March 8, 2012 by UTRGV Student Media

Travel Warning the

U.S. State Department cautions against Spring Break south of the border Page 4

Volume 68, No. 21

Chi-Town

Broncs head north for GWC Page 10

Fading

Artists replaced by craft vendors at monthly event

Page 9

More Money UTPA wins grant to create engineering, computer science scholarship Page 5

panamericanonline.com

ONLINE

Visit The Pan American YouTube page for the latest videos during Spring Break

March 8, 2012

DOES YOUR

COLLEGE

MAKE THE

GRADE Pages 6-7

Part 3 in the series on money and graduation

editorial

March 8, 2012

opinion

Breaking news: Men think they know

Photo of the week

Thrill-seekers fly high on the ride called Freak Out. The North American Midway Entertainment partcipated in this weekend’s Border Fest, which was held in celebration of England, since it will be hosting the 2012 summer Olympics. The weekend’s festivities included many activities for families, like vendors, games, parades, pageants and concerts. Sunday afternoon, two hours before the Demi Lovato concert started, fans were already lined up, waiting for the doors to open.

what’s best for women’s health

Nadia Tamez

Co-Editor-in-Chief

Happy International Women’s Day! Or at least it would be – if you weren’t such a slut. Quick recap: Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke earned the ire of conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh after she testified at a Congressional hearing, urging lawmakers to ensure that birth control is covered in heath plans for women. Some religiously affiliated groups are exempt from paying if birth control interferes with their beliefs, such as is the case with Catholic-affiliated Georgetown University. Fluke shared the story of a friend who was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome that can be managed with prescription birth control. However, she was denied coverage under her health plan and developed a tennis ball-sized cyst in her ovary when she could no longer afford the $100 monthly payments.

After surgery to remove her entire ovary, the woman is experiencing symptoms of menopause at age 32 and fears she will never be able to have children. Limbaugh responded to Fluke’s testimony on air, calling her a “slut” and a “prostitute.” Obviously, she was having so much sex that she couldn’t afford to pay for her own birth control. He even suggested that if her birth control was covered by taxpayer dollars, the public should be able to watch her have sex on the Internet. After advertisers began pulling sponsorship from his show, Limbaugh issued a half-hearted apology where he compared birth control coverage to subsidizing sneakers for runners. The controversial firestorm has some disturbing implications for women. The first is obviously Limbaugh’s - and others who share his opinion - understanding of birth control. Using his logic, the amount of birth control women take is directly proportional to how often she has sex, her familiarity with her partners, and the kinkiness of the encounters. Ipso facto, more birth control means more frequent and freakier sex

with increasingly random men. Right? No. There is no way to tell whether a woman is sexually active by looking at her birth control prescription. Like many other issues where politics and women’s bodies mix, the underlying struggle here is for control - over sexual behavior, reproduction and moral ideology. The fact is that women’s right to make decisions about their health are being chipped away, state by state, law by law. What should be a decision discussed between women and their doctors has become a lighting rod for politicians and interest groups. Access to birth control isn’t just about sex. It’s about the ability of women to decide when they have children, make sure they complete their education, gain financial autonomy, and get treatment for medical conditions. Sure, calling women sluts for seeking legitimate medical services is good fodder for attention whores like Limbaugh. However, it’s women who will see the consequences.

Like The Pan American Facebook page to view the “UTPA Frame of the Day.”

Norma Gonzalez/The Pan American

cartoon

Vol. 68, No. 21

The Pan American

tweets

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

I got a letter from utpa yesterday regarding my Bronc ring (:

-@yuriannacasas

Co-Editors-in-Chief:

so theres a band from north florida playing here at utpa outside the union! they sound pretty good! :)

Reynaldo Leal Nadia Tamez-Robledo

News Editor:

Karen Antonacci

-@IamAnnaLisa

Sports Editor:

Michael Saenz

What improvement can the campus make?

Arts & Life Editor: Norma Gonzalez

Tweet at us!

Photography Editor: Mac Peña

- @ThePanAmerican

Design Editor:

Letters to the Editor

Multimedia 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.

Erick Gonzalez Pamela Morales

Adviser:

Dr. Greg Selber Francisco Rodriguez /The Pan American

tion

duc o r P otes N week 8

Compiling the data for the spread took me about 10 hours, so you’d best turn to Page Six and

check it out. Now, who the hell (besides me) would take even half of that time to plan their future? Before I started this report, I had no idea how much a UTPA English degree costs. Now, you might notice that we didn’t include that kind of information in the spread (and I hope you do notice; it means you’re paying attention). Making a newspaper is serious business.

In a way, it’s exactly like college; not just because of the tears and lost sleep, but also because of the massive amount of effort that doesn’t pan out. Students and stories start out on one path, only to switch focus. Preventing this takes work, but it isn’t impossible. Writers can plan out stories beforehand, and students can take the time to make informed decisions. But students

can’t make informed decisions if the information isn’t there. Correction: The information is there, but for students, info is either a click away or nonexistent. Data should be easy to access, easy to understand, and should probably just be shoved down our throats (see Pages 6-7). - Michael Chavez News writer

Administrative Associate:

Anita Reyes

Advertising Manager:

Mariel Cantu

Webmasters:

Jose Villarreal Selvino Padilla

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.

Delivery:

Thursday at noon

March 8, 2012

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the pan american

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500 S. Bicentiennial Blvd. Ste. 200 McAllen, TX (651) 501-0800 Monday: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Tuesday - Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Saturday: 8:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m. www.talecrisplasma.com In addition to meeting the donation criteria, you must provide a valid photo I.D., proof of your current address and your Social Security or immigration card to donate.

news

March 8, 2012

U.S. expands Mexican travel warning State Department cautions against border region visits

newsbriefs On March 5 KONY 2012, a film made by global organization Invisible Children, went viral after its initial upload to YouTube. The video is part of an international campaign initiated by Invisible Children to showcase the offenses committed by war criminal Joseph Kony, leader of the rebel group known as the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). A local Valley organization, Kony 2012 RGV Army, has already made plans to recruit citizens for a worldwide event, Cover the Night. It will take place April 20, from midnight to 3 a.m.; people will blanket the streets with Kony posters and paraphernalia to raise awareness for this cause. Bioethics: Health Care and Treatment in Education and Practice is the topic for the Fourth Annual Pan American Collaboration for Ethics in the Professions (PACE) Ethics Conference that will be held from March 20-23. It is a free event that aims to engage UTPA students and faculty, local health care practitioners and the RGV community in a discussion of ethics, education, health care and the practice of medicine. Various events and speakers will take place in the University Ballroom, the Bronc Room and the Visitors Center. More information can be found at utpa.edu/pace. The results of Super Tuesday put Mitt Romney in the lead for the Republican Presidential Primaries, after he won Alabama, Idaho, Massachusetts, Ohio, Virginia, and Vermont. Rick Santorum won in North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Tennessee, while Newt Gingrich was victorious in Georgia. Up to this point Ron Paul has yet to win in any state. The 155 delegates Texas has to offer will be a late prize in the GOP race; the primary is scheduled for April 3.

By Jose S. De Leon III The Pan American A recently expanded travel warning from the U.S. State Department may divert some students’ Spring Break plans for the other side of the border. Released on Feb. 8, the warning discourages all nonessential travel in an area ranging from Central Mexico to the Mexican border states, except Baja California in the west. The State Department cited figures of about 13,000 narcotics-related deaths in the first nine months of 2011, according to the Mexican government. On Tuesday, the University released a Crimeline noti-

fication to remind the campus community about the expanded warning for Mexico. For some, it has reinforced fears of violence south of the U.S.Mexico border. “This makes me want to stay away more,” said Olivia Juarez, a communication major from Harlingen. ”I haven’t been in Mexico in eight years because of all the drug wars and stuff, but all this information makes me feel like it’s still safer to stay at home.” In addition, the State Department claimed that highways running through the Mexican state of Tamaulipas are unsafe due to risks posed by armed robbery and carjacking. Puerto Vallarta, a major

tourist destination located in Jalisco, was also cited as an area of concern due to crossfire from rival gangs and narcobloqueos, roadblocks involving gang members posing as Mexican military. Student Mark Kilroy disappeared after crossing the border to Matamoros during Spring Break in 1985. His body was found at a ranch that April, along with 14 others, apparently victims of occult rituals performed by a group of drug runners. Last April, 22 years after Kilroy was found, a mass grave with 145 bodies was discovered in San Fernando, Tamaulipas. The victims were believed to be rival gang members killed by the Zetas cartel. The State

“This is something great for people to have,” said Liliana Chavez, a biology major, about the State Department’s warning. “It’s informative for tourists and other people who aren’t aware of the situation down in Mexico.” Despite the dangers the warning states are present south of the border, some are not worried about the situation in Mexico. “I go there every once in a while to visit relatives,” said Deyla Lerma, a graphic design major from Reynosa. “What they say is true. It’s a dangerous place, but it’s not a guarantee that you’ll be in danger all the time. If you’re aware of the dangers, if you know what you’re doing, then you’re safe.”

Department report noted that the number of U.S. citizens reported murdered in Mexico increased from 35 in 2007 to 120 last year. “After hearing about this, I’m definitely a lot more cautious about Mexico and would warn my friends about going there,” said Jennifer Cerda, a communication major from Donna. The State Department also warned citizens about border towns like Reynosa due to risks posed by gunbattles between gangs and authorities. The report also mentioned the 2011 slaying of Nancy Davis, a missionary killed after a failed carjacking attempt, as a reason to be cautious in border cities.

120

U.S. Citizens slain in Mexico in 2011

U.S. Citizens slain in Mexico in 2007

Tijuana: Murder rate of 20 per 100,000

Ciudad Juarez: 5,033 killed in 2010 and 2011

Torreon: Gunfire exchanged outside of a crowded soccer stadium in August

1 San Pedro Sula 2 Ciudad Juárez 3 Maceió 4 Acapulco 5 Distrito Central 6 Caracas, Venezuela 7 Torreón 8 Chihuahua 9 Durango 10 Belém Monterrey: Attack on Casino Royale in August results in 52 deaths

Honduras

México Brazil

México

Honduras Venezuela

México México México Brazil

*Source: Consejo Ciudadano para la Seguridad Publica y Justicia Penal

San Fernando: More than 100 bodies found in April in mass grave Defer non-essential travel

47,515 people killed in drug-related violence from 2007-2011

Exercise extreme caution Exercise caution No warning

DEATHS 2007- 2011

13,000 in the first nine months of 2011

Cancun and Cozumel: Major Spring Break destinations

news

March 8, 2012

The Pan American

UTPA receives $600,000 grant Money to fund scholarship program for engineering and computer science majors By Daniella Diaz The Pan American Arturo Fuentes couldn’t believe it when he found out about the almost $600,000 grant UTPA received last week for engineering scholarships. The engineering and computer science professor had lost count of the times he and his colleagues had written to the National Science Foundation with the grant proposal. “This is the second or third time that we try this. It’s very

Application Requirements: Freshman Engineering or computer science major Have financial need Submit an essay about future goals signed by a family member Meet June 1 deadline

competitive,” Fuentes said. “Every time that you apply, you get some feedback. And based on the feedback, we improve the proposal.” To be considered for the program, students must be talented freshmen in the engineering or computer science department that qualify for financial aid, according to Fuentes. For the fall semester, the program will only be accepting 10 students, and the deadline to apply is June 1. Applicants must submit an essay about their career goals and future plans and have it signed by a family member. Fuentes said a family member must sign it, so that the student and their family are on the same page about the students’ goals, whether they are awarded the scholarship or not. “By having all of the students that apply go through some of these processes of coming up with a plan and having their family on board with their plan, we hope that

more students that are going to come to college either here or at other universities are going to be successful,” Fuentes said. The program will offer three cohorts, or groups of students, that will receive their scholarships at the beginning of each Fall semester. Each scholarship will award a recipient with $4500 for two semesters, disbursed over nine months. The program and grant proposal was written and designed by Fuentes, with help from his colleagues Professor Robert Freeman, Interim Vice-Provost Miguel Gonzalez and Professor Karen Lozano. They will offer the students mentoring, special tutoring and extra opportunities in the engineering field. “The idea was to bring some of the brightest students in the area, not only to help them succeed but to help us create this environment where we are going to have excellence and academic success,” Fuentes said.

“These students, by coming to Pan Am, are going to have a greater opportunity to end up in graduate school or have jobs in industry and - in the process - improve the learning environment here at the University.” The UTPA scholarship office will be working closely with the application committee. After the committee selects their finalists for the scholarship, they will pass the applications to the scholarship office so that they can decide which students need the scholarship most based on financial need. “There is going to be a collaboration with Region 1 and the high school counselors so it’s not just going to be impacting the students that are here on our campus, it’s also going to encourage awareness about the STEM programs,” said Griselda C. Castilla, the director of the scholarship office. “If you start turning on that little light bulb while the students are in high

school, the sky is the limit after that.” The National Science Foundation receives its funding from the federal government. Congressman Ruben Hinojosa has worked with the NSF to increase their funds for grants and to encourage them to award grants to Hispanic-serving institutions. “The money that we get is limited, but we’re trying to make the impact of the money that we get as big as we can,” Fuentes said.

Program benefits: $4,500 for two semesters, disbursed over nine months Mentoring, tutoring and networking opportunities in the engineering field

Thirty-eight percent not enough

SGA candidates in runoff election for presidency By Ayesha Zahid The Pan American The results of the presidential election held last week for the Student Government Association were too close to call. Matthew Garcia received the popular vote (38 percent), followed by junior Evan Brough (32 percent). For a candidate to win, they needed to get a majority of the vote, which is 51 percent or more, so the top two went into a runoff at the beginning of the week. “It’s difficult to get that majority,” Garcia, a McAllen native, said, “but we were hoping there wouldn’t be a runoff.” Garcia still anticipated that he and his running mate, Yadira Mejia, would make it to runoffs because of the extent of their campaigning and support they received from students across campus. They are seeking to replace Stephanie

Corte and George Galindo as the Executives of SGA. “We did get the highest percentage [of votes] last week,” he said, “but we’re making it clear that if you went

Matthew Garcia and voted for us last week, yes, you can vote for us again.” While Garcia assures students that the runoffs are a second round of elections, Brough is taking a different

campaign route, talking to students and spreading the word about elections through personal accounts. “I’ve been telling acquaintances my ideas for SGA,” said Brough, a Computer Information Systems major from Edinburg, “and if they like what they hear, I tell them to pass it on.” The runoffs started March 2 on my.utpa.edu. Students can vote until 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 8. Brough said if he doesn’t get the presidency, he might stay with SGA or work on other projects. “I think I’d want to be an executive aide,” he said. “Because I think I’ve done my job as senator for the College of Business Administration. Or maybe I’ll start a new organization for crossdisciplinary studies. But I’m hoping I get it. I really want to rethink the idea of SGA. I want it to be more of an outreach system. Operate everything for the students, I mean. More

outwards than inwards.” Garcia, on the other hand, wants to continue working with SGA regardless of the outcome of the elections. “If I don’t win, I still plan

Evan Brough on staying with SGA,” he said. “I’ll probably stay as a senator at large, because we have six positions open… I want to try and get SGA back to where its primary goal: to represent the students. So no matter which

way I go, I’ll continue to focus on SGA.” The six senator positions are not the only ones available. There were no candidates running in the elections for senatorial positions within the College of Arts and Humanities, the College of Education, and for the positions of graduate senators. Students interested in applying for these SGA jobs for the 2012-2013 school year can pick up applications at the Dean of Students Office located at the University Center, Room 104. There is no deadline for submitting applications since they will be reviewed on a firstcome, first-served basis until vacancies are filled. The new term for SGA starts April 15, so applicants will have to wait until then for their applications to be looked over by the president and vice president. Requirements include a minimum GPA of 2.5 and complete enrollment for at least one long semester.

Police Beat Tuesday, Feb. 28 UT Police made contact with a person who was not a student for suspicious behavior near the Science Building. They were issued a citation for possessing drug paraphernalia and given a criminal trespass warning. They were directed to leave campus. A student reported the theft of a tailgate from a vehicle in parking lot S. A single-car traffic collision occurred in parking lot H. No injuries were reported.

Wednesday, Feb. 29 A single-car traffic collision occurred at the Hagar Facility. No injuries were reported. A two-car traffic collision occurred in parking lot G. No injuries were reported. A person who was not a student was arrested at the 1600 block of Schunior Road for presenting fake registration after he was stopped for a traffic violation.

Thursday, March 1 A student reported the theft of three pairs of shoes and a ping pong paddle that were left inside of a locked locker at the Wellness and Recreational Center. UT Police responded to a call for medical assistance for a student at the Science Building. The student was treated at the Student Health Center.

Friday, March 2 A two-car traffic collision occurred in parking lot F. No injuries were reported. A student reported the theft of a front license plate at parking lot U. A two-car traffic collision occurred in Physical Plant compound. No injuries were reported. UT Police responded to a call for medical assistance for a student at the Engineering Building. The student was taken to the Renaissance Hospital for medical attention.

Page 6

THE PAN AMERICAN

March 8, 2012

THE PAN AMERICAN

March 8, 2012

Does your college make the grade?

College Population by Gender utpa.edu/oire

By Michael Chavez In these tough economic times, many students flock to universities with the belief that a college degree is the solution to all, or at least most, of lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s problems. And while, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, degree holders on average net $1 million more than high school graduates over a lifetime, not all degrees are created equal. Most UTPA graduates earn more than those who stopped at high school, but how much more depends on which of the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seven colleges they entered as freshmen. Graduates of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, for example, can earn double that of their Arts and Humanities counterparts. On the other hand, humanities majors enjoy their college experience the most, according to graduating student survey results from 2010.

90k

Highest and Lowest Earning Majors by College census.gov

Firs t-Y ea r

Electrical Engineering

80k 70k

Manufacturing Engineering

Economics

Page 7

Applied Math

75% 25%

56% 44%

s t u o p o r D 53% 47%

45% 55%

71% 29%

13%

87%

Does Money Buy Happiness? 70k

60k

56% 44%

utpa.edu/oire

Nursing Political Science

60k

Management

50k

Science & Computer Teacher Education

Biology

Communication

40k

Anthropology Early Childhood Education

50k

40k

Social Work

Studio Art

30k High School Diploma GED High School Drop-Out

Above:

The highest and lowest earning majors are based on national data from the 2010 U.S. Census.

The data represents the number of freshmen that started in each college in 2009 and completely left UTPA by 2010. The sources used are the report on 2009 retention rates by the Office of Undergraduate Education and the Entering Freshmen for Fall 2009 portion of the Stats at a Glance 2009 report. In 2010, the College of Science and Engineering split intothe College of Science and Mathematics and the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

du /o ire

30k .e pa t u

Top:

Upper Right: The data is based on the UTPA Enrollment by Gender and Discipline Fall 2010-2011 report.

Bottom:

The income variable comes from the UTPA Career Services 2009 - 2010 self-reported income one year after graduation. The satisfaction variable comes from the summary table of the 2009 - 2010 Graduating Students Survey. Survey respondents were asked how they would rate their overall experience in their major.

Page 6

THE PAN AMERICAN

March 8, 2012

THE PAN AMERICAN

March 8, 2012

Does your college make the grade?

College Population by Gender utpa.edu/oire

90k

Highest and Lowest Earning Majors by College census.gov

Firs t-Y ea r

Electrical Engineering

80k 70k

Manufacturing Engineering

Economics

Page 7

Applied Math

75% 25%

56% 44%

s t u o p o r D 53% 47%

45% 55%

71% 29%

13%

87%

Does Money Buy Happiness? 70k

60k

56% 44%

utpa.edu/oire

Nursing Political Science

60k

Management

50k

Science & Computer Teacher Education

Biology

Communication

40k

Anthropology Early Childhood Education

50k

40k

Social Work

Studio Art

30k High School Diploma GED High School Drop-Out

Above:

The highest and lowest earning majors are based on national data from the 2010 U.S. Census.

du /o ire

30k .e pa t u

Top:

Upper Right: The data is based on the UTPA Enrollment by Gender and Discipline Fall 2010-2011 report.

Bottom:

arts & life

8 The man behind the Galax Z Bear

“

March 8, 2012

They’re all touring groups, unique in their visual and audio aesthetics.

Former UTPA student promotes Indie scene in Valley with Spring Break festival By Karen Villarreal The Pan American A bear quoting a “lamestreamer bro” serves as spokesperson for a UTPA alum aiming to promote the Indie music scene in the Valley. The production company responsible for the bear posters all around campus, Galax Z Bear, can’t contain his excitement. Galax Z Fair, the event he’s throwing March 14, will be headlined by Indie-pop band Of Montreal. The production company Galax Z Bear was born out of the cosmos back in November 2009. After a split from Goodbar Productions, newly independent show promoter Patrick Garcia decided it would be good to have an alias to promote shows. “I knew people would be curious about who was throwing the show, and didn’t want to be promoting myself,” Garcia explained. A UTPA graduate with a master’s in literature, Garcia’s

favorite books are satirical novels of the 18th century. Not surprisingly, the Galax Z Bear persona has a tongue-in-cheek Facebook page listing the imaginary bear as a 23-year-old anthropology student at the University. “I just want people to separate me and the bear,” Garcia said. Having an online presence is important, as 60 to 70 percent of the promoting Garcia does for Galax Z Bear events is online. He has Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr. The rest is done through word of mouth, grass roots promotion and putting up posters, which is a problem for Garcia. “People get excited about a band, or just like the poster design, and end up stealing a poster,” he explained, “I’m having to replace posters at Moonbeans at least twice a week because people take them.” In addition to managing online aspects of the production company, Garcia spends a lot of his time scouring music websites

Date: Wed., March 14 at the Cine El Rey Doors: 3:30 p.m., Music: 4 p.m. Cost: $25 adv. / $30 door Tickets available at Melhart Music Center, Fallback Records and online at ouchmyego.com

for new bands and messaging their agents. “I usually do local shows, which are obviously a lot easier,” he said. “Out-of-town talent can be difficult. You have to prove to the agent that there’s a market, that the show won’t fall through.” Convincing agents of his legitimacy has become easier with every large show he puts on, helping his resumé grow. The struggle has been with finding venues for smaller bands. “The Cine El Rey is a phenomenal venue but that’s a 600-capacity room,” he commented. “When you have a relatively small artist, the last thing you want is them playing to what would be perceived as an empty room.” Garcia said he was honored to host Fallback Records’ first show at a new location with a maximum capacity of about 200, making it an ideal venue for the shows Garcia is planning. The Valley music scene

is still developing for the style of music he brings down, but he says he definitely sees a growth pattern. “There’s a larger interest this type of music but there’s a lot of factors that go into that,” said the promoter. “When Arcade Fire is winning Grammies, this helps this ‘indie’ movement. If people haven’t heard of a band I’m bringing down, at least labeling them Indie helps the show because the term is becoming so popular.” Though many of the bands on Galax Z fest’s lineup are relatively underground, Garcia says the appeal of seeing a band before they make it big is lost on him. He only hires bands he personally enjoys, so whatever their level of popularity, he already thinks they’re awesome. “The idea that you got to see a band before it blew up is already confining these bands to a particular level that has its own connotations,” he concluded. “You’re implying that these bands aren’t there yet.”

Future shows

March 31 Cubby Hole in Edinburg May 31 Cine El Rey in McAllen featuring Ted Leo and the Pharmacists

Cirque du Soleil comes to State Farm Arena

By Zaira Aguilar The Pan American

This Spring Break, the Cirque du Soleil production Dralion will make its way to Hidalgo’s State Farm Arena for a total of seven performances, premiering March 14 and continuing until March 18. The name Dralion is a combination of the words dragon and lion, symbolizing the East and West, respectively. The show is filled with imagery of nature, with performers cast as the elements of air, earth, water and fire. It is a look into the quest for harmony between humanity and nature, based on Eastern philosophy. The show is infused with Chinese acrobatics, mixed with the classic styling of Cirque du Soleil. Dralion premiered in 1999 and has since captivated seven million people worldwide. The show features 54 performers from 15 different countries. Acrobats, gymnasts and

musicians all work together to bring it to life. “Dralion has Chinese acrobatics, clown comedy, trapeze arts, just, it has something to appeal to everyone,” touring publicist Julie Desmarais said. Tickets are scarce as Cirque du Soleil representatives make sure every seat sold will have the same visual and auditory experience. “We want the audience to enter an intimate arena and experience Dralion in the same atmosphere. There will be no bad seat in the house,” Desmarais said. For Dralion only about half of the capacity of the State Farm Arena will be used to ensure this Cirque du

Soleil standard. Cirque du Soleil currently presents 22 individual shows around the world, all of which present a theme such as a culture, a time period or a famous individual. Costumes, music and set design for Dralion take inspiration from China, India and Africa. Vivid color fills the stage amidst acts including juggling, aerial acts and Medusa, the art of human pyramiding. For ticket purchases visit w w w. c i rq u e d u s o l e i l . c o m / dralion or call (800) 745-3000. Tickets start at $40 for adults and $32 for children.

”

-Patrick Garcia Show promoter

Galax Z Fair line-up Of Montreal - Psychodelic “mindie” pop. They’re not an

underground band at all but still appeal to the Indie aesthetic. To many people they’re a difficult band to listen to because they’re so all over the place.

Class Actress - Brooklyn, synth pop. A lot of people compare her to a hipster sort of Britney Spears except Class Actress’ song structures are great and song writing is really smart. The Strange Boys - Austin, Great traditional rock ‘n’

roll - not like Led Zeppelin, more like 50s/early 60s sounding rock ‘n’ roll.

Heavy Cream - Nashville, predominantly girl-fronted

garage punk. Abrasive, not hardcore, just a very gritty sort of high energy, catchy garage type music.

Slow Dance - Brooklyn, mellow dream pop. Slow Dance has a female vocalist who sings in French and English.

TUFF TOWN, Darm Darm, and M.Touchet -

They’re not musicians. They’re going to be doing live art. These artists work really well with each other.

Wild Moccasins - Houston, Indie pop. Opened for Of Montreal a handful of times. People know about them and are excited, more importantly.

Miniature Tigers - The scene down here loves ‘em. They’re a great band and totally deserve the popularity they’ve earned down here.

Sick/Sea, Jungle Bodies, Vatican Beach - Jungle Bodies are a garage punk band. Sick/Sea is an indie pop group, and Vatican Beach is on the cuff of transitioning from dreamy, Beach House-esque pop to grittier, surf punk. I’m looking forward to seeing ALL of them.

Submission deadline for University literary magazine approaches By Nadia Tamez-Robledo The Pan American There’s still time for students to submit creative works to Gallery, the English Department’s annual literary magazine. The deadline for online submissions of original fiction, poetry, personal essays, photography, drawings and plays is March 19. All majors are eligible to submit their work. “It allows students to show their creative side [and] release stress from school,” said junior Jacqueline Garza, who is enrolled in the English Department course responsible for publishing the magazine. The 20 students who are part of the magazine’s production class will judge the entries and create the final product. The magazine staff gives out awards for the best entries in each category and hopes to offer cash prizes for winners this year. Garza said the class’ goal is to surpass the 300 submissions

Gallery received last year. They have currently received about half of that. “Students should submit art to Gallery because it’s a great way to get their work out there, whether it’s for [professional] or personal reasons,” the English major said. Last year, four Gallery submissions went on to win Golden Circle Awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, honors presented by Columbia University’s School of Journalism.

Students can submit their art and literary work via gallery. submishmash.com.

arts & life

March 8, 2012

Different Strokes

Monthly art gathering shifts from arts to crafts

By Lea Victoria Juarez The Pan American For eight years, the McAllen Art Walk was an elbow nudging the community into a world of artistic creativity. Every first Friday of the month from September through May, Main Street transformed from standardized asphalt into a place of raw talent. People roamed the galleries, sipping on wine, nibbling on refreshments, and gazed at artwork featured from the artists of the month. Now, Art Walk has started to lose its artistic feel and is slowly becoming a first Friday of the month market day. When Art Walk was created in 2004 by Becky Guerra, owner of Nuevo Santander Gallery, the idea was to bring the community into the art scene. Members of the galleries split the costs and offered refreshments for visitors. However, when the number of guests grew, the hosts couldn’t keep up. “When we first started, there were six venues here, mainly on

Main Street, that participated. We were lucky and we probably got 250 people the very first time,” said Aimee Martinez, manager of Nuevo Santander Gallery. “As it grew, as most things do, they get larger and larger, and it’s impossible to kind of keep everybody happy.” Martinez explained that Art Walk consisted only of galleries in the beginning. It wasn’t until about three years ago that people started setting up their own merchandise tables along the sidewalks and in Archer Park. “People were setting up sort of rogue, on the street, giving it a little more of a…” Martinez said, pausing to search for the right words. “I don’t want to say flea market feel, but more of a market.” What was once a gathering ground for art now bears resemblance to a craft fair. The audiences in the galleries run scarce, the sidewalks are empty and Archer Park is crowded with people scoping out the seemingly endless row of accessory stations and secondhand clothing set-ups.

“What seems to have happened is, everybody thinks they know how to make something, you know, ‘Oh I can string beads or I can decorate a pre-made coffee mug,” said UTPA art professor Marcus Farris, who has attended Art Walk off and on since fall 2006. “Not to say that there’s not some artistic talent or creativity going on. That’s just not the generalized term of what an art walk is.” Although the number of guests has almost quadrupled, according to Martinez, actual art is in short supply. Over time, art spaces like the Douglass Clark Sculpture studio have closed due to financial issues and the library has relocated, offering less art for the public to view. “You have to screen the people that go in,” former Art Walk vendor Sarah Chavez said. “Allowing, let’s say a ratio of 10 people. If five of them are jewelers and two painters and then just three people selling old stuff, you’re not going to

Inboxing with Forever the Sickest Kids By Norma Gonzalez The Pan American Dallas pop rock band Forever The Sickest Kids will be part of the Never Say Never Music and Arts Festival lineup on March 14. The band, known for their single “Whoa Oh (Me vs. Everyone),” will make their return to the NSN platform after co-headlining 2009’s festival. Lead singer Jonathan Cook took time from the band’s Australian tour to answer some questions in an online interview with The Pan American. 1. At this precise moment, where are you guys and what are you doing? I am at our hotel in Adelaide, Australia about to leave for our show, after I shower of course. LOL. 2. What started your dream of becoming a musician? My mom was a touring singer,

and always hearing her talk of traveling the country in a van and trailer and matching boat sounded so cool! 3. What are some of the band’s inspirations that people wouldn’t expect? Texas country is a big one for us. We grew up on it. 4. If the band could collaborate with any artist (dead or alive), who would it be? Why? Johnny Cash, no explanation needed. 5. How much of the creative process for the “Shut the Front Door (Too Young For This)” music video were you involved in? Yes, the band came up with the treatment and locations for the “Shut the Front Door” video. We pretty much co-directed it while taking [video director] Danny Drysdale’s lead. 6. Do you believe men have it

easier in the music industry? No, women have it easier they can sell tickets not only with their talents but also with their good looks. 7. Do you enjoy traveling so much for your job? Any funny stories from your recent travels? Yes, recently I was arrested in the UK for crowd surfing from stage when two girls were injured and their parents pressed charges on me. If you know me at all, you know I am a very non-violent person, so this was a pretty new experience. 8. What are your expectations for the Never Say Never Music Festival? This festival is one of the most fun and well-organized festivals we have played. I love talking to the fans in Spanish before and after the shows, and I expect the crowd to be more insane than we have seen because this is the biggest lineup of bands Mission, Texas has seen.

Natalia Rocafuerte/The Pan American

paint for profit - Sharon L. Black displays her paintings at Archer Park in McAllen March 2 with hopes of selling some pieces. She is one of the few remaining vendors of original art. pull in the right group of people.” Chavez explained that in December 2011, organizers began making the vendors write down what they planned to sell. However, they don’t monitor sales once the event takes place. She suggests that the city make changes, such as a $15 sign-up fee, if they want the event be successful

the way it was in the past. “There’s no Art Walk anymore,” the 20-year-old UTPA history major said. “Quite frankly, it’s kind of dead. Unless they drop their prices and start kicking out some of the jewelry makers, it’s done.” In spite of the path it has taken, Martinez believes Art Walk is still a gathering ground

for all artists to turn to and it will continue to be for years to come. “I think that as long as we have supporters, we’ll still be here,” Martinez said. “Art Walk is just an occasion to see more of that, more local art and more of an artisan kind of feel. We’re still a Mecca, just a different kind of Mecca.”

sports

March 8, 2012

win or go home

Broncs ready to kick off Great West Conference tourney By Michael Saenz The Pan American Some will say that the regular season doesn’t matter. Especially when all it takes to make a postseason tournament is to get hot at the right time. That’s something that the Bronc men’s basketball team will try and do when it opens up the Great West Conference Tournament tomorrow in Chicago. But the Broncs will only have to win two in a row compared to teams like Houston Baptist and NJIT, who will need to put three together to win the tourney. UTPA earned a first-round bye by finishing 5-5 and third in the conference thanks to tiebreakers. The Broncs ended the season with a higher RPI ranking than NJIT, which ultimately tipped the scales for it to snag the three seed. “I think the bye will be a great advantage for us,” Coach Ryan Marks said. “The goal is winning the championship and winning two in a row is a lot easier than winning three consecutively. If you look at the history of the previous champions, you will see that we are better off with the first-round bye.” The Broncs will play the semifinal against North Dakota with the winner playing the winner of top-seed Utah Valley or the victor between Houston Baptist/NJIT. UTPA has played UND twice this season with the games essentially being polar opposites.

1) Utah Valley

4) NJIT

Game 2 Friday, March 9 12 P.M. CT

Winner Game 2

Winner Game 1

Game 4 Championship Sat. March 10 4 P.M. CT

5) Houston Baptist 2) North Dakota Game 3 Friday, March 9 2:30 P.M. CT

2012 Great West Tournament

Champion

Winner Game 3

Ruben Gutierrez/The Pan American

keep away - Aaron Urbanus backs down a Houston Baptist defender on Jan. 28.

3) Texas-Pan American The first was played in the Field House Feb. 4. It was a game that featured the Broncs controlling the tempo and shooting an exceptional 50 percent from the field. They pulled away and won by 12, but when the Broncs visited Grand Forks on Feb. 27, it was a different story to say the least. The Broncs didn’t look ready to play. UND opened the game with a 10-0 run and at one point had a 30-13 lead in the first half. UTPA shot just above 30 percent and were hammered 86-60. UTPA looked

uninterested, much like it has for much of the season on the road. “There’s obviously a lot to take away from both games,” Marks said. “We’re not going to see a lot of surprises or different things from either team. It’s going to come down to who is more effective and efficient in executing the game plan. We need to get off to a good start.” Technically it is not a road game, but the Broncs have yet to play at a neutral site this season so it will be tough to gauge how they

will react when the tournament starts. “In my experience a neutral site game feels like a home game in comparison to a road one,” Marks said about the upcoming tournament. “Particularly in this tournament, since there is no home team with Chicago State not qualifying, it will feel like it even more. We have played well in that place this year.” Indeed they have. The Broncs opened up conference play with a 72-65 victory in Chicago State

Jan. 19 and will hope to carry that confidence into Friday’s game. But they will also have to overcome an obstacle that they have no control over. Health. Junior guard and leading scorer Brandon Provost has been hampered by a shoulder injury that occurred last week in practice. His injury kept him out of the March 3 regular season finale against Houston Baptist, but Marks is hopeful that he can return for the tournament. “We really don’t know if he will be ready,” he said. “He got hurt in practice and are hoping that he re-

OUT ON TOP

By Alex E. Peña The Pan American

ican

Ruben Gutierrez/The Pan American one on one - Junior guard Franchesca Simon defends HBU's Brittany Barton as she attempts to bring the ball upcourt. The Broncs set a school record for fewest points allowed in a game, holding the Huskies to 14 points.

What a way for the UTPA women’s basketball team to send out its seniors. In the regular season finale against Houston Baptist on March 3, the Broncs won 43-14 during a record-setting night in the final home game for seniors Ashley Watson, Erin Lewis, Adanna Opara and Donna Jackson at the UTPA Field House. Lewis scored five points with six assists and three steals while Jackson recorded two points with 10 rebounds. Now those stats don’t resonate much, but the Broncs set a school record for fewest points allowed in a game, 14. The previous low was in a 93-29 win

against Schreiner during the 2001-02 season. The Broncs (12-16, 5-5 Great West Conference) narrowly missed out on setting the NCAA record for fewest points allowed in a game between two Division I programs, established by Georgia Tech against Tennessee State with an 82-11 result in 2010. It wasn’t exactly a spectacle by the Bronc offense, but the team ended the regular season the way its seniors wanted. With a win. The Broncs now enter the Great West Conference Tournament as the fourth seed and will play fifth-seeded Chicago State in the quarterfinals Thursday at 7:30 p.m. From the time Franchesca

sponds to the treatment well. Our training staff does a great job and if I had to guess I say he plays.” Josh Cleveland served his one game suspension after breaking a team rule prior to the game against Houston Baptist on March 3 and is available to play this weekend. Senior Jared Maree was named Great West Conference defensive player of the year and both Maree and Brandon Provost earned all first-team honors. The winner of the GWC Tournament will earn a bid into the collegeinsider.com Tournament.

Broncs end regular season with one-sided win over Houston Baptist

Simon (seven points) sank a trey 16 seconds into the game, the Broncs had complete and utter control. The Broncs held the Huskies to two points for almost 10 minutes and did not allow a field goal until the 8:03 mark of the first half. Maybe the Huskies’ offensive woes can be traced back to the fact that they only won one game this season and went winless during conference play, or the fact that they only had one player on the bench. But the truth is the Huskies were anemic. HBU made 5 of 35 field goals and were held to 14 percent shooting. Still, the Broncs mustered only a 20-9 advantage in the half, but coach Denny

Downing’s defense limited HBU to only five points in the second half. The Broncs’ Senior Night victory ended with a sour taste as Opara left the game with a right ankle injury. She came down hard on a rebound attempt and then dropped to the ground, favoring her left leg before the training staff came onto the court to assist her back to the bench. Junior Bianca Torre was named to the GWC all firstteam and Keandra Goodson earned all newcomer team recognition. In addition, Donna Jackson, Adanna Opara and Goodson earned honorable mention honors as well.

sports

March 8, 2012

NCAA Projected

Broncs dispose of Patriots with ease By Jonathan Salinas The Pan American The Bronc baseball team completed a three-game sweep of the Arlington Baptist College Patriots on Saturday with a 14-3 victory at Edinburg Baseball Stadium, extending its winning streak to eight games. The game was called after six and half innings as the 10-run mercy rule was enforced, giving the Broncs their second best start in program history, after 1979 when they started 9-0. The Broncs had a shaky start as Michael Zouzalik allowed two hits and a walk that gave the Patriots a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. “Mike has a very good arm,” UTPA coach Manny Mantrana said of the senior righty from Austin. “I think overall he had a good performance today. Even though he didn’t have his best stuff, he made adjustments and got through giving up one run in five innings.” Zouzalik was able to escape the first inning after a strikeout and two groundouts. The Broncs quickly answered when senior Mike McCarthy hit an RBI single with the bases loaded to tie the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first. The Broncs went on to score in each of the first three innings. In the second, with two runners in scoring position already, first baseman Roger Bernal blasted an RBI single to open the scoring in the inning. It was soon followed by a runscoring groundout by third baseman Brandon Roush. The inning ended with a 4-1 Bronc lead after junior catcher Chris Torres drive in one with a base hit.

Derek Hagy continued the offensive onslaught when he pounded a two-run double in the third to extend the lead to 6-1. Shortly after, the game was quickly put out of reach when the Broncs sent 13 batters to the plate in the third, extending their advantage to 12-1 after three extra base hits, four singles, and three bases-on-balls. “Our pitching was pretty good, our defense was pretty good, and we swing the bats rather well,” Mantrana said. “It’s tough to get beat when you don’t let the other team score and we threw two shutouts this weekend. Any time you get good pitching like that and the defense backs it up, it’s gonna be a good game for us.” The Broncs struck a seasonhigh in hits with 15 for the second game in a row, including a season-best performance by infielder Vincent Mejia, who went 3 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored. Bernal went 2 for 3 with two RBI and two runs scored, extending his hitting streak to 14 games dating back to May 19, 2011. Outfielder Shane Klemcke, who was 1 for 1 with two runs scored, says he looks forward to an exciting season. “I think this year, from what I’ve heard, the difference is the camaraderie,” said the junior from Rockport. “Everybody’s close and we all have that same will and desire to win. I’m super excited to see where we go this year.” The Broncs hope to keep their winning streak alive when they host the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon for a two-game series starting March 10 at 7 p.m.

top 8 seeds

bracketology

By Michael Saenz The Pan American

DO look for at least one

Final Four team from last year (UConn, Kentucky, VCU, Butler) to make it back this year. Don’t underestimate the value of experience in college basketball.

DON’T forget to pick at least

one of the top seeds to make it. Since 1979, a No. 1 seed has been represented in the Final Four in every occasion except three (2011, 2006, 1980).

DO look at the No. 13 and

No. 14 seeds real closely. In six of the past seven years at least one of those teams has upset a higher seed in the first round.

DON’T pick all the No. 1

seeds to get to the Final Four. Even though it sounds good and logical, history says it won’t happen. The last time more than two top seeds made it to the Final Four was 1999.

DO look at some unheard of

mid-majors. This is a down year in big-time college basketball and some of those little schools with upperclassmen may have an advantage against inexperienced, high-profile squads.

Home opener

Bunting - Senior outfielder Adrian de la Rosa attempts a sac bunt during the 10-0 shutout victory against Arlington Baptist College March 2.

East region 1. Syracuse 2. Duke 3. Michigan 4. Wichita St. 5. Temple 6. Vandy 7. New Mexico 8. Iowa St.

South region 1. Kentucky 2. Ohio St. 3. Baylor 4. Florida St. 5. UNLV 6. Notre Dame 7. Gonzaga 8. Memphis

West region Midwest region 1. North Carolina 1. Kansas 2. Missouri 2. Michigan St. 3. Marquette 3. Georgetown 4. Indiana 4. Wisconsin 5. Florida 5. Louisville 6. Murray St. 6. St. Mary’s 7. SDSU 7. Creighton 8. Kansas St. 8. Alabama

staff Projected final four

It’s that time again - when fans scramble through NCAA statistics, look for trends, compare matchups and head-to-head games, break down underclassmen versus upperclassmen, and overanalyze the college basketball landscape. So before you start deciding which team has the best uniforms, who will be this year’s Butler, playing the guessing game or flat out flipping coins to decide who will be in the Final Four, here are a few do’s and don’ts to consider before even looking at a bracket.

Sports Briefs

Ruben Gutierrez/The Pan American

The Broncs women’s tennis team defeated Texas A&M University-Kingsville 7-0 in the home opener at the Orville Cox Tennis Center March 2. The No. 1 team of Malin Andersen and Suncica Strkic took it 8-1 while the No. 2 team of Wanda Beguelin and Dana Nazarova won 8-0. In singles, all six Broncs won in straight sets 6-0. The Broncs return to action March 16 at the Islander Classic against Texas A&MCorpus Christi, South Alabama, and Sam Houston State.

DON’T expect any of the

Pac-12 teams to make noise in the Dance. The highest seed will probably be California and they have played a weak schedule so far this year. On the other hand, look at the Mountain West Conference to make some noise with New Mexico, San Diego State and UNLV.

Ruben Gutierrez

Michael Saenz

Daniella Diaz

Reynaldo Leal

Sports Photographer: 1. Kentucky 2. North Carolina 3. Michigan 4. St. Mary’s National Champion: Kentucky Team to watch: Xavier

Sports Editor: 1. North Carolina 2. Kentucky 3. Wichita St. 4. Kansas National Champion: North Carolina Team to watch: New Mexico

DO worry about taking

Kentucky to win the tournament. Yes, they finished the SEC schedule without any blemishes, but that conference is far from the king of college basketball. Something tells me the Wildcats won’t finish the season winning 31 straight games.

DON’T hesitate to pick a team who barely makes the field of 68 to make a run. In this case, Southern Mississippi, who carries 10 upperclassmen this season. The RPI loves them at 17. They took Murray St. to double overtime. The same Racers team that is ranked number 9 in the nation with a 30-1 record. If So. Miss. makes the field look for them to turn a few heads.

Border Olympics McAllen native Andrew Lopez won the 800-meter run as the outdoor track and field season began at the Border Olympics March 3. The Men’s A-team of Guillermo Martinez, Edgar Moreno, Macario Zarate, and Roland Cantu took second in the 4-by-400 relay. Kari Williams won the 100-meter dash, and Judith Chumba placed second in the 1,500-meter run. The Broncs return to action on March 17 at the Cactus Cup hosted by Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

News Writer: 1. Vandy 2. Notre Dame 3. Cincinnati 4. Georgetown National Champion: Notre Dame Team to watch: Saint Louis

Co-Editor-In-Chief: 1. Baylor 2. Michigan 3. North Carolina 4. Georgetown National Champion: North Carolina Team to watch: Harvard

Disclaimer: News Writer doesn’t know what March Madness is and only picked schools she recognized.

On the road UTPA Broncs men’s tennis team fell to No. 45 University of Portland 6-1 on Saturday at the UTSA Tennis Center. The team of Beau Bernstein and Chetan Panditi won the No. 1 position 9-7. Bernstein recorded the Broncs’ lone point in a three-set victory over Stefan Micov, 7-5,5-7 (14-12) in the No. 1 singles spot. The Broncs open up a stretch of seven road matches in seven days starting with a visit against Alcorn State University on March 8 at 3 p.m.

Jefferson Dismissed Before the home finale March 3, the athletic department announced that junior forward Earl Jefferson had been dismissed from the men’s basketball program. The department refuses to further comment on the situation but this was Jefferson’s second offense for breaking team rules this season. On Jan. 21, he was also suspended from the game against NJIT. In addition to Jefferson’s dismissal, sophomore Josh Cleveland was suspended one game for the same offense.

Page 12

March 8, 2012

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