December 5, 2013

Reaching out Working with the community

Pages 10-11

Volume 70, No. 14

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December 5, 2013

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STORIES ON PAGES 8 & 9

2

opinion

December 5, 2013

#UTPA

Tweet at and follow us @ThePanAmerican

Damn this Girl walking by in the library just gave me a second degree burn!

She was HAAAWWWWTTT #UTPA -@TheDamaso Damn @UTPA library open till 2am guess a triple shot expresso won’t do too much harm I can be there till it wears off!

-@carlos_4686 Pan-Am today, Pan-Am tomorrow, Pan-Am forever. ^.^ #CatchingFire #utpa -@ryanmg6030 Had to eat outside of the library because the union was packed! It’s cool I like being outside #utpa -@Turtle_Vans76h

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. 70, No. 14

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:

Norma Gonzalez Lea Victoria Juarez

News Editor:

Susan Gonzalez

...And so we say

goodbye Norma Gonzalez

Co-Editor-in-Chief

It’s hard to believe that my three-year-and-nine-month stay at The Pan American is all coming to an end this week. It’s unreal. What started as a small job as a sports photographer has morphed into being the CoEditor-in-Chief of this amazing establishment.

I’ve grown so much, learned more than I could have ever imagined, and made another family.

My first few years at UTPA were a bit scrambled and I didn’t do much. Sure, I finally started getting somewhat of a social life - going out to clubs, house parties and probably freaking out my mom by suddenly staying out all night. But for the most part, it was the stereotypical UTPA experience - hanging out with high school friends in the Student Union (back when we still had Bronc Bowls) and not doing much at all.

It wasn’t until my junior year that I finally tried new things. I joined the American Marketing Association in fall 2009 and the newspaper in March 2010. I started making new friends and experiences. Things were looking up.

That summer I packed up my bags for what I thought would be a six-month trip with Up

With People, a traveling, singing international community service program, but I wasn’t able to finish raising the required funds and was sent home after a twoweek orientation period in Denver. I put all of my efforts into being part of that program and hadn’t even bothered filling out my FAFSA or registering for the following school year as a backup. I tried deferring and traveling with the program in January, but that didn’t work out either.

I took the 2010-11 school

we’ve done a lot), the people, artists, celebrities and athletes I’ve met (some more interesting than others), the events I’ve been able to cover and so on, but instead let me leave you with this: Take your time. It’s YOUR college experience, so make what you want of it.

Don’t be afraid to take chances or opportunities. However, also be able to take the consequences that may come from those decisions.

Meet new people and make

I’ve grown so much, learned more than I could have ever imagined and made another family. year off and worked at our family’s business, but it was the paper that kept motivating me. It was my connection to school. I still had to go to campus to work, I saw my coworkers and friends and it made me want to go back.

The next year I enrolled again.

But my time back at the University was short-lived. I wasn’t able to register for classes in fall 2012, once again for financial reasons, but I came to school every day. No matter the problem, I never wanted to let the paper down.

Luckily, since spring 2013, I have been enrolled and now look forward to graduating in May. I could list all of the fun stuff I’ve done with the paper (and

new friends. There is a bunch of interesting people on campus and I’m lucky to have been able to meet so many of them. Connections you make here can last a lifetime.

Lastly, always think about what’s next. College is a stepping-stone, so how can you use it to help you in the future?

What organizations can you join, what can you accomplish?

I must now take my final bow and walk out of the newsroom that housed me for years. I have slept on that floor, pulled allnighters at my computer, celebrated many birthdays, laughed, cried and lived. Goodbye The Pan American, you will always have a special place in my heart.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Co-Sports Editors: Marco Torres Kristela Garza

Arts & Life Editor: May Ortega

Bidding farewell in posthumous fashion seemed to be best.

(Imagine the song Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd playing as you read this.)

Dear Bronc Country, I know I died and only got to know a few of you, but your best interest was always at heart.

The UTPA community deserves the truth, and The Pan American is dedicated to printing nothing short of it.

For two and a half years, I had the honor of working alongside artists who call themselves journalists and meeting extraordinary people within the seemingly ordinary.

Let’s say I “bit the dust” while covering some super awesome news event. In case there wasn’t

I know I died and only got to know a few of you, but your best interest was always at heart.

Photography Editor: Jon Nutt

Design Editor:

Francisco Rodriguez

Multimedia Editor: Michael Aguilar

Social Media Editor: Ismael Melendez

Adviser:

Dr. Greg Selber

Administrative Associate: Anita Reyes

Advertising Manager: Elva Ramirez

Webmaster:

Josue Guzman

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.

Lea Victoria Juarez

Co-Editor-in-Chief

2. There is no such thing as a bad idea, just poorly executed, awesome ones. Don’t quote me on that, though. I stole it, but it’s still brilliant advice.

3. Find something to be passionate about. Let its beauty consume you like the night as the sun burns the horizon. Join a club or get a job and go on adventures. Hold your hand over your heart every so often to feel the life still thumping inside.

4. When you’re freaking out, remember there are college students everywhere freaking out too. It’s nothing a good day drink can’t fix. But buy cheap or calm down. Nervous breakdowns can get expensive for a college kid.

Lastly, to my TPA family, both past and present, you pieced me together and kept me whole during a time when I felt utterly broken. Know that I died loving each and every one of you.

If I impacted at least one person during my time at the paper, I died happy. That one reader is whom we write for. It’s that one person who picks up

Jon Nutt/The Pan American A gaping hole between two stalls can be found in the Science Building men’s restroom on the first floor. How the hole got there or how long it has been there is unknown. The hole is approximately 1-foot wide and 1-foot tall and looks as if it had been cut out using a saw.

a mourning ceremony where my eulogy was read as Bon Jovi’s Livin’ on a Prayer sounded in the background, I leave with these four (fairly golden) nuggets.

1. Read the student newspaper, magazine and tune in to the broadcasts. The students bust their asses to put their work together and they do it for you. If you think you can do better, don’t squawk on a Facebook comment, join and make the change.

a paper or clicks on a link that journalists keep in mind and do their best to give them the best.

The Pan American taught me more about life, people, business and journalism than I could have ever learned in a classroom. It’s time for another group of wide-eyed journalists to join the adventure.

With that, I bid thee adieu.

Happy trails.

December 5, 2013 January 31, 2013

Economy on the r se Symposium shines light on Rio Grande Valley economic status

By Andrew Vera The Pan American The McAllen metropolitan area, which includes the cities of Edinburg and Mission, ranked number one on a list of the nation’s poorest areas, according to an article published in November by USA Today. With nearly 35 percent of the population living below the poverty line, the McAllen metro area ranked just below Brownsville, the second poorest area, according to the same article.

The Border Economic Development and Entrepreneurship Symposium (BEDES) hosted a conference Nov. 22 to discuss the current border economic situation and the role Hispanics in the area play in its improvement. Speaking at the event were economists from The Federal Bank of Dallas and economics professors from UTPA. Roberto Coronado, assistant vice president and senior economist for the El Paso branch of The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, discussed the difference between job growth and income per capita, the average income per person in a specific area, in the Rio Grande Valley.

“McAllen has about 5 percent job (growth) per year, Texas is about 2 (percent) and the U.S. is at about 1 (percent).

When you look at the Valley from that angle, the Valley is a very vibrant, very dynamic and a very strong growth area,” Coronado told The Pan American. “Now, when you look at the Valley from an income perspective and per capita income, then the Valley does not look, unfortunately, very good. In fact, the Valley has one of the lowest per capita incomes in the nation.”

Coronado went on to explain that the Valley’s rapid population growth is the reason behind the juxtaposition of job growth and income per capita. According to the McAllen Chamber of Commerce, the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metro area was named the 10th fastest growing area between 2000 and 2006.

According to an article by 24/7 Wall St., the Brownsville and McAllen metropolitan areas have median household in-

comes ranging from $30,000 to $33,000, respectively. With an unemployment rate of nearly 11 percent, Brownsville’s median household income falls nearly $60,000 under the median household income in San Jose, Calif., the richest city in the U.S. Coronado also discussed the effects that the upcoming University merger will have on the Valley’s economy. He said an increase in service industry jobs, like finance management and medical services, will help close the gap between job growth and income per capita.

The merger will be the union of UTPA and the University of Texas at Brownsville and the creation of a medical school that was put in place by Texas Senate Bill 24 signed June 2013. “(The merger) will help the RGV move in the right direction. It will help solidify the fact that more service-side jobs will be created,” Coronado told The Pan American.

Coronado also pointed out the challenges that will come along with the merger. He said that the new medical school will create hundreds of service jobs with high salaries rather than thousands of low-paying jobs in the manufacturing field. While the income per capita will increase, the number of jobs will decrease.

The assistant vice president went on to explain that this transitional period from manufacturing-type jobs to service-type jobs is a difficult and painful one for the region to go through, but it is the reality and current economic state of the RGV. He added that the University merger will also provide resources that will help the Valley move into an economic state with higher incomes per capita.

Fabiola Urgel, a sophomore economics major and mediator at the BEDES event, spoke candidly about the relationship between Mexico’s economy and the economy in the Valley.

She said the two countries have strong ties and the standing of one economy affects the other.

“It is really important to see

that a lot of things depend on how the peso dollar exchange (in Mexico) is looking, how many people from Mexico are crossing the border and doing some shopping here,” the 20-year-old said. “That is why BEDES was created; to show the members of our community the importance (of ) the partnership that we implicitly have between Mexico and the U.S.” An exchange rate is defined as the amount one country will pay for another country’s currency. Currently, one Mexican peso is roughly worth eight U.S. cents. This exchange rate is constantly changing.

A report by Saber Research Institute published April 2013 states that the Valley’s economy is directly impacted by the Mexican national traffic that flows through local malls and shops.

The report shows nearly 10,000 jobs are supported by this crossborder activity and just below $250 million of income is generated for Valley workers annually.

While the subject of the Valley’s relationship with Mexico was an important topic at the symposium, both Coronado and Urgel put an emphasis on what Valley students can do to improve the current state of the economy.

“The number one advice (to students) will be to stay in school and improve their skills as much as they can,” Coronado said. “Clearly by going to the University they are improving their technical skills and academic credentials.”

While both Urgel and Coronado acknowledged that two major Valley cities are the poorest in the nation, they spoke with optimism about the future of the region and what is already being done to turn the poor economic situation around.

“We have excellent students (and) we have excellent opportunities. Our location is privileged,” Urgel said. “That is something we have to look up to. We have the perfect combination between the Mexican culture and the American culture. Trust in the Valley.”

3

Excess credit hours policy a double-edged sword for students

By Cynthia Rael The Pan American For the nearly 1,000 students on the cusp of graduating in spring 2014, there are only a few more classes that stand between them leaving college.

However, these classes could cost double the price they were originally paying when they first enrolled at UTPA. The excess credit hours policy is a statewide policy. According to the state law, once a student has taken more than 30 hours required for their degree plan, they will be charged with nonresident tuition. This includes courses that are repeated, duplicated and/or dropped. With a recent approval to increase these charges, prices can jump from $810 for nine hours of classes to $3,186 by fall 2014, as stated on the Academic Advisement Center’s page on the policy. The law was implemented in spring 2006 and affects students at all public universities and colleges in Texas.

“What happens is that the state no longer reimburses the University for part of (a student’s) tuition,” explained Marilyn Hagerty, director of the University Academic Advisement Center (UAAC). “When you’ve reached your limit, the state says, ‘We’re no longer going to pay for part of your tuition,’ which is why you’re then charged for out-of-state tuition…basically it’s to get students to graduate sooner.”

Students are normally in-

formed of this policy at their UTPA Orientation and the UAAC has held monthly information sessions since the excess hour charge was approved.

Students who transfer from private institutions or institutions out of the state are not affected since the state does not pay for these credits earned.

According to Hagerty, students affected by this policy the most are ones who change their majors later in their academic careers.

“The later you change your major, the more you’re most likely to be impacted,” Hagerty said. “Students who also drop too many credits or keep repeating a class to get a better grade are mostly affected as well.”

For students who are notified of reaching their limit, their next step is to seek help from the advisement center to appeal the fees.

“When we get a report back that accounts for all of the student’s credits, we then schedule an appointment with the student and a professional guidance counselor so they can sit down and see where they are and how much time they have before they graduate,” Hagerty said. “Once they’ve developed a graduation plan and they see that they don’t have a lot of time in between then and graduation, then the student can go through with appealing the law.”

This was the case with Esteban Padilla, a senior chemistry major, that was affected by this policy when he attempted to pursue a double major in music and chemistry.

“Because the two degrees are so far apart, I had to appeal to get an extra 50 hours to my cap,” Padilla said. “However, as I got closer to graduation and saw that I would need even more hours, it became a situation where I had to give up the music major because financially I would not be able to add on extra classes.”

According to a 2011 study done by the National Center for Education Statistics, 59 percent of students attending a fouryear institution graduated within six years, with 57 percent of these students attending public institutions. As for UTPA, a U.S. News ranking shows that the four-year graduation rate is at 18 percent, while its six-year graduation rate is 39 percent.

As the policy continues to be enforced, Padilla agrees with the policy’s intention to get students graduating within four years.

“I’d go as far as calling it a necessary evil,” Padilla said. “It really upset me to give up the major and if I had to go through it all over again I would hate it, but it forced me to get more career-oriented and find which direction I wanted to go in life.”

4

arts & life

December 5, 2013

The Tluaches Find a Home

By Audry Ocañas The Pan American

By Lea Victoria Juarez The Pan American

the economics major said. “I actually really enjoyed it, specifically because the actors basically help write the show; it’s mostly improvised. I was really excited to do exaggerated characters and a lot bigger, more fun things.”

Warren explained the audience can and should participate, no matter what age the members are.

While the action is geared toward children, anyone can attend.

“The kids will play with the possums, they will help them solve a riddle...and they dance at the end. Any child can come, and parents are welcome, of course,” Warren said. “College students, please come on in because we need these plays. Why is Disney so popular? Because we still love those stories.”

Tickets are $3 and sold at the University Theatre Box Office located in the ARHU building and performances will be Dec. 5 to Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 7 to Dec. 8 at 2 p.m.

Tanya Vela/The Pan American

Audience members will get a chance to meet and interact with a family of tluaches, or possums, at the UTPA Studio Theatre in the Arts and Humanities Building Dec. 5 - 8.

A children’s play titled The Tluaches Find a Home is scheduled, and the cast welcomes children of all ages to join in on the adventure to help a marsupial family find its home.

At the start of the play, the Tluache family is caught by animal control and must escape by using various life skills and lessons, such as teamwork, crossing the street and how family is more important than material possessions, according to play director Brian Warren.

Warren, an assistant professor in theater/TV/film, explained that the inspiration for the idea came from three possums he caught in his yard this fall.

“I just started thinking about (the possums). I talked to the Valley Nature Center (and they) gave me a lot of interesting information,” the Iowa native said.

“Possums are often a maligned creature; people think they’re ugly.

And I wanted to teach a couple of nature facts to the kids as they went on a fun little journey with an animal that’s indigenous (to) the (Rio Grande) Valley.”

Warren, who has been at UTPA for 11 years, said the play is something new. It is a piece of devised theater, a form of theater where the script originates not from the writers or director, but performers themselves.

“I took a very talented ensem-

ble of college actors, I gave them a skeleton and they filled in the blanks,” said Warren, a specialist in theater for young audiences and creative drama. “They created most of what the kids will see as far as what the animals do and how they react to each other.

It’s a brilliant piece of creativity on their part.”

Zebastian Duchene, one of seven actors in the play, will slither, growl and lick his fellow castmates because he is not one character, but five. He plays the role of the animal control man, a squirrel, a snake, a dog and a Russian bear. His dog character, Simon, will give the audience a chance to play a game with his new possum friends that requires a little tail wagging. Duchene had the freedom to create these characters, each with their own personality and mannerisms.

“It is rather difficult (to change roles), however, it was more difficult to create the roles since it’s a devised piece and we ourselves, as actors, developed, created and wrote the dialogue,”

EVENTS CALENDAR

Dec. 14

Dec. 15

UTPA student becomes forecaster for Valleyites

Dec. 28

Holiday Bazaar

RGV Ballet’s The Nutcracker

Eli Young Band

Shop for original art, special crafts, unique gift items, handmade jewelry, cottage food delicacies, boutique items, antiques and more.

The RGV Ballet will be performing the holiday classic for its 41st showing.

End of the year concert with the country band and special guest, Eric Paslay.

Time: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Time: 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Time: 7 p.m. - 11 p.m.

Place: Dustin Sekula Me- Place: McAllen Civic Center Place: Pharr Events Center morial Library, Edinburg

When the Rio Grande Valley experienced a hailstorm in March 2012, 20-year-old UTPA student Sergio Puente was one of the weather sources Valleyites looked to for information. The Edinburg native runs a Facebook page known as SurgeWeather, where he updates locals on what to expect from the skies. When the storm hit, he said he did his best to keep Valley communities abreast of the situation.

“It was super busy. I was getting pictures on my phone from random people because I have my number on (Facebook). I was getting videos, emails of everything,” Puente said as he waved his arms in the air. “And my power was out the whole, entire time, so everything was done through my laptop, through my phone’s WiFi.” The page has been active since Dec. 8, 2010 and has 1,982 “likes” as of publication date.

Since then, he’s expanded to Twitter and SurgeWeather.com, but Puente’s interest in the elements began long before. At age 7, he took a liking to the weather, he said.

On a specific trip to the beach with his mom he saw a funnel cloud that sparked curiosity. The pair also watched the news regularly, he said, and younger Puente saw KRGV meteorologist Tim Smith in action, furthering his interest.

“My mom would say, ‘Well when you’re older, you can study that and give me the answers because I don’t know,’” Puente recalled. “And ever since then, I’ve wanted to forecast the weather and do my own graphics and make it look all fancy. And that’s where I am right now.”

Puente began studying environmental science at UTPA because it was the closest track to meteorology the University offers. After completing the prerequisite courses at UTPA, he intended to transfer to Texas A&M, but went through some hiccups along the way.

“It was a lot of math and science and engineering courses. I found out math is not my forte,” he said with a chuckle. “I had to find out the hard way and I wasn’t happy with it. I know meteorology is a lot of math and you need to be strong in that.”

The weather enthusiast changed his major to broadcast journalism in fall 2013, but still has every intention of pursuing meteorology. Even without A strong math ability, the SurgeWeather founder believes he already has a leg up because he can read weather models.

“I do love nature. I love the weather and I love studying it with the (pre-made) computer models,” Puente said. “I know how to read those models, but it is the math that stopped me from going into an actual meteorology degree. So now my plan is to sneak in there

a mass of people contacted him, he realized he needed assistance from out-of-town sources.

Weslaco native and weather enthusiast Michael Gonzalez, who is stationed in Dallas, found Puente’s Facebook page and agreed to come on board as an administrator and help out with posts. Also assisting is Edinburg native Brian Mejia, a meteorologist in Norman, Okla., and Justin Lee Luna, a UTPA mechanical engineering sophomore.

Another administrator is Robert Flores, a former Texas Department of Transportation district maintenance administrator.

Knowing him, I know that it hasn’t been easy to get exposure so I think it’s great to see how far he’s come.

- Rosie Esparza SurgeWeather fan through broadcast.”

Puente tracks the weather through a website called WeatherBell.com, a weather site that tracks the changes in the atmosphere and allows people to forecast. The information is compiled through “supercomputers” across the world.

Supercomputers are computers with a mainframe that have more power than the average computer, and performs at a faster rate.

These supercomputers get their readings from weather stations, such as the one on top of the UTPA Science Building, the McAllen Miller International airport and one at Puente’s apartment.

“Think of an x and y graph with plots. Basically, the world is a huge x and y graph and all those little plots are weather stations and they compile all the information, like how the atmosphere is moving, what the barometric pressure is,” the broadcast major said. “They put all the information together and make a forecast.”

Initially, Puente posted weather updates on his own Facebook page, but created SurgeWeather strictly for weather information. Up until the March 2012 hailstorm, Puente was running the Facebook page himself, but when he had a power outage and

Edinburg native Rosie Esparza is a friend of Puente’s that has seen the progression of SurgeWeather throughout the years, and she believes he is going in the right direction.

“It’s really great that he’s getting a lot of exposure and has partners willing to help him,” the 20-year-old said. “I think he does a lot to try and get followers. Knowing him, I know that it hasn’t been easy to get exposure so I think it’s great to see how far he’s come.”

Senior Valeria Casas is also a SurgeWeather supporter and said she prefers it to other local weather sources, such as KGBT and KRGV because of easier access.

“I personally don’t really follow the news. I can’t watch it every day,” the 21-year-old biology major said. “With him, I get to see and experience it with the pictures that he posts and everyone else can send him pictures of the weather; that’s pretty cool too. I’ve been on the website more than enough times and he has a lot of great information that he gives out.”

Puente said he uses the same weather models as the local news stations and even sees himself as their competition.

“I try to be first,” He said boldly. “I try to let people know before anyone else does.”

December January 5, 3, 2013 2013

Then-junior Nycole Masaki greets the crowd before the game against University of Texas at Brownsville Sept. 15, 2012. Masaki transferred from Laredo Community College and completed two seasons with the Broncs.

weekly updates men ’ s basketball Lost to the Bradley Braves 74-54 Nov. 30 at the Carver Arena in Peoria, IL. Sophomore Shaquille Hines had career-highs with 18 points and 11 rebounds, guiding the team to a win against the Lamar University Cardinals 66-61 Nov. 27 at the Montagne Center in Beaumont Beat the San Antonio Roadrunners 70-55 Nov. 21 at the UTSA Convocation Center

women ’ s basketball Beat the Northern Iowa Panthers in the UTSA Thanksgiving Classic with a score of 70-47 Nov. 30 in San Antonio Forward Brittany Bush was named to the UTSA Thanksgiving Classic All-Tournament Team Dec. 1 in San Antonio Beat the Norfolk State Spartans during the UTSA Thanksgiving Classic 50-36 Nov. 29 in San Antonio Lost against the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams 67-57 Nov. 21 at the Field House Broncs rallied back to beat the Houston Baptist University 76-74 Nov. 3 at Sharp Gym in Houston

volleyball Alisha Watson was chosen by the Western Athletic Conference to the All-Freshman Team Nov. 24

track and field

Green & White Intrasquad/Alumni meet Dec. 6 at the Track & Field Complex

Story and photo by Norma Gonzalez The Pan American The final home volleyball passion and drive for the game, game wasn’t known by its usual it opened up opportunities.”

Senior Night name, instead it After high school, Masaki became Nycole Night. continued her volleyball career Setter Nycole Masaki is the at Laredo Community College team’s lone senior, and the rea- for two seasons before transferson for celebration Nov. 20 was ring to UTPA in spring 2012. recording her 2,000 career assist.

“At the time, we were in The team completed the season need of a setter with some colwith a 13-20 (2-14 conference) legiate experience under her belt. record, dropping its final match of Her coach at Laredo and I are the season Nov. 20 against Bakers- friends, so he asked me to come field 3-0. But Masaki became the take a look at her,” Head Coach third student-athlete in program Brian Yale said. “At the practice history to reach 2,000 assists, fin- I watched, she showed many of ishing her career with 2,028 assists the tools to become a successful (third most in program history) Division 1 setter. Then, in getand tied for the fourth most as- ting to know her, she showed a sists in a single-season with 1,073. lot of self awareness, common Chelsea Blakely (2005-08) holds sense and maturity.” the program record for career assists According to Yale, Masaki with 3,905. quickly developed into some“It meant everything to me to one the team could look up to, play my last game with a great due to those characteristics he team in front of great, support- noticed. She learned how to use ive fans and especially with some those traits to provide direction of my family there,” Masaki said. toward team goals, he added.

“It was a sad moment, but I tried “I think the team saw and to have fun with it and have fun appreciated her resiliency,” Yale playing, and enjoying the game.” said. “Day in and day out for two years she was on the court TIME AT UTPA giving everything she could. ReAccording to Masaki, her pas- gardless of what type of day she sion for volleyball started at a was having or if she was ill or inyoung age when she watched her jured; she was in the court to try older cousins play, going to their to help the team improve.” games and being involved.

The team grew from their “Volleyball runs in my family 12-player roster to 14 this year, and having that motivation and bringing in six new studentsupport makes the game that athletes - three freshmen and much more exciting,” the Ha- three transfers. waii native said. “By having the “We have a great group of

5

girls. We’re diverse and add a lot of personalities to the team,” said Masaki, who is majoring in physical therapy. “There is such great talent as well. This team has the ability to make things happen and go further in the years coming up.”

As of July 1, the University made its transition into The Western Athletic Conference.

As the season kicked off Aug. 30, the team tied for second best program history start, but was plagued by injuries as the conference matches started.

“It was such a great experience to be in the WAC for my last year,” Masaki said. “There was greater competition and that gave us more opportunities to step up our game. Our team worked hard and we progressed from the previous year.”

Looking back on her time at the University, Masaki admits to having stressful moments, but notes that the fire, excitement and thrill of playing for the team masked the negatives. Masaki’s presence on the court was noticed and will be missed by her head coach.

“Certainly there was sadness for the fact that that was the last time that group would play together, but we understand that’s a part of athletics,” Yale said. “More so, the night was a chance to honor, recognize and appreciate Nycole and what she brought to the process of rebuilding this program.”

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THE PAN AMERICAN

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Page 8 December

5, 2013

December 5, 2013

THE PAN AMERICAN

Old

l e g i s l at i o n ,

new university

M erger progress one year after bill proposal

Spreading support, 10 years later

By May Ortega The Pan American

The Laramie Project, a play about the events following the homophobic 1998 murder of 21-year-old Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyo. was performed in the University’s Studio Theatre in 2003.

The production dealt with homophobia and the results that can come of it, which connected with a study UTPA psychology professor Russell Eisenman and University of Central Florida professor Charles Negy conducted that same year.

The Pan American published a story Oct. 9, 2003 titled “The Laramie Project: Production focuses on tolerance, attitudes toward homosexuality.” The article involved The Laramie Project, the results of the professors’ study and how students at UTPA felt regarding homophobia.

According to Eisenman, the pair analyzed attitudes toward homosexuality from students at each university to compare Hispanic and non-Hispanic views on the matter. Their findings concluded that students at UTPA were more accepting of gay individuals than

UCF’s students.

A few days before this story’s publication, Eisenman told TPA how UTPA students who are more assimilated into American culture tend to be more accepting of gay individuals.

“That might explain why even with a conservative, traditional Mexican background that

ness and support for gay people on campus.

Omar Jimenez, treasurer of the Alliance, believes that in the past 10 years, acceptance on campus has increased. In his three years at UTPA, the 21-year-old said he has seen plenty of support from faculty, staff and students.

In addition to the LGBT Alli-

People still have that fear about coming out. Everyone has a different case, so you never know how people will react to that.

- Omar Jimenez

LGBT Alliance treasurer might lead to negative views of homosexuals, some students are quite accepting of homosexuality,” said the Georgia native, who has taught at UTPA since 2001.

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Alliance has been fighting at UTPA since spring 2011 to raise aware-

ance, the ALLY Training Program is available on campus to help students who may have LGBTrelated problems, such as coming out to friends and family.

Jimenez believes that despite the progression for gay rights nationwide, such as the legalization of gay marriage in 16 states,

coming out can still be a nervewracking experience.

“People still have that fear about coming out. Everyone has a different case, so you never know how people will react to that,” he explained. “(There are) members who have had good cases, and some have been so bad that they have been disowned.”

Although The Laramie Project was performed at UTPA 10 years ago, Jimenez believes its message can still help people today.

“You can say that Matthew Shepard was the poster child for the one in many anti-gay murders in history,” he said. “It was important for the students who put on this production back then to educate the public on this matter that is still a big deal for people in the LGBT community.”

UTPA now has resources for students who may need help, in addition to the LGBT alliance, such as the Student Counseling Center, where students can call to receive counseling individually or do so in a group when needed.

By Susan Gonzalez The Pan American Aaron Barreiro, the president of the Student Government Association, never expected he would play a role in something as large as the development of a new university.

“Never did I think this was something that would come up,” said Barreiro, a senior premed biology major. “It’s been really interesting. It’s exciting on our part to see...a year ago, even six months ago, we weren’t sure what to be expecting.”

One year after Senate Bill 24 was proposed and approved by the University of Texas System Board of Regents, the land-

And much more is on the horizon, according to Barreiro, who took office in April 2013 and exits in April 2014.

“The biggest piece right now is finding the president (of the new university),” the SGA president said. “Interviews are about to start for that. I’m part of that committee. Our first interviews are going to be this month.”

In addition, the name of the new university is expected to become final this month. According to Barreiro, he hasn’t noticed any favorites among peers. So far, the proposed names include: The University of Texas Rio

No matter what our name is, no matter what our mascot is, 10 years down the road...the new university is going to provide the opportunities and experiences we want it to provide.

- Aaron Barreiro SGA president

mark legislation that combines UTPA with the University of Texas at Brownsville and creates a new medical school has manifested in many ways.

After the proposal was announced in December 2012, the legislation was signed into law in June 2013. Disagreements in regard to the location of the medical school almost halted the process that same month, but Texas Governor Rick Perry came to UTPA for a ceremonial signing a month later and $196 million were given to UTPA and UTB from the Permanent University Fund earlier this month.

Grande Valley, the University of Texas for the Americas, the University of Texas Las Americas, the University of Texas South, and the University of Texas International.

However, Barreiro said he hopes people don’t get caught up in the little details and instead look at the big picture.

“No matter what our name is, no matter what our mascot is, 10 years down the road... the new university is going to provide the opportunities and experiences we want it to provide,” he said. “That’s the important part.”

December 5, 2013

Page 9

THE PAN AMERICAN

By Kristela Garza The Pan American

In 1971 the Pan American College baseball team set the all-time program record for the most wins in a season. In total, they scored 44 victories, a record high for any Texas college or university, at

the time.

The team was led by Head Coach Al Ogletree, a UTPA Hall of Fame recipient and nationally recognized coach. He lead his team to the District VI Regional Tournament where they played the part of the underdog.

The team, filled with not-so-well-known players, pulled off a huge upset as they took down the University of Texas Longhorns, twice, taking the District VI Championship. That was the first time the Longhorns were shutout in consecutive games in 62 years.

Though the Broncs had the odds piled against them, they made it to a fourth place spot in the College World Series, with a record of 2-2. By the end of the 1971 season, they were selected as the top-ranked team in the country.

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By Marco Torrez The Pan American

In 2011, the 1961 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics National Championship men’s tennis team was inducted into the UTPA Athletics Hall of Fame.

Members of that team included current hall members Ken Lang (HOF Class of 2009), John Sharpe (HOF Class of 2008) and Don Russell (HOF Class of

that season. The 1961 men’s tennis team was the first of five championship teams, in a row for UTPA, or Pan American College, as it was called then.

In 1961 and 1962, PAC took the championship, winning by 19 and 18 points over Southern Oklahoma. In ‘61, Sharpe won the NAIA national singles title as part of the team’s championship victory. Sharpe paired with teammate and fellow Hall

As a championship team of esteemed individuals, they each represent the proud tradition of Bronc Athletics.

- Chris King

Director of Athletics

2007). Its other members were Harold Natho and Jim Watson.

“As a championship team of esteemed individuals, they each represent the proud tradition of Bronc Athletics,” UTPA Director of Athletics Chris King said at the Hall of Fame ceremony in April 2011.

In 1960, in Kansas City, the Broncs could have won their first championship, but they fell short against a Lamar Tech dynasty. The Beaumont school had won the previous five titles and the Broncs took the national runner-up spot

of Fame member Russell to win the NAIA national title in doubles.

The Broncs’ closest victory came in 1964 when Corpus Christi University was four team points away from taking its first title.

The 1961 team was the first to claim a national team title for the school.

The 1960 unit was national runner-up, but like any good team, regrouped and went 12-4-1 overall in the 1961 season, finishing first in the nation.

10

community

December 5, 2013

The Pan American reaches out to the youth

Photos by The Pan American

By Lea Victoria Juarez The Pan American

The Pan American has reached the halfway point of its 70th anniversary celebration.

Thirteen newspapers were completed this semester as well as the first-ever Pan American magazine. As the semester comes to a close, goodbyes are said and powers are shifted, but the content continues online because news never sleeps and neither do we.

Throughout the years, TPA has dedicated itself to working not just in the newsroom, but in

the community as well.

The staff sets aside time to work with organizations, such as the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley and Proyecto Azteca, a program that aids in building homes for low-income families.

In addition, the staff travels to Valley high schools, giving students insight to the weekly process that goes into producing a newspaper.

The students are then invited to The Pan American’s annual journalism conference in the fall.

At the conference,

which just finished its seventh year, the students compete in various competitions set up by the PA staff, are graded on their work and given awards along with workshops and critiques on how to improve their yearbooks and newspapers.

This year The Pan American gave Edinburg high schools the opportunity to join the PA staff for the final 2013 issue and feature work from each school’s journalism program.

Sitting on the sidelines

By Sera Tamez Edinburg High School The noise was really loud and every time my eyes wanted to open, I closed them tighter.

While wearing earmuffs, keeping my head still and clothed in a hospital gown, the noises from the MRI machine filled me with fear.

For me, the aftereffects resulted in a two-and-a-half-day stay at the hospital, bruises lasting three weeks, dizziness, trouble concentrating and five weeks away from playing the game I love again.

These were the aftereffects of my concussion.

During a game at a tournament, I went for a loose ball, but ended up colliding heads with a girl from the opposing team.

It’s hard when you want something so bad, but your own body won’t allow it. Having to sit on the sidelines and watch the girls play, hoping

that they give their best effort is frustrating. You see what the coaches expect, but it’s what you can’t give.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2009, playing basketball put 34,692 players in the hospital with head injuries. Most would think that that number is very high, but considering 250 million people play worldwide, the number is very slim.

I told some girls at the middle school level, “Always guard your head.” I don’t want this happening to anyone else.

September 12, 2013 community

December 5, 2013

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December 5, 2013

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