September 8, 2011

Page 1

Volume 68, No. 2

WWW.PANAMERICANONLINE.COM

September 8, 2011

Low-producing degree options to be cut

By Susan Gonzalez The Pan American As of Aug. 31, 2013, three University programs will be cut per the standards of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. These programs were considered low-producing and will not be admitting any more students: the non-accredited B.S. in computer science, the B.A.A.S. in applied arts and sciences and the clinical specialist option in the M.S.N. in nursing. However, deans, department chairs and professors in these departments are not mourning the loss of these programs. “Enrollment is close to the national average, we are doing quality research, we are producing quality graduates. Many of these graduates go on to get advanced degrees at tier one institutions,” said David Allen, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Sciences. “It behooves a college that is growing and improving, as we are, to only offer accredited degree programs.” As for the B.A.A.S. in applied arts and sciences, Kristin Croyle, interim dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, also believes that this program is no longer beneficial to the college. “This degree has not really been a viable degree at UTPA for years,” Croyle said. “It was first put in place to assist students who had earned an associate’s degree with a large number of technical hours. However, as the curriculum at UTPA changed, it became prohibitively long for students to pursue the B.A.A.S. as we had it formulated. For some time, we have been advising students into other choices that end up being shorter and more efficient for them, such as the Bachelor of General Studies. I don’t believe that any students will be affected by this program deletion because we have been working hard to advise students away from the B.A.A.S. program for years.” Similar feelings were shared by Nursing Department chair and professor Carolina Huerta, who feels no loss in regard to the clinical specialist option being closed in the M.S.N. program.

SEE PROGRAMS || PAGE 3

ARTS GET $43M Erick Gonzalez / THE PAN AMERICAN

Construction for new fine arts complex slated to begin in 2012

By Belinda Munoz The Pan American After some much needed revision, the University of Texas - Pan American has officially, finally, approved a plan to build a new Fine Arts Academic and Performance Complex. The project, to be funded by the UT System, will cost around $42.7 million to complete and will provide a new mid-size theater to accommodate approximately 1,000 audience members upon its completion in October 2014. The project was originally proposed in 2006 but never got off the ground for various reasons.

According to Martin Baylor, vice president for business affairs, it’s good to see the University moving forward with its plan. “It has been a long time,” Baylor said. “It has been a process and we are all very excited. Everyone’s really worked very hard to get the project to this point.” Demolition of UTPA’s existing auditorium and Fine Arts Annex will need to happen first to make way for the nearly 14,500 square feet of new construction that the new complex will bring. Baylor explained that the demolition and construction process will happen in phases, with the current auditorium expected to be

bowled over by October 2012. For Orlando Diaz, a 21-year-old senior pursuing a degree in music education, the idea of a new performance complex is vital to the future for UTPA students. “As a music student, I do think it is important to have the new complex for the future and current music students here at UTPA,” Diaz said. “We were in such a need for a new auditorium and complex since the one we currently have is not in good condition anymore. I also believe that the University is going to benefit from such a new complex. In one part, more students will enroll to study music here.” Diaz hopes that the new complex will

bring more practice space for music majors, as there are typically over 200 who now share six practice rooms that are infamous for not being soundproof. Baylor explained that there are numerous measures being taken in order to accommodate the need for added rehearsal space, including adding four rehearsals halls and updating the ventilation systems within Fine Arts Music Building B and C. Building B will be renovated to meet academic program requirements and its second floor will include faculty offices. Building C’s interior will be redone to become smaller practice rooms.

SEE ART || PAGE 3

Just can’t stay away

By Alma E. Hernandez The Pan American

Retired decision-makers return to teaching

Three former high-ranking officials at The University of Texas-Pan American have traded in their plush offices in the Student Services Building for a professor’s lectern. Miguel Nevarez served as vice president of student affairs for nine years followed

by a 23-year run as president of the University. He stepped down in 2004 after ushering in tremendous growth, including alliance with the UT System in 1989 that brought the school’s current name. But five years ago, he went back to his first love, teaching. A McAllen native, Nevarez fell in love with teaching while working as a substitute in the

McAllen school district. “You get into education because you want to teach. Somewhere along the way, I’m not going to say (that we) get sidetracked, but we get into administration, we get away from teaching and after a while that you’re outside of teaching, you wonder if you will still enjoy teaching,” Nevarez explained. “So you want to try

it out, and go back and see if you still enjoy it.” Nevarez said he prefers teaching to administration for a number of reasons. At UTPA he taught higher education law and finance. “First of all, I’m teaching something that I like and I enjoy doing,” he explained. “Here in higher learning we’re teaching either master’s or

doctoral students, and they’re more serious. They’re serious about their school, they’re selfmotivated, and so it’s a joy to teach them.” Nevarez pointed out many differences between administration and teaching, from different goals to the amount of student interaction.

SEE ADMIN || PAGE 3


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