April 25, 2013

Sustainability Charge Additional student fee for greener university proposed

Pages 6-7

April 25, 2013

Volume 69, No. 26

ONLINE CONTENT

panamericanonline.com

Pregame

On the diamond before the first pitch Photo essay

Sea Speaker

Marine biologist swims with whale sharks

Beach-N-Bike

SPI festival roars to a start

Pasta, Poetry, Vino

‘Why me?’

UTPA kidnapping victim speaks out about the experience Adrian Castillo /The Pan American By Lea Victoria Juarez The Pan American

2nd annual event unites art, music and poetry

It happened in a matter of seconds, she said. According to Ana Elizondo, she reached to open her car door in a UTPA parking lot Sept. 25, 2012 and was taken. Snatched from behind, with a hand gripping her mouth tightly, Elizondo initially struggled to break free from the stranger’s clutch, she told The Pan American. It wasn’t until she heard men’s voices threatening to harm her that she reverted to a calm state - her body going limp as she

was dragged into her abductors’ vehicle in what was then Lot T2, at approximately 7:15 p.m. They watched her for days, the alleged captors told her, targeting her at school because there were no cameras, according to an April 4 article in The Monitor. A witness called in a report to UTPA Police Department stating they saw a female forced into a vehicle in Lot T2, now named K2, with one of two suspects covering her mouth. Elizondo was released by her captors unharmed the morning

of Sept. 27. Seven months later, she decided to speak to the public about her ordeal for the Social Justice & Peace Conference 2013 April 22. The conference, sponsored by the UTPA Department of Criminal Justice, focused on multiple forms of kidnapping. The event featured the documentary Kidnappings: Expect the Unexpected, safety tips sessions and presentations from victims. “As I speak to more people...I start to realize it’s very common and that’s the only reason I decid-

ed to go public because there’s no point in hiding if everybody is in danger,” the psychology graduate student told The Pan American. “I want to speak out about it. I want to talk about the whole experience because I think it’s a good story to tell.” The accused kidnappers were identified as 20-yearold Milton Treviño, 28-yearold Onan Herrera-Sanchez, 35-year-old Miguel Angel Cruz Navarro and his 36-year-old

wife Elva Mendoza Navarro. Sanchez and Treviño are facing aggravated kidnapping for ransom charges and a federal criminal complaint accusing them of hostage-taking, according to The Monitor. The Navarro couple was also indicted by the state grand jury on the firstdegree felony charge in January. Elizondo will not give certain details about the events due to the pending case, she said.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

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opinion

April 25, 2013

#UTPA

Tweet at and follow us @ThePanAmerican

Seems like everyone is dropping classes! #hugeline #utpa -@alanismike10 Im so glad that the bookstore is located inside the Library now. :) #utpa #collegelife #simpler -@brandilarissa It takes me 45 minutes minutes to find a vacant computer in this establishment. For 3800 a semester, buy some more computers #FU #UTPA -@shlavannah #ThingsISayInSchoolTheMost “I don’t want to go to my next class” #UTPA

leaving home Daniella Diaz

Co-Editor-In-chief I found my place in The Pan American newsroom. When I first started at Pan Am, I was a biology major. I took the classes, didn’t enjoy them and realized I wasn’t doing what I wanted to do all along. So after two semesters, I changed my major to mass communication and

-@ayyMaria 5h

Letters to the Editor The Pan American accepts letters of 300 words or less from students, staff and faculty regarding recent newspaper content, campus concerns or current events. We cannot publish anonymous letters or submissions containing hate speech or gratuitous personal attacks. Please send all letters to:

thepanamerican @gmail.com

Vol. 69, No. 26

The Pan American

thepanamerican@gmail.com 1201 West University, ARHU 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539 Phone: (956) 665-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122

Editors-in-Chief:

Karen Antonacci Daniella Diaz

News Editor:

Charles Vale

Sports Editor:

Norma Gonzalez

Arts & Life Editor:

Lea Victoria Juarez

Photography Editor: Adrian Castillo

Design Editor:

Karen Villarreal

Karen Antonacci

Co-Editor-In-Chief There is, technically speaking, no such thing as a UTPA journalism degree. There is mass communication, print and broadcast track, but you can’t major in journalism. Three years ago, as an entering freshman, I signed up to be a mass comm. major because I liked reading but didn’t feel like studying only literature. “Whatever,” I thought. “I’ll see where this goes. I can always change it later if I don’t like it.”

joined The Pan American as a news reporter August 2011. And I’ve been here since. The Pan American newsroom is a home to many students on campus. It’s a place where a student reporter can learn about the real world of journalism - the experience offers much more than a classroom ever could. The editors get together every Wednesday night, produce a paper, sometimes stay in the newsroom until 5 a.m. to finish it, all so that we have a quality product ready for our readership Thursday at noon. The Pan American is the first publication I was ever published in and the experience there opened the

door for my first internship at The Monitor. Now, I am about to embark to San Antonio this summer to intern for The San Antonio Express-News, and I will bring with me everything I’ve gained from working at The Pan American. It was in the newsroom where I learned so many life lessons that I plan to take with me everywhere. It was here where I learned to never give up, even when it felt sometimes as if there was no light at the end of the tunnel. It was here where I improved my leadership skills and started dabbling in other trades, such as design, photography and videography. It was here where I met people I plan to

keep as lifelong friends. It was there where I met Greg Selber, who in my opinion is one of the best professors on campus and has been an amazing mentor to me during my time here. I am thankful for everything The Pan American has offered me. But now it’s time to say goodbye to my home. We work endlessly to provide the college newspapers you pick up and read weekly. We believe in reporting not only what you want to know about the University, but what you need to know about the University. We are always trying to provide all of the facts about any subject, even if it doesn’t always ap-

As I entered school and met my mentor, Gregory Selber, I complained about the student newspaper. It was boring and uninspired, I said, unaware that he was also the adviser of said newspaper. Selber, in his infinite kookiness, didn’t throw me out of his office, but told me to come write for The Pan American. I did, and now I’m leaving after a semester as CoEditor-in-Chief, two as Editor-inChief, three as News Editor and two as a news reporter. I’m leaving because I have my own opportunities to tend to, afforded to me by The Pan American. And I’m leaving because I’ve done my best every week to turn out content that a skeptical, uninformed 18-year-old me would pick up. Now it’s time to make way for someone else to declare it

boring and rework it. But it’s difficult to leave because TPA is my home, and I have literally spent

our worst - bleary-eyed at 4 a.m. with a test in the morning, unable, suddenly, to speak coherently.

more time in that charmingly cluttered newsroom than my various dorms and apartments. And the people that make up the student newspaper feel like my family. We have seen each other at our best - turning out work that goes beyond the call of duty - and at

Winning entry by @menaman09.

Congratulations! You win a $30 Pizza Hut gift card. Comments from our photography editor:

“This photo is the most visually appealing out of the 128 entries we received. The angle was well thought out. Instead of taking the photo standing, menaman09 took us down to the swimmer’s point of view. It’s vibrant and symmetrical so overall it’s a welltaken photo.”

The Pan American Instagram competition has come to an end after 128 entries. These winners were selected and critiqued by our photography editor, Adrian Castillo. Thanks to everyone who participated.

Social Media Editor: Ismael Melendez

Administrative Associate:

Anita Reyes

Advertising Manager:

16 pages, to 12, to eight. They taught me so many lessons about journalism, including design, photography, videography and yes, writing. They also taught me about friendship, professionalism and leadership. And now I’m leaving home to do a summer internship at The Portland Press Herald in Maine and it is as every bit as terrifying and exciting as it was to leave Houston to come to the Rio Grande Valley three years ago. And in a year, I hope to walk across the stage in cap and gown. My degree will say mass communication, but I know running the gauntlet of managing a student newspaper will have truly awarded me a UTPA journalism degree. I wouldn’t change it for the world.

During my time at The Pan American, I have worked with, and for, amazingly talented people. They have built an online presence, including YouTube, panamericanonline.com and various social media sites. They adapted as we went from

#thepanamerican

Elizabeth Espinosa

Dr. Greg Selber

pear as though we do, because the University community deserves it. Reporting news is what I plan to do for the rest of my life and working at The Pan American helped me realize this. The newsroom is a place for student reporters to develop, make mistakes, learn and grow, and it’s a place for anyone and everyone interested in the craft of journalism. If you’re interested in having this experience as well, stop by Room 170 in the Arts and Humanities Building and fill out an application. It’s worth it. And as always, we appreciate your readership.

During my time at The Pan American, I have worked with, and for, amazingly talented people.

Multimedia Editor:

Adviser:

It was in the newsroom where I learned so many life lessons that I plan to take with me everywhere.

- @blurryninja

- @valerie_anyssa

Second Place

“With the help of Instagram filters, you made an ordinary photo look great. Personally, I don’t like filters, but this is an exception.”

cOMIC Hey sexy lady, go to the movies with me? I have two tickets to Nyaaaan-cats III.

Well, you’re pretty creepy, but on the other hand, it’s been a horrific week. Yeah, why not, I could use the distraction.

Elva Ramirez

Webmaster:

Jose Villarreal

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.

Third Place

“What more could we ask for? You captured the spirit of PanAm. Good job.”

The Pan American hopes

you have a safe summer. We’ll continue posting online content at

panamericanonline.com Francisco Rodriguez /The Pan American

April 31, 25, 2013 2013 January

BLACKOUT By Susan Gonzalez The Pan American Daniel Arredondo didn’t use the Internet the whole day and deactivated all his social media accounts April 22 in protest of the Cyber Intelligence Sharing Protection Act. CISPA passed through the House of Representatives April 18 and now awaits a vote in the U.S. Senate. CISPA would allow private companies, such as Facebook and Google, to voluntarily share

information with the government in the event of a cyber attack. For example, if the government suspected one might take down Facebook, they could notify the social media site. Conversely, Facebook, and other private sites, could inform the government if its representatives see suspicious activity suggesting a cyber attack. THE OPPOSITION Those who oppose CISPA, like Arredondo, believe the law

would allow companies to easily hand over private information to the government without repercussion. Essentially, CISPA would override other laws, including privacy laws, in times of crisis. In addition, the private companies would not have to notify the user if his or her private information had been released. As long as it was done in “good faith” the company that shared the information would not be held liable for releasing the information.

Shedding light on cispa Passed by the U.S. House of Representatives April 18 288-127 Allows websites and the government to share information FOR: Could prevent cyber attack

AGAINST: Could violate users’ privacy

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Anonymous calls for blackout in protest of CISPA, mixed reactions from students Anonymous, a “hacktivist” group known for using computers and technology to promote a political agenda, called for an Internet blackout April 22 in protest. The group encouraged website owners to take down their normal home pages and replace them with a black page that explains the issue and opposes CISPA. In addition, Anonymous members encouraged Internet users to boycott the act by not using the Web for the entire day, which is what Arredondo did. “I understand they’re trying to have good intentions with this law but at the same time it does violate the privacy of people,” said Arredondo, a junior biology major. “Who are they to say they won’t abuse this newfound right? Basically our sense of security would start to dissipate.” A similar blackout took place Jan. 18, 2012 to protest the Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect IP Act, a pair of controversial anti-piracy bills. These proposed bills aimed to crack down on copyright infringement by restricting access to sites that had pirated content available for viewing or downloading. For example, SOPA

would have been able to order search engines, like Google, to modify search results to exclude foreign websites that host illegally copied material. Opponents to the bills believed SOPA and PIPA promoted censorship. Both bills were postponed indefinitely after Internet users and major websites, such as Wikipedia and Reddit, the link-sharing site and online community, protested with the blackout and petitions. “The government didn’t learn with SOPA and PIPA,” Arredondo said. “If you try and mess with the Internet, it’s going to just cause an uproar.”

said. “If you’re in that state of panicking, you’re not going to remember anything. I don’t really remember much when I was panicking, but when I was calm that’s when I remembered more.” Rich Roth, an expert in the area of threat and risk assessment who also spoke at the event, said the best way to

something that’s a lifesaver, that’s really a lifesaver.” Many of the audience members blamed the University police for Elizondo’s abduction. However, Elizabeth Wills, a 20-year-old junior, was sitting in the front row during Elizondo’s speech didn’t feel like much could have been done to prevent it. “When you look at safe, you’re never really safe. It doesn’t matter where you go, there’s always something that could happen,” the Edinburg native said. “Just because there’s cameras doesn’t mean it stops anything from happening. Do I feel safe? No, but I don’t feel safe anywhere. Not just on campus.” Elizondo said she doesn’t hold a grudge against campus police. The McAllen native admitted it was difficult trying to get back into the swing of things. Elizondo became jumpy at the sound of footsteps behind her, looking over her shoulder to keep an eye out for anything coming her way. Although she explained the severity of her

like CISPA. “I think it would be a double-edged sword,” said Miguel Barrera, a junior political science major. “On one hand, it would be beneficial for national security, but on the other hand I don’t think our private information should be issued out to any government agency just because someone gives a red flag.”

THE OTHER SIDE Those who support CISPA think it would be beneficial on an international level, preventing cyber attacks from China, Russia or Iran, which have increased in recent years. In the event of a cyber attack, a site can be hacked and valuable data stolen. This law could potentially prevent events like this. Some students can see both good and bad aspects to laws

continued from Page 1 THE ABDUCTION While blindfolded, Elizondo was moved from location to location until the alleged abductors finally arrived at their destination. She awoke the next day, still blindfolded, on the ground outside. She said she had to remind herself to stay calm. “I cried when I was alone because I didn’t want to show them that I was weak,” she said in an interview with The Pan American. “I wanted to show them I was strong and that they weren’t affecting me in any way. I didn’t want to show them that side of me so I held in a lot of emotions.” She treated them respectfully, she said, asking them questions about themselves, some of which they didn’t answer, according to the abductee. “I was very nice to them,” Elizondo said. “I cracked jokes with them to kind of get out of the situation mentally. I guess he saw me as a good person, and I think that’s why I wasn’t physically harmed.” Elizondo was initially held for $160,000 ransom,

which her father found out from a phone call 15 minutes after a UTPA police officer was dispatched to the crime Sept. 25, according to The Monitor. Ultimately, she said it was her attitude that helped set her free. Treviño let her go upon hearing his cohorts were planning to kill her, according to The Monitor. The kidnappers called the father again the morning of Sept. 27, and soon after, he picked her up at the alleged abductor’s home in Las Milpas where she was being held. SPEAKING OUT Elizondo never wanted to publicly tell her story for safety reasons, but April 22 she stood at the podium in the UTPA Ballroom, recounting some events of her abduction and taking questions. Elizondo explained during her presentation that since her kidnapping, she hasn’t seen much of a difference in safety precautions on campus. However, Director of

University Relations Sandra Quintanilla explained that lights were installed in the lot where the incident took place and cameras, which were ordered prior to the incident, were installed in lots F, C and G. Both will continue to be installed throughout campus. In addition, campus police patrols have increased.

I cried when I was alone because I didn’t want to show them that I was weak. - Ana Elizondo

Alleged kidnapping victim Elizondo offered tips to the audience at the conference in case anyone were to find themselves in the same situation. She said it’s important to pick up on clues such as tattoos or scars on the attackers. “Try and remain calm because if you’re calm, you can remember more,” Elizondo

help in these situations is for people to be alert and aware. “One of the biggest things that came out of this was the fact that there was a witness, someone that reported it and knew where to report it,” said Roth, the executive director and chief operating officer for Counter Technology Inc. “If you want to to talk about

jitters have lessened, minor things such as a flashlight beam still haunt her. “A lot of kidnappings are happening more and more, I’ve been reading up on that. It just reminds me so it’s something I can’t really let go of,” Elizondo said. According to Carlos Campbell, a presenter at the conference, each year over 45,000 cases of kidnappings are reported, but that number represents 15 percent of abductions that happen in the United States yearly. The day after Elizondo was released, she returned to school and was ready to get back into her regular routine. Even though she was a victim of kidnapping, she works to push forward in life and hopes to graduate in August 2013. “I’m just trying to live my life. I’m very friendly and outgoing even to this day,” she said. “I’ll talk to a random person. People tell me, ‘You never learn. That’s why you get kidnapped.’ But I’m sorry, I’m not going to change who I am.”

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April 25, 2013

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THE PAN AMERICAN

April 25, 2013

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UTPA senior aims to establish the green fee By Jaime Leal The Pan American

A sustainable university? Graphic by Francisco Rodriguez Design by Karen Villarreal

What is the green fee? The green fee is a charge that could be added to student fees to fund sustainability projects on campus such as recycling bins, water conservation and fluorescent bulbs.

How much will it be? The green fee could be $5 added to the other student fees charged at the beginning of the semester. Based on 2011 enrollment, the green fee could garner approximately $95,000 for sustainable projects.

What’s the status? Still in the referendum stage, the green fee is likely to be voted on next semester. If it receives a majority approval by the student body, it would continue up the chain of command until eventually reaching President Nelsen and the UT System Board of Regents. It likely won’t be instituted until 2015, if it is approved.

Raul Aldape wants to help create a university where resources will be more sustainable and efficient. In order to achieve this, he is advocating the green fee. The fee, a $5 payment, would be grouped with other fees, such as the one students currently pay to exercise at the Wellness and Recreational Sports Complex. According to the McAllen resident, UTPA will not be the first school to introduce this kind of funding for sustainability projects. Others, such as the University of Texas at El Paso and the University of Texas at Austin, have already implemented their own green fee. The fee, which is in the referendum stage, could garner about $95,000 if instituted during the 2015-2016 school year. The fee is scheduled to be voted on next semester and must gain a majority of approval from the student body before it proceeds up the chain of command. According to Aldape, he will need to meet some criteria, such as taking it to town hall, and be given a considerable amount of promotion before the vote. The finance and management major said the charge could fund sustainability projects, such as replacing lightemitting diodes, or LED lights, with fluorescent lights and conserving other resources, like energy, by enabling sensors that will shut off classroom lights when no one is in attendance. Aldape was inspired to pursue the fee when he worked as a senator last semester for the Student Government Association. According to him, the SGA adviser met with members regarding the fee, telling them the University wanted opinions on it. “They said (the University) would like your feedback on this and it’s going to go to this (project),” Aldape said. “People had opinions. Senators had opinions. I had one. I said we should work with the Office for Sustainability.” Possessing a passion for the environment, Aldape decided to take the initiative and approach

the Office for Sustainability. He believed the office had answers to the questions many senators had. According to Aldape, Assistant Dean of Students Rebecca Gadson and then-SGA President Matthew Garcia told him that a referendum would need to be made for the green fee. THE REFERENDUM The first step was creating a petition that needed 194 signatures. Starting in midFebruary, and with the aid of the Environmental Awareness Club, Aldape was able to produce 197 verified signatures by March 12. The referendum stage will yield to a vote by University students. However, Aldape said the event must be announced to students 20 class days before voting. Gadson said Aldape approached her with the fee during the fall semester. “Any time students make a determination that they value something and want to put that forward, and that will make a positive impact on the University,

has passed, the fee will be taken to the Dean of Students Mari Fuentes. After passing through the chain of command, such as being approved by Martha Cantu, the vice president of student affairs, the fee will be transferred to UTPA President Robert Nelsen. However, the decision will not be finalized by Nelsen. Once approved by him, the fee will then be passed onto the members on the Board of Regents. At this point, Aldape believes the fee will hit a snag. According to Aldape, the members stated that they don’t want any other fees added to what students are currently paying, which is an average of $6,124 per semester, according to the UTPA fee table. Karen Adler, spokeswoman for the UT System, said in an email that increases in student fees have made higher education in Texas less affordable. Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa and the Board are focused on keeping down the cost of higher education across the UT System, Adler wrote.

If students want it and if it is done through a democratic process, then we should have (a green fee). It’s our money. - Raul Aldape

Senior, finance & management major

I want to help advocate that,” Gadson said. “I want to help them obtain their goal.” According to Gadson, the Texas Legislature changed the education code in 2009, giving institutions of higher education the ability to determine on their own through a referendum process, the implementation of fees. Gadson said Chapter 54 of the Texas Education Code outlines what universities and other institutions of higher education can charge via various fees. The code has a specific section that governs how a university can enact an environmental service fee. PUSHING IT FORWARD Once the referendum stage

Even though the members might decline the charge, Aldape said that he will continue to push for the fee. “It is our job, the community and students, to show them that if the majority (of students) approves, we want this,” Aldape said. “If students want it and if it is done through a democratic process, then we should have one. It’s our money.” After polling with an 84 percent approval rating for the fee last semester, Aldape is looking forward to seeing the windfall help create projects and enact proposals to make the University a sustainable school. “It’s going to take a campuswide application but there is a bright future for this fee,” he said.

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