to be approved by spring 2010.”

BSI stands for “bachelor of science in interdisciplinary studies, physics or chemistry.” It is a program that consists of various physics and chemistry courses such as organic chemistry and quantum mechanics.

The grant should help the university’s ongoing effort to encourage interest

in STEM fields for K-12 students, by grooming good teachers. For the most part, high school science teachers have a background in biology and/or took a teacher certification test that consists 50 percent of biology and 50 percent of physics and chemistry.

Christopher Smith, assistant professor of chemistry, said the government has identified qualified teachers as those with a degree and teacher certification in the subject he or she is teaching. The scholarship will be able to help more qualified people join the ranks.

According to a 2000 U.S. Department of Education report to the National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century, about 56 percent of high school students taking physical science are taught by out-of-field teachers. “Tripartite Synthesis of Research and Data on Recruitment and Retention of STEM Teachers,” another study in 2006, suggested that students are 77 percent more likely to be taught by an out-of-field teacher in high-poverty schools.

“The undergraduate program that this scholarship is going to support,” Smith said, “focuses on heavycontext concentrations in physics and chemistry. Those are the two major areas in high school that are lacking in highly qualified teachers.”

Currently, the Noyce Scholarship

team is in phase one of three, high number of vacant positions. Cabrera said. “Since they have that All five members of the team agreed goal to meet, that is to maintain their gathering information and working with the Scholarship Office to create a that it’s important to address the lack gpa and earn a certain number of credit scholarship system for students seeking of quality teachers. They began the hours each year. Requirements such as to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree journey in 2008 looking into another these assist in improving graduation in Interdisciplinary Studies in Physical grant from the National Science rates since it encourages and assists Science (chemistry and physics) with Foundation but did not qualify. Their students to graduate on a timely basis.” teaching certification. This would second shot was a success.

The scholarships will be available The Scholarship Office said they are for juniors and seniors by Fall 2011. help reduce the number of unqualified teachers throughout South Texas by hoping to receive the team’s criteria Applications are expected to be training new people to eventually teach. for hopeful individuals. Griselda available spring 2011. Decision to let “I think the scholarships will also bring Cabrera, director of the Scholarship incoming freshmen and sophomores better students to the program,” said John Office, said their role will be to validate apply is still up in the air.

Villarreal, assistant dean of the College that the student is in compliance with Current requirements are a 3.0 gradeof Science and Mathematics. “Because other federal, state, or institutional point average and an interest in teacher they’re competitive. I think it’s going aid he/she is receiving, if any, and certification or in undergraduate to bring top students and that’s what we provide financial need and academic study in interdisciplinary studies performance results to the department. want out there in the public schools.” in physical science. It will pay “Renewable scholarships also help for tuition and fees, room and The 2000 data and recent push toward encouraging STEM programs students keep focused on their studies,” board, books, and transportation. throughout the country had the Robert Noyce Scholarship team concerned about Rio Grande Valley high school students graduating with little knowledge or lack of passion for these Requirements: Pays: fields. Addressing minority * Overall 2.75 GPA * Tuition/fees representation in these areas has also been a priority. * STEM 3.0 GPA * Room/board The thought is that schools * Junior or Senior * Miscellaneous items will hire teachers who do not have any background Holds standards of Satisfactory Effective for 5 years in physics or chemistry Academic Policy (SAP) Sept. 1, 2010 - Sept. 1, 2015 because they need to fill a

Scholarships for Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies

Tammy Ayala/THE PAN AMERICAN

COMMUNITY DAY AT HESTEC Left: President Nelsen and his wife Jody meet astronaut Lee Morin in the Fieldhouse.

Above: Kayla Ochoa of Mercedes tries on a space helmet at the NASA booth of HESTEC. Right: Bobby Pulido performs Saturday night in the South Quad as one of the headliners for Community Day. Tammy Ayala/THE PAN AMERICAN

Alma Hernandez/THE PAN AMERICAN

October 7, 2010

NEWS

Page 7

How to succeed in business:

Four weekly seminars to be administered at University’s McAllen Teaching Site

By Belinda Munoz The Pan American Since opening in 2008 the Office of the Provost for Graduate Studies, Academic Centers and Continuing Education has worked hard to create workshops and special-interest courses for UTPA students and the local community.

According to Jayshree Baht, coordinator for the Office of Continuing Education at UTPA, one of the newly developed workshops for community members is the Strategic Planning Seminar, presented by Arnoldo Mata, owner of Leadership Resource Group and part-time UTPA employee for the Development Office and Office of Graduate Studies.

The aim of the seminar is to help local, full profit and non-profit businesses/ organizations develop strategic planning techniques that will allow them to remain successful, despite expected and unforeseen complications in business.

The seminar will begin on Wednesday, Oct. 20 and also be held Oct 27, Nov. 3, and Nov. 10 from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the UTPA McAllen Teaching Site on 1800 S. Main Street, Suite 1100.

RACE

continued from Page 3 because they were already asked those questions during the application process.

That was about 6,000 or 7,000 students. The remaining 11,926 did not fill out a new application because they were continuing students. An e-mail was sent out to these students and 4,108 responded before the survey closed last night at midnight.

The survey consisted of two questions.

The first asks students and employees if they identify themselves as Hispanics.

The second asks them to choose from one or more race categories. Those who do not want to disclose their race or ethnicity will be listed as “unknown.”

Blake Alvarenga, a freshman from Edinburg, said he never received the survey but if he had, his choice would have been not to fill it out.

“I don’t like people getting my information more than they need to,” the electrical engineering major said. “In today’s society we give out way too much information like on Facebook or Twitter. I think we need to learn to have some privacy.”

On the other hand, Eriberto Cuellar, a sophomore from Monte Alto, had no issues with responding to the survey.

“I figured they were just trying to get some statistics down, so I might as well help them out,” the computer engineering major said.

The DOE’s new guidelines require separating the category of Asian or Pacific Islander into two categories, one for Asian and other for Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. It also broadens the definition of Native American and Alaska native to include people from North, South and Central America.

According to Baht, funding for Continuing Education is generated by offering courses/workshops to the local community. Profit from these courses is then shared among the academic departments at UTPA. Currently, the strategic planning seminar costs $299 per attendee, for 10 hours of instruction.

Baht feels that workshops like this help to enrich the area by offering experienced instructors, who can teach on subjects ranging from business to art, all related to the community’s interests/areas of employment. With Mata’s guidance, this month’s Strategic Planning Seminar is

expected to help representatives from local businesses/organizations learn the importance of undergoing internal analysis of their company, before deciding on how to achieve company goals like increasing sales or customer rates.

He remains optimistic about October’s upcoming seminar, believing it will bring various representatives from both the non-profit and profit sectors of businesses/organizations.

Representatives from Easter Seals, including the board president of International Museum of Art and Sciences (IMAS), media personality

Tim Smith, and Joseph Bravo, executive director for IMAS, are scheduled to attend.

Mata believes that attendance for future Strategic Planning Seminars will surely grow because the event will continue to meet the demands of the professional community and offer imperative advice for business management.

“Strategic planning is essential to any organization,” Mata said. “If you don’t know where you are going then it’s going to be very difficult for you to achieve any kind of success. One of the problems that some businesses have is that they make changes from one day to the next without really thinking about it.”

Mata stressed that while the seminar is helpful in planning for business, it is not a quick fix for overcoming financial troubles or attaining company goals. Instead, it should be seen as a stepping-stone for helping companies access realistic goals in realistic timeframes.

“Most people tend to think, ‘Oh we’ll sit down for a couple of hours and plan this out,’” he said. “That’s not very effective.

You really have to take a lot of time to think it through. Talk to everybody within the organization. Talk to your clients.

Talk to people you deal with. Get a good clear picture of what you want to do and what is accomplishable.”

In order to get the best out of the seminar, Mata says that businesses must first do internal analysis on the market place, competitors, and other variables like population, that are constantly changing.

A company is more likely to succeed, when it considers the demographics it wishes to reach with services or products.

This means looking at the local census to determine age groups to target, and even conducting surveys to find out the interests of clients/potential clients. It is important for companies to consider where they are struggling, as well as to pinpoint where the bulk of their revenue is coming from.

Participants at the Strategic Planning Seminar will also learn how to deal with unpredictable problems, like a sudden decline in customers or a downturn in the economy. For more information about this course, including payment and registration, participants can visit www.utpa.edu/ce, or call the Office of Continuing Education at (956) 665-2071.

Student population increases to nearly 19,000 Public administration, communication enjoy healthy gains

By Larissa Garza The Pan American

Close to 19,000 students are walking the hallways of the University of Texas-Pan American this year, an increase from last fall according to the Office of Institutional Research & Effectiveness. And with the university straining to make the most of funding sources, enrollment numbers become very interesting.

Each year UTPA provides more and more students with the university experience of a college education.

According to Magdalena Hinojosa Williams, dean of admissions and enrollment services, last year the university’s enrollment for fall 2009 was 18,337 students, a 4.6 percent increase from the prior year.

Along with collective growth come increases for university colleges and departments. Professor Jose Hinojosa created the Public Administration program as an offshoot of political science department; William L. Turk, program director, noted that, “We function as a department but it’s called Public Administration program.”

By any name, the Public Administration program has been booming, with 40 percent growth over fall 2009. More students is good, for the most part.

“This year we are fine, we were able to incorporate students into the classes, we had enough instructors and enough professors,” Turk said. “If we have another 70 next year, I got a problem.”

Turk explained that according to the national standards for his program, the university can hire master’s graduates to teach undergraduate classes and move those professors who teach undergraduate classes into graduate classes.

COMPLEX SUCCESS STORY While the Public Administration area is growing and addressing issues, across campus, the Communication Department has experienced a distinct boost in the number of students enrolled in the graduate program, with 33 percent more since Fall 2009.

“It is important to note that our growth is occurring despite the fact that we are minus two graduate faculty members (Salma Ghanem in PR and Kimberly Selber in advertising),” said Timothy P. Mottet, department chair.

Former chair Ghanem left UTPA for a deanship at Central Michigan, while Selber now heads the university’s creative marketing team, teaching just one communication class per semester.

The Department of Communication’s undergraduate enrollment is currently steady. In Fall 2009 it had a total of 6,898 student credit hours, or SCHs; however, this semester’s unofficial total is 6,707.

The department added 62 more majors to the books, however the SCH count is not dramatically changing.

“Even though our number of majors is increasing, our students might not be taking the full 15 hours,” Mottet said.

“There are probably many part-time

students in that mix, which is why the SCH number is holding steady.”

However, with graduate enrollment way up, the department is pleased with the numbers for 2010. This fall the graduate program had a total of 490 SCHs. As stated SCH stands for the student credit hours. If there are 10 students in a class, those 10 students generate 30 SCHs and this number is important to the amount of funding a department receives.

Every year a budget request is sent by chairs to the deans of each college, who then summits a budget request to the provost. The provost decides how much money the department is going to get in operating monies. The more students enrolled, the more likely the department will secure monies to hire additional faculty.

According to Mottet, the Department of Communication was given a budget of $1.2 mil, used partly to pay all faculty salaries. With less funding coming to the university due to the $21 billion state shortfall, chairs have difficult decisions to make every year.

“My job is to make sure that the money is used very carefully,” Mottet noted.

Mottet explained how the department has applied for grant money and also put in a request to its dean and provost for additional funds to make sure that the students have the equipment necessary to do work. For example, right now the department has a huge request in to get new editing software and new computers in the editing bay.

A work-intensive area like communication can expect to be able to justify expenditures based on what students to do prepare themselves for work after graduation. But in these trying economic times, there are no guarantees of who will get what.

“There is never enough money, and no one is ever going to be totally happy,” Mottet admitted. “There is always something that we need.”

ENROLLMENT UPDATE

Pertinent figures from the most recent student count on campus

FALL 2010 Over 19,000 increase FALL 2009 18,337 students, a 4.6 increase

BIG WINNER

Public administration program 40 percent increase from 2009 to 2010

Shakira, Shakira THE PAN AMERICAN

Página 8

7 de octubre del 2010

7 de octubre del 2010

THE PAN AMERICAN

Página 9

Historia por Denisse Salinas y Diseno por Jennifer Tate

La cantautora colombiana sigue sorprendiendo con su música.

Llámala loca, loba o ciega sordomuda, pero Shakira ha sido a lo largo de los años uno de los iconos musicales alrededor del mundo.

Todo empezó

después de ganar un concurso infantil en su natal Colombia, donde nació el 2 de febrero de 1977. Tras ser la ganadora del programa local por tres años consecutivos, Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll firmó con Sony un contrato para grabar tres discos entre los 10 y 13 años de edad. Lamentablemente las producciones no fueron como se esperaban y no tuvieron tanto éxito, pero sería el inicio de una larga trayectoria.

No fue hasta 1995, que Shakira escribe ¿Donde estás corazón? que fue una de sus primeros éxitos y con eso, sale su disco Pies Descalzos que gracias a el, la cantautora se convierte en una de las artistas más importantes

1991 Magia

1993 Peligro

vendiendo un poco más de 5 millones de copias. En este disco, Shakira promocionó las canciones que hasta ahora siguen siendo unas de sus más importantes como “Antología”, “Un poco de amor”, y “Se quiere, se mata”.

Tres años después, Shakira saca a la venta su disco “Dónde están los ladrones?” del cual se vendieron 7 millones de copias. En esta producción, Shakira dió a conocer sus éxitos “Inevitable”, “Ciega, sordomuda” y “Ojos así”, que con la última ganó su primer premio de MTV Video Music Awards en el 2000.

Siendo una estrella internacional, Shakira ya había grabado varias canciones en portugués pero solo se dieron a conocer en ciertos paises. No es hasta el 2001, que sale su primer disco bilingüe: “Servicio de Lavandería” o “Laundry Service” en inglés. Con canciones como “Que me quedes tu” y “Suerte” en el disco en español y en la producción

1995 Pies Descalzos

en americana los sencillos “Underneath your clothes”, y “The one”.

“Fijación Oral” y “Fijación Oral 2” fueron los discos que siguieron en el 2005, pero “Fijación Oral 2”, u “Oral Fixation 2” ya era completamente en inglés. Con canciones como “La Tortura”, a dueto con Alejandro Sanz, y “No”, fueron de los sencillos en español y en cuanto al disco en inglés, “Hips don’t lie” que fue producida por ella misma y Wycleaf Jean, fue todo un hit alrededor del mundo.

En el 2007, a Shakira se le pide hacer el soundtrack para la película “Amor en los tiempos de cólera” del famoso escritor Gabriel García Márquez y con esta petición, Shakira interpreta las canciones “Hay amores”, “Despedida” y “Pienso en ti” de su producción “Pies descalzos”. Dándole un twist diferente a su música, en el 2009, “Loba” (She Wolf) se convierte en su siguiente hit.

Describió el disco como algo diferente y la canción como un himno de libertad. El sencillo salió en ingles al mismo tiempo, y los sencillos siguientes también fueron bilingües como “Lo

1998 Dónde Estan los Ladrones?

RODEADA DE AMOR - La artista colombiana visita con frecuencia a los niños de la fundación que ella misma creó; Pies Descalzos, que ayuda a niños que sido afectados por la violencia en Colombia y les ofrece educación, alimento, salud y la esperanza de un mejor futuro.

hecho está hecho” (Did it again) y “Gitana” (Gypsy).

Este año, Shakira sacó su primer sencillo del disco “Sale el sol”, que estará en venta a partir del 19 de octubre.

“Loca” que al igual que sus últimas producciones, tiene la versión en inglés y en español. En este mismo disco se incluyó el éxito del mundial Sudáfrica 2010 “Waka, Waka”.

La artista que ha recibido más de 100 premios alrededor del mundo, co-

2001 Servicio de Lavandería

menzó su Tour Sale el Sol este año y este sábado 9 de octubre se presentará en la Arena State Farm para presentar su nuevo disco, y los boletos han estado en venta empezando de los 80 hasta 450 dólares.

La música no es el único don de la cantautora colombiana, sino bailar también.

Ha sido reconocida por su manera de mover la cadera ya que usa el “belly dance” para la mayoria de sus coreografías y es lo que a la mayoría de sus fans vuelve locos.

2005 Oral Fixation Vol. 1&2

No solo por su música y la letra de sus canciones, pero también por su ayuda humanitaria, Shakira ha llegado al corazón de todos sus fans al demostrar que también tiene un lado muy humilde al crear su fundación “Pies Descalzos”.

Pies Descalzos fue creada por la cantante colombiana con el propósito de encontrar oportunidades para la niñez vulnerable y que ha sido desplazada debido a la violencia en Colombia. A finales de los años noventas, Shakira, asumió el com-

2009 Loba

promiso de proveer educación, comida y salud a poblaciones colombianas y darles la oportunidad de tener un mejor futuro; y hoy en día, es reconocida por ayudar junto con la labor de la fundación a 30 mil personas y sus comunidades.

No cabe duda que Shakira cuenta con el talento necesario para triunfar y que mas que solo cantar y bailar, la artista de 33 años tiene todo para seguir conquistando corazones de niños, jóvenes y adultos.

2010 Sale el Sol

THE PAN AMERICAN

Página 8

7 de octubre del 2010

Shakira, Shakira

7 de octubre del 2010

THE PAN AMERICAN

Página 9

Historia por Denisse Salinas y Diseno por Jennifer Tate

La cantautora colombiana sigue sorprendiendo con su música.

Llámala loca, loba o ciega sordomuda, pero Shakira ha sido a lo largo de los años uno de los iconos musicales alrededor del mundo.

Todo empezó

después de ganar un concurso infantil en su natal Colombia, donde nació el 2 de febrero de 1977. Tras ser la ganadora del programa local por tres años consecutivos, Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll firmó con Sony un contrato para grabar tres discos entre los 10 y 13 años de edad. Lamentablemente las producciones no fueron como se esperaban y no tuvieron tanto éxito, pero sería el inicio de una larga trayectoria.

No fue hasta 1995, que Shakira escribe ¿Donde estás corazón? que fue una de sus primeros éxitos y con eso, sale su disco Pies Descalzos que gracias a el, la cantautora se convierte en una de las artistas más importantes

1991 Magia

1993 Peligro

vendiendo un poco más de 5 millones de copias. En este disco, Shakira promocionó las canciones que hasta ahora siguen siendo unas de sus más importantes como “Antología”, “Un poco de amor”, y “Se quiere, se mata”.

Tres años después, Shakira saca a la venta su disco “Dónde están los ladrones?” del cual se vendieron 7 millones de copias. En esta producción, Shakira dió a conocer sus éxitos “Inevitable”, “Ciega, sordomuda” y “Ojos así”, que con la última ganó su primer premio de MTV Video Music Awards en el 2000.

Siendo una estrella internacional, Shakira ya había grabado varias canciones en portugués pero solo se dieron a conocer en ciertos paises. No es hasta el 2001, que sale su primer disco bilingüe: “Servicio de Lavandería” o “Laundry Service” en inglés. Con canciones como “Que me quedes tu” y “Suerte” en el disco en español y en la producción

1995 Pies Descalzos

en americana los sencillos “Underneath your clothes”, y “The one”.

“Fijación Oral” y “Fijación Oral 2” fueron los discos que siguieron en el 2005, pero “Fijación Oral 2”, u “Oral Fixation 2” ya era completamente en inglés. Con canciones como “La Tortura”, a dueto con Alejandro Sanz, y “No”, fueron de los sencillos en español y en cuanto al disco en inglés, “Hips don’t lie” que fue producida por ella misma y Wycleaf Jean, fue todo un hit alrededor del mundo.

En el 2007, a Shakira se le pide hacer el soundtrack para la película “Amor en los tiempos de cólera” del famoso escritor Gabriel García Márquez y con esta petición, Shakira interpreta las canciones “Hay amores”, “Despedida” y “Pienso en ti” de su producción “Pies descalzos”. Dándole un twist diferente a su música, en el 2009, “Loba” (She Wolf) se convierte en su siguiente hit.

Describió el disco como algo diferente y la canción como un himno de libertad. El sencillo salió en ingles al mismo tiempo, y los sencillos siguientes también fueron bilingües como “Lo

1998 Dónde Estan los Ladrones?

RODEADA DE AMOR - La artista colombiana visita con frecuencia a los niños de la fundación que ella misma creó; Pies Descalzos, que ayuda a niños que sido afectados por la violencia en Colombia y les ofrece educación, alimento, salud y la esperanza de un mejor futuro.

hecho está hecho” (Did it again) y “Gitana” (Gypsy).

Este año, Shakira sacó su primer sencillo del disco “Sale el sol”, que estará en venta a partir del 19 de octubre.

“Loca” que al igual que sus últimas producciones, tiene la versión en inglés y en español. En este mismo disco se incluyó el éxito del mundial Sudáfrica 2010 “Waka, Waka”.

La artista que ha recibido más de 100 premios alrededor del mundo, co-

2001 Servicio de Lavandería

menzó su Tour Sale el Sol este año y este sábado 9 de octubre se presentará en la Arena State Farm para presentar su nuevo disco, y los boletos han estado en venta empezando de los 80 hasta 450 dólares.

La música no es el único don de la cantautora colombiana, sino bailar también.

Ha sido reconocida por su manera de mover la cadera ya que usa el “belly dance” para la mayoria de sus coreografías y es lo que a la mayoría de sus fans vuelve locos.

2005 Oral Fixation Vol. 1&2

No solo por su música y la letra de sus canciones, pero también por su ayuda humanitaria, Shakira ha llegado al corazón de todos sus fans al demostrar que también tiene un lado muy humilde al crear su fundación “Pies Descalzos”.

Pies Descalzos fue creada por la cantante colombiana con el propósito de encontrar oportunidades para la niñez vulnerable y que ha sido desplazada debido a la violencia en Colombia. A finales de los años noventas, Shakira, asumió el com-

2009 Loba

promiso de proveer educación, comida y salud a poblaciones colombianas y darles la oportunidad de tener un mejor futuro; y hoy en día, es reconocida por ayudar junto con la labor de la fundación a 30 mil personas y sus comunidades.

No cabe duda que Shakira cuenta con el talento necesario para triunfar y que mas que solo cantar y bailar, la artista de 33 años tiene todo para seguir conquistando corazones de niños, jóvenes y adultos.

2010 Sale el Sol

10

October 7, 2010

Social Cycling rides through McAllen

ABC has begun the process of uncovering embarrassing family photos hidden away in closets after sources say the network bought the rights to Internet sensation “Awkward Family Photos.”

Adopted from the 2006 novel by the same name, “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” opens Friday.

Staring Zach Galifankis and Keir Gilchrist, the film revolves around a self-institutionalized 16-year-old who finds love at a mental-health clinic.

Tammy Ayala/THE PAN AMERICAN BIG WHEELIN’- (L to R) Robert Zapata, Sofia Peña, Melissa Trevino, and Javi Gonzales meet at Moonbeans Coffee every Thursday evening to participate in a social bike ride around McAllen. Zapata brought the idea down from Austin, making a Facebook page and encouraging people to try biking.

By Lorena Balli The Pan American

Four years after their successful release “The Life Pursuit,” indie pop group Belle and Sebastian are back. “Write About Love” finds the band reuniting with producer Tony Hoffer and collaborating with Norah Jones on a few tracks.

In Brazil a 45-year-old illiterate man best known for his impression of Tiririca the clown won a position in congress with more than twice the votes as the next candidate. His slogan? “It can’t get any worse.”

Every Thursday evening, a group of people arrives at Moonbeans Coffee on 10th & Dove in McAllen. Not to have coffee and socialize, not to participate in a study group or meeting, but to get ready for a journey through the streets of McAllen via bicycle. They’re called “social cyclers” and they can be spotted riding through town once a week en masse.

“I used to live in Austin and I was a part of a group that used to ride together through town,” said Robert Zapata, 22-year-old mechanical engineering student at UTPA. “I made a lot of friends and had a great time cycling so when I moved back to the Valley, I wanted to bring the social cycling idea with me.”

With the economy struggling and gas prices well over two bucks a gallon, cycling has become increasingly popular in metropolitan areas, and such is the case in McAllen, the Valley’s most sophisticated city. Alternative transportation is somewhat foreign in the Rio Grande Valley. Bus routes are minimal and few roadways outside of McAllen include bike lanes, but social cyclers are hoping to change attitudes and inspire more people to consider bicycling as an alternate to driving.

The goal of the McAllen social cyclers is simple.

”We would just like to raise awareness to the public about the increasing popularity of alternative transportation, while having fun and meeting new people,” said cycler Ruben Reyna, mechanical engineering student at UTPA who is from Mission.

Zapata thinks that continuous action on the part of the riders could bring eventual dividends. ”With a large group of people on bikes riding together, we’ll gain more recognition from the public, and maybe from the city,” he said. “We’re hoping the Valley can progress in alternative transportation routes by adding more bike lanes and bike signs along the streets.”

Those who do use bikes in the Valley quickly discover that they might as well be invisible.

“This Thursday was the first time I came out on a ride. Normally I ride alone and I love to ride my bike around town,” said Michelle Alaniz, a UTPA art major. “The only problem I see is that sometimes the lane will suddenly end and drivers use bike lanes as turning lanes…maybe social cycling will make drivers more aware of people on bikes.”

There are no particular rules or requirements needed to join the cyclers except for the obvious (one’s own bike.)

However, it is suggested that folks have a couple of months of experience before jumping into the first ride. Highly recommended items include reflective lights for the bike (tires, front and back

of bicycle), water or Gatorade, and to the group, mostly requesting (aggrestools to fix a flat tire or broken chain. sively) for riders to get out of their way.

The route on Sept. 30 started at It is advised that those over 21 do not Moonbeans, headed consume alcohol or to Archer Park at at least limit them101 N. Broadway, selves in alcohol and made a stop at consumption since “ I used to live in Austin it wouldn’t be safe the McAllen Convention Center, to ride home under and I was a part of a group where the group the influence. The rested, rehydrated, group hasn’t run that used to ride together and socialized. into any serious Then, after countproblems yet, with through town. I made a ing heads, checkthe exception of a lot of friends and had a ing tires, and havfew members having a few laughs, ing a few too many great time cycling so when the riders headed beers and having to to McAllen’s Encall for a ride home.

I moved back to the Valley, tertainment District Members make I wanted to bring the social downtown. Cine El their best effort to Rey was the despractice safe riding, cycling idea with me. ” ignated spot as the and always have riders congregated each other’s best into enjoy music by terest in mind. the band Personal Everyone is invitUse, who now plays ed to participate and every Thursday the group only rides Robert Zapata as fast as the slownight there.

Mechanical engineering student Social cycling est rider, so as not to started in McAllen discourage the less in April 2010 and experienced ones. has largely been a McAllen Social success, though the group has run into Cyclists meet every Thursday at 8 p.m. at a few problems along the way. People Moonbeans Coffee and begin the ride at 8:45 p.m. walking to and from bars on 17th Street For more information, visit them on have been known to yell rude comments Facebook - Social Cycling McAllen.

October 7, 2010

ARTS AND LIFE

Page 11

HESTEC’s cultural leanings questioned by Valley minorities

By Nadia Tamez-Robledo The Pan American

Miki Ehimika knows that he’s part of the minority at The University of Texas-Pan American, something the senior political science major has been periodically reminded of since his first day of orientation. As the son of Nigerian immigrants, the Harlingen native drew a blank when it came to Spanish phrases that peppered presenters’ conversations with the audience.

“I remember coming back from orientation here and telling my dad, ‘It’s really Hispanic-centered. I don’t really fit in. I don’t really feel a part of it,’” the 21-year-old said. “He was like, ‘Oh, maybe they’ll treat you as a novelty. Just give it a chance.’”

Ehimika stayed and, with graduation two semesters away, has a deep fondness for the university. Still, when the annual Hispanic Engineering, Science, and Technology (HESTEC) Week puts the school’s Latino majority front and center again, Ehimika can’t help but feel somewhat excluded.

Of the 15,947 students enrolled at UTPA in Fall 2009, black students made up less than one percent.

Hispanics accounted for about 89 percent, whites four percent, and Asians represented just over one percent of the student body.

“I had a few other options of universities to go to, and none of them were as tied to traditional heritage as this one,” he

said. “I think how different it would be if I was in an area that didn’t focus just on Hispanics. Overall, I don’t think HESTEC would be that way for everyone because it focuses on engineering, not just being Hispanic.”

While events like HESTEC don’t limit attendance only to Latino students, some at UTPA argue that naming it a “Hispanic” event is in itself exclusionary toward other cultures.

“Not everybody has a Mexican heritage, and the message is, ‘If you’re not Hispanic, you’re somehow deficient,’” said Jack Stanley, a TV/radio/ film professor who has taught at the university since 1981. “It’s not fair to our students, it’s not fair to our Asian students, it’s not fair to our black students. They’re very hesitant to say anything because…if you say anything about the predominance of catering to Hispanics, you feel the weight of being labeled a racist.”

According to a 2009 National Science Foundation report, Latinos make up eight percent of all college degrees earned in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields and 5.4 percent of the STEM workforce. This in contrast to the fact they are over 15 percent of the U.S. population now, the most populous American minority group.

While some may feel the name HESTEC is problematic, along with a number of Hispanic-based scholarships, the argument is far from one-sided.

“I do not think labeling these events as ‘Hispanic’ is exclusionary, but rather an attempt to address the gross underrepresentation of Latina/o people in the STEM fields and in higher education,” said Stephanie Alvarez, a modern languages professor in the Mexican American Studies program.

“In fact, I know that not only is HESTEC open to everyone, but that HESTEC honored several non-Latina/o educators this year.”

However, Stanley said that naming such an event at a university like The University of Texas at Austin, where he taught for six years, would face resistance from people of other cultures.

“But because Hispanic is the dominant culture, other people here shut up rather than stand up,” he said. “If you are going to take a look at it from that perspective, you begin to see that it’s racist, but it’s not a perspective that anyone who’s running this wants to see.”

On the other hand, Marci McMahon, an English professor in the MAS program, views ethnicity-based organizations as a tool for encouraging growth in underserved communities.

“As a white scholar who does work in Chicana/Latino studies, I see it is my responsibility to form alliances with scholars of color rather than to create divisions by claiming racism and exclusion,” she said. “While I might be a racial minority on this campus, given our society’s framing

of race, when I walk off this campus, “VAMOS is a crucial program that I am part of a racial group that has provides Latinos/as with much-needed historically asserted dominance and scholarships to attend college,” Alvaprivilege against rez said. “We must racial ‘Others.’” remember that a Another Rio recent report re“ Not everybody has a vealed that half of Grande Valley institution known all children in HiMexican heritage, and the for serving Latinos dalgo County are is the Valley Alliclassified as ‘poor.’ message is, ʻIf youʼre not ance of Mentors Because Latinos/as Hispanic, youʼre somehow for Opportunities are a marginalized and Scholarships population in the deficient.ʼ Itʼs not fair to (VAMOS), which United States, idenour students, itʼs not fair specifies that only tity-based groups Hispanic high are essential to creto our Asian students, school seniors are ate spaces in which itʼs not fair to our black eligible to apply the empowerment for its scholarship. of the community students. ” As a high become possible.” school student, As the debate Ehimika said he continues, Ehimika accepted Hispanic said that UTPA ethnicity as a cricould do a lot to help Jack Stanley non-Latino students teria for many of TV/radio/film professor the scholarships feel like their culpromoted, and tures are recognized chose to focus his by diversifying energy on researching award pos- the programs it offers during events like sibilities based on writing or merit. FESTIBA and International Week. In the During his college career, he’s en- week-long FESTIBA event held in the countered a political science fellow- spring, only four of the discussion panels ship opportunity that he was ineligi- addressed issues outside of Hispanic herible for because he is not Latino. tage, the US-Mexico border, and Mexico.

But again, there are reasonable “It’s a great place, really,” he said. explanations for what some might see “I would just like to see a little more as institutionalized exclusion by race. diversity. And by a little, I mean a lot.”

Page 12

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October 7, 2010

13

7 de octubre del 2010

Película de Hollywood tendrá premier en Edinburg trabajos en la pantalla chica. Sin embargo, la estrella de la película no es nadie más que una chica A unas cuantas horas de estrenarse común y corriente de las calles de nacionalmente en un cine local, la Wilmington, California. Jessica película “Down for Life” fue una Romero, de 16 años de edad, obtuvo de las atracciones principales de la el papel estelar de ésta obra del celebración del PalmFest International séptimo arte a pesar de no contar Folklife el pasado 2 de Octubre. con experiencia actoral.

El evento R o m e r o , encargado de ahora de 18 años, ofrecer a las compartió con familias del “ No había hecho nada de su audiencia en Valle de Texas el Centro de mi vida durante muchos diversión, cultura, Convenciones de arte, deportes, años, por eso cuando llega McAllen, cómo entre muchas otras fue la transición de a mi la oferta de actuar, actividades fue pandillera a estrella realizado por quinta decidí que era tiempo de de Hollywood. ocasión consecutiva “No había en el McAllen hacer algo de provecho ” hecho nada de Convention Center. mi vida durante “Down for muchos años, por Life”, dirigida por eso cuando llega Jessica Romero a mi la oferta de el también escritor Protagonista “Down for Life” actuar, decidí que y productor, Alan Jacobs, cuenta las era tiempo de hacer dificultades ante algo de provecho”, las que se enfrenta dijo Romero. una adolescente latina de tan sólo También comentó que el cambio no 15 años al descubrir que salirse fue sencillo, sin embargo, asegura que de su pandilla es aún más difícil todo su esfuerzo ha valido la pena. que formar parte de ella. Rascal, Por su parte, Jacobs comentó lider de una pandilla californiana, que fue una gran expriencia haber intenta cambiar su vida dejando el trabajado con Romero, quién crimen atrás para convertirse en una siempre estuvo dispuesta a entregar escritora famosa. lo mejor de ella y comprometerse El largometraje cuenta con con su personaje. figuras reconocidas como Danny “Jessica es una persona muy Glover y Snoop Dogg, además dedicada y entregada a su trabajo. No de la mexicana Kate del Castillo, fue díficil lograr un buen trabajo ya que quién se ha dado a conocer por sus ella siempre se exigía para dar lo mejor

Por Karen Velázquez the pan american

Alejandra Moreno/THE PAN AMERICAN COMO TODA UNA PROFESIONAL - Jessica Romero firmó autógrafos junto con el rapero Lil’ Rob que vinieron a promover la película “Down for Life” que se estrenará este 7 de octubre en Edinburg. se sí”, dijo Jacobs. “El haber tenido las mismas vivencias que el personaje, hizo que Jessica desmostrara una gran naturalidad en la pantalla”.

Además de descubrir nuevos talentos, Jacobs esta interesado en brindar la oportunidad a talentos internacionales.

Tal es el caso de Kate del Castillo, quién tras haber participado en un filme mexicano del productor y comediante Eugenio Derbez, es ahora parte de proyectos en el tan soñado Hollywood.

Futbol Liga Mexicana

Resultados de la décima jornada, apertura 2010

Por Daniel Cuevas the pan american

Se llevó a cabo la Jornada 10 del Torneo Apertura 2010 del Futbol Mexicano.

Los encuentros se efectuaron desde el viernes 1 de octubre en el estadio 3 de Marzo, cuando los Estudiantes Tecos recibieron a los Jaguares de Chiapas en un cotejo que terminó en empate, sin goles.

Para la jornada sabatina tuvimos mas acción, los Tigres de la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León visitaron al San Luis, y los locales se llevaron la victoria con gol de Othoniel Arce al minuto 77’.

La comarca lagunera se vistió de gala para recibir a los actuales campeones del torneo, los Diablos rojos del Toluca, y les abollaron la corona al propinarle su segunda derrota en el torneo, con un marcador de 2-0, los

goles de Santos los convirtieron José María Cárdenas y Christian Benítez.

En la sultana del norte, los Rayados de Monterrey derrotaron 2-1 al Necaxa, con goles de Humberto Suazo y Aldo de Nigris, por los hydrorayos descontó Pablo Quatrocchi.

El último encuentro de la jornada sabatina, se efectuó en Cancún, Quintana Roo, donde el Atlante se llevo otro descalabro al caer 1-3 como local frente al Pachuca.

El saldo de la jornada dominical dejó la victoria de Pumas sobre Morelia, con gol de Dante López al 63’, Puebla hizo lo propio sobre Gallos Blancos, y con goles de Nicolás Olivera y Rodrigo Salinas, derrotaron al equipo Queretano 2-0.

Por último; semana de clásicos en el fútbol mexicano, en el estadio Azul, la Máquina Cementera por fin se sacudió la hegemonía que tenia ante

el América al derrotarlos con un tanto de Christian ‘Chaco’ Jiménez, tras una larga racha de siete años de no poder vencer a las águilas. Y Jalisco no se raja, por que también tuvo su primer clásico tapatío en el estadio Omnilife, Guadalajara y Atlas dividieron puntos en un salomónico empate a 2 goles, obra de Flavio Jesús Santos y Gerardo Flores por parte de los rojinegros, Miguel Ángel Ponce descontó para el rebaño, y con autogol Néstor Vidrio al minuto 90’ se produjo el empate.

Cabe mencionar que Marco Fabián de la Mora, erró un penal por parte de las Chivas al minuto 64’.

Así fue como se llevó a cabo la décima jornada en el fútbol mexicano, enseguida la tabla general con los juegos jugados (JJ), juegos ganados (JG), juegos perdidos (JP), juegos empatados (JE) y puntos en total hasta hoy.

“Alan Jacobs es un excelente director, la conexión que crea con el actor facilita el logro de lo deseado”, dijo Del Castillo. “Trabajar con Jacobs ha sido una experiencia totalmente enriquecedora, además de que contamos con un elenco de primera”.

Tras haber recibido críticas positivas en el Festival Internacional de Filmes de Toronto (TIFF por sus siglas en inglés), hoy se llevará a cabo la premier del afamado filme.

El evento dará inicio a las 18:30 horas y concluirá a las 21:30 en un cine de la ciudad de Edinburg.“Nos da gran orgullo el haber sido escogidos para la premier nacional.

Es grandiosos que cada vez más eventos importantes llegan al Valle”, dijo Christopher Julian, publicista local. “Esperamos que vengan a disfrutar de ésta gran función”.

Para más información contactar a Christopher Julian (956) 682-5563.

Tabla MexicanoApertura Apertura2010 2010 TablaGeneral, General Futbol Futbol Mexicano, Pos.

Equipo

JJ

JG

JE

JP

Puntos

1

Cruz Azul

10

8

0

2

24

3

Santos

10

7

0

3

21

5

San Luis

2 4 6

Monterrey

10

6

4

0

22

Toluca

10

4

4

2

16

América

10

4

3

3

15

10

10

4

2

4

14

9

Jaguares

10

3

4

3

13

11

Tigres

10

3

3

4

12

Chivas Gallos Blancos

10 10

2 3

5 2

3 5

11 11

12

13 14

Pachuca

15

Necaxa

18

Atlas

16 17

Estudiantes Atlante

10 10

10

10 10 10

4 3

2

2 2 1

1 3

4

3 2 2

3

16

Puebla Morelia

3

4

Pumas

10

4

1

7 8

10

5

5 4

4

5 6 7

15

13 12

10

9 8 5

14

October 7, 2010

Broncs play at top-notch tournament With a new group under their wing, men’s tennis team coach and top players have high expectations for 2010-2011 season.

By Astrid Villegas The Pan American On Monday, the UTPA men’s tennis team took its two top players, Aswin Vijayaragavan and Beau Bernstein to compete in the 2010 D’Novo/ ITA Men’s Tennis All-American Championships at Tulsa, Okla.

The tournament included six rounds of prequalifying and qualifying matches, followed by six rounds in the main draw. Both team leaders competed in the qualifying rounds of the doubles event as well as in the prequalifying rounds for singles. The tournament runs Oct 2-10 and the Bronc pair ended up going 0-2 in the opening round of singles play.

Senior Vijayaragavan played Alex Brigham, a sophomore at UCLA who came in 1-1 against nationally ranked opponents. Brigham took the win with a 6-2 advantage.

“It was a little too fast for me,” said Vijayaragavan, a finance major and award-winning player for the Broncs the past three years. “It was a good experience but we didn’t play our best.”

Bernstein of Sugarland went against Tobias Obenaus, senior at the University of Washington who had a record of 24-9 for the Huskies in 2009-10. According to the Office for Athletic Media Relations, Bernstein found his opportunity to break back and even the match, but the foe was

able to find two big serves and close the match out 6-2, 6-4.

“We played the tournament at Waco first … this is Bernstein’s and my second time but we didn’t go as well as expected,” Vijayaragavan said.

Coach Chris Taylor mentioned that this tournament was very prestigious and is considered a high-level event, so overall the Broncs did well.

“We would have liked to come away with a couple of wins,” Taylor said. “I don’t think they played their best game, but that happens sometimes.”

Vijayaragavan, from Andrapadesh, India, agrees with Taylor, saying that everyone has off days and it just happened to be theirs. However, it was a learning experience.

“It’s my last year and I want to finish it in style,” Vijayaragavan said.

“We just have to come back and work on our mistakes.”

BACK AT HOME Besides competing at the ITA AllAmerican Championship as the top representatives for the Broncs, senior Vijayaragavan and junior Bernstein will serve as an example for the four newcomers to the team this year.

“Beau and Vijayaragavan are our two leaders and they are mentoring the new guys and motivating them,” Taylor said.

This season, the program welcomed

U T PA W O M E N ’ S G O L F T I T L E S 2007

juniors Matt Teivans, an Australian transfer from Wichita State University, as well as three freshmen: Sebastien Job of Belgium, and the Brazilian pair of Ricardo Hopker and Victor Alves.

Taylor also explained that unlike a team’s sports, where a coach could tell the team to pass the ball better or play better offense, in tennis the responsibility lies with each individual.

“I have eight guys on the team and

2003 2004 2005 2009 NATIONAL MINORITY COLLEGIATE CHAMPIONSHIP

2009 GREAT WEST CONFERENCE Alma E. Hernandez/The Pan American

Mulligan - Majo Camey and the team are taking advantage of fall semester struggles to prepare for the upcoming year.

every guy is different than the next guy,” he noted. “Talent really wins in this factor and you have to be talented, smart, and you have to know how to think your way through a match.”

Taylor also suggested that one of the main struggles the young squad may go through is inexperience, but that overall he has a set of skilled individuals. The players think highly of their coach, too.

“Our coach is being as good, as always, and he is pumped up this year because we have a new team,” Vijayagaravan said. “Our team point of view is to get ranked and our main goal is to win conference.”

Taylor and his new group will get ready for the next event, in Austin, starting Oct. 8. Freshman Victor Alves, plus Teivans and Hopker, will be competing.

a team is in the bottom of the scoreboard, it is hard to recover and that the UTPA players failed in starting off the tournament strong enough to make a statement.

The Lady Broncs finished day one (first two rounds) in 15th out of 17 teams and dropped a spot the next day.

“We did not play well, we lacked the ability to take the tournament, we gave the tournament away,” Lopez said.

Lopez added that the factor that the ladies are missing the most is being mentally strong, which would allow them to hit consistent shots and gain more effective results. The team is made up of talented players, whose main work to do will be rebuilding confidence.

The women head to Huntsville Monday and Tuesday to conclude the fall season at the SHSU Harold Funston Invitational.

“We’re looking out for next week to play well from hole one, play one, round one and not forget that we know how to play,” Lopez said.

The women came into this tournament after finishing 10th at the Cincinnati Bearcat Classic two weeks ago and 12th at the Worldlink North Texas Fall Classic, the first event of the semester.

Lopez and Camey agreed on that the advantage of the brief fall campaign is that it gives the team an idea of what to work on while also serving as practice to get ready for the spring season.

The first tournament of 2011, the Claud Jacobs Challenge hosted by Texas State, will take place in February in Victoria.

“This is definitely a learning experience, every tournament we play is a learning experience and we are getting better each time,” Camey said.

Women’s golf ready to wrap up 2010 after placing 16th at ORU

By Sara Hernandez The Pan American

NGCA ALL-AMERICAN SCHOLAR TEAM

CHAMPIONSHIP

Freddie Martinez/The Pan American

LEADING THE PACK - The Broncs’ more experienced players, junior Beau Bernstein (pictured) and senior Aswin Vijayaragavan competed at the ITA All-American Championship last weekend.

Although students are barely past the first third of the school semester, the fall season for the UTPA women’s golf program is about to come to an end. The Lady Broncs have only one more tournament this year after placing 16th at the ORU Shootout Monday and Tuesday.

The top finisher for UTPA was Majo Camey, who ended three rounds tied in 24th with a score of 236. The Lady Broncs struggled as a team; junior Sarah Kothny came tied in 69th with rounds of 83, 85 and 86, as senior Haley Hocott tied in 74th with a final score of 256.

Junior Melinda Uriegas (260) and freshman Samantha Garcia (271) got 78th and 89th place.

Men and women’s golf director Ofelia Lopez mentioned that any time

A full-time attacker from beginning to end Page 15

SPORTS

October 7, 2010

hitters are able to obtain it, but this is not what drives Logan to play at a high level.

“I just have to stay focused on When it rains it pours. If some is playing well and putting points up good, more is better. Add any other on the board for favorite positive Logan clichés and one “My goal is to come out UTPA,” stated.

“I’ll can understand reach my own the crazy of every game having no personal goals rollercoaster ride only if we reach senior Marci regrets and knowing that our team goals Logan has been for the season.” on this season.

I did everything I could to This type of Last week, attitude is nothing Logan was put us in the best possible new to fourthnamed the Great year Head Coach West Conference position to win. ” Angela Hubbard, Offensive Player of the Week.

Marci Logan who has seen Logan develop Like most great Senior into the strong athletes who vocal leader she acquire individual is today. awards, Logan “Marci is my knows that her only four-year starter that has been accomplishments would not have with me since the beginning and been possible without teammates. knows how hard we have worked “They played a huge role,” to build this program to where it is exclaimed the senior Colorado today,” Hubbard said. “She knows native. “The defensive players what is expected of everyone and covered me when I was hitting so I what we need to do to be successful could have the confidence to go for this season.” the kill every time instead of just Logan continues the program playing it safe. Our middles worked tradition of having had at least one hard to pull a blocker, so I was left player every season collect the honor with either a solo on the outside or of Offensive Player of The Week. a hole in the block for me to put the Hubbard has produced one every year ball down.” since she took the reins as head coach Putting down the ball is exactly four years ago. what Logan has been doing as a Recognition for individual talent member of the Bronc volleyball team is not something the Logan Family for four years. With 39 kills recorded is unfamiliar with. Her older brother in the last three games, she only needs Brock Logan, competed in “Iron 92 more to reach the 1,000 mark for Man” triathlons and set records at the her collegiate career. This is a rare U.S. Air Force Academy. milestone and not that many outside

By Dionicio “Nune” Rodriguez The Pan American

Alma E. Hernandez/THE PAN AMERICAN

FIRE! - Despite Marci Logan’s recent accomplishment and nearly 1,000 career kills, the veteran looks to remain focused and lead the team into good closure.

“I’m kind of following in his shadow and trying to make my own athletic achievements,” Logan admits. “My goal is to come out of every game having no regrets and knowing that I did everything I could to put us in the best possible position to win.”

Although it is a great honor for both Hubbard and Logan, along with the rest of the Broncs, they know there is no time to celebrate and that the main focus right now is for the team to play at the level they have reached going back to the win against Prairie View Sept. 20, when Logan recorded 17 kills. The team is now 2-1 in Great West play and 6-12 overall.

“No pies to the face just yet,” Hubbard noted. “I am very proud of Marci and I know her teammates are as well, but we still have a lot to accomplish this season so the true celebrations will be postponed until then.”

UTPA KILLS CAREER LEADERS 1. Jaclyn Muszynski 1,629 00-02 2. Kellie Phillips

1, 405 05-08

3. Heather Bravo

1,352 03-06

4. Tanja Thomas

1,175 89-91

5. Stephanie Redd

1,076 02-05

6. Cathy Netemeyer

921

02-04

7. MARCI LOGAN

908

07-10

NFL Weekend Schedule SUNDAY Jacksonville @ Buffalo

1 p.m.

CBS

Tampa Bay @ Cincinnati

1 p.m.

FOX

Atlanta @ Cleveland

1 p.m.

FOX

St. Louis @ Detroit

1 p.m.

FOX

Kansas City @ Indianapolis

1 p.m.

CBS

Green Bay @ Washington

1 p.m.

FOX

Chicago @ Carolina

1 p.m.

FOX

Denver @ Baltimore

1 p.m.

CBS

NY Giants @ Houston

1 p.m.

FOX

New Orleans @ Arizona

1 p.m.

FOX

San Diego @ Oakland

4:05 p.m.

CBS

Tennessee @ Dallas

4:15 p.m.

CBS

Philadelphia @ San Francisco

8:20 p.m.

NBC

MONDAY Minnesota @ NY Jets

Freddie Martinez/THE PAN AMERICAN

GO GET HIM - Business major Simon Garza (right) goes in to gain offensive possession of the ball Saturday afternoon at the WRSC Soccer Field.

8:30 p.m. ESPN

Check out Bronc Soccer Club photo gallery and story at panamericanonline.com

Page 16

THE PAN AMERICAN

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October 7, 2010