may 5, 2011

Despite the current budget woes circulating the University and the Lone Star State, administrators on campus continue to push creative means of making college easier for students.

In his � rst year here, Registrar Je� rey Rhodes, among other collaborators such as the University’s Student and Academic Divisions, is anticipating the arrival of new software, DegreeWorks.

Still in its infancy, the degree audit system will be replacing the current system, Curriculum Advising and Program Planning, or CAPP.

� e program allows students to instantly get a look at where courses � t into a degree plan, including courses they’ve taken, are taking, would like to, or need to take.

It has more functionality than CAPP and it’s more user-friendly, Rhodes said.

� e intent is to provide up-to-date information for students so that they stay on track to graduate within four years. the software is done by SunGard Higher Education for close to $300,000;

this is the same company that built the student information system currently in use at UTPA, as well as ASSIST.

“DegreeWorks is right from the same company,” Rhodes said. “So it goes right alongside what we currently use.”

� e software also makes room for ‘what if ’ scenarios.

“Students will be able to access this through the web, so say a student is registering at two in the morning, like most do,” Rhodes joked. “If they have a question and they try calling their adviser at two in the morning, obviously they’re not going to answer. � is way they’ll have help.”

� e program allows advisers to look ahead and build planners for students. � e idea is to predict the need for various courses. � is semester’s advising period began March 21 and wrapped up April 28.

“Say we have 300 students that need a particular management course or a biology course for fall 2012, this allows us to get a more accurate picture of the demand for speci� c courses,” he said.

When building schedules, administrators typically use trend data from the past, but now they will be able

to look at future demands, and make better use of funds used to create classes, the registrar said.

“Our goal is to go live December 1 to use for advising during the spring semester,” Rhodes said.

� ere is also additional functionality to the software. Alongside the degree planning aspect is the ability to view � nancial aid status. � is includes eligibility or adherence to requirements.

Also enveloped in the program is an NCAA functionality that allows advisers to determine and better track the eligibility of student-athletes.

“Now those functionality portions will be implemented after the degree plans,” the registrar said. “� ose are future steps.”

� e Information Technology department on campus is also part of the collaboration and implementation process, while working on easy accessibility for the software.

“We are looking at the possibility of a direct connection from MyUTPA tab at the UTPA website,” Rhodes said.

UTPA President Robert Nelsen

wa s t h e initial reason for the software transfer, according to Rhodes.

“It is my understanding that he had some experience with the program at another institution and saw all of the good things it can do,” he said.

Rhodes, who is a Texas Tech graduate,

can attest to many scenarios where he was sitting across from students calculating by hand the required and accumulated hours needed to graduate.

“� is product allows students to do that at two o’clock in the morning,” he concluded.

As the U.S. economy remains uncertain, one issue that will remain constant for students is � guring out how to pay for a college education.

� e Federal Pell Grant, which is commonly o� ered to UTPA students, is one type of grant t h a t h e l p s students

trim down tuition costs during the fall, spring and summer semesters. But this may not be the case for long.

As of last month, Congress voted to do away with the availability of Pell Grant money in the summer. � is means that legislation passed in 2009-2010, establishing a Second Pell Award e� ective at UTPA beginning in the summer of 2010, would no longer be able to o� er students that money for summer classes.

“� e Pell Grant is one of the � nancial aid programs that may be a� ected by legislative action,” Garcia said. “Currently

the U.S. House of Representatives is proposing a reduction to Pell Grants. Whether there are any reductions to Pell Grants depends on the budget resolution worked out between the Senate and the House of Representatives.”

A � nal decision on whether Congress will reinsert funding for programs, like the summer Pell grant, will likely be determined during budget talks for 2012.

According to the Student Financial Services webpage, eligibility for receiving the award is determined by the Department of Education on the basis of each student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which can be � lled out at www.fafsa.gov, and helps determine a student’s Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) to tuition.

“Since the Pell Grant award varies for students with di� erent EFCs and it prorates based on enrollment, then how much the Pell Grant will cover of tuition and fees, depends on that student’s EFC and their enrollment for the period,” Garcia said.

Federal Pell Grant is allocated di� erently each year depending on annual program funding. � e availability of annual funds is also the reason for varying Pell awards for students on a year to year basis. In the recent past, the di� erences in awards for students have been advantageous, as funds for Pell have almost always increased with each passing year.

As reported by the U.S. Department of Education webpage, past budgets for Pell Grant have provided available aid for students totaling $13,989,305,000

in 2007, $16,428,110,000 in 2008, $25,328,889,000 in 2009 and $32,295,226,000 in 2010.

With the state of the Pell Grant still unknown, Garcia is concerned about what will be decided. Should a decision to reduce Pell funding succeed, it would mark the � rst negative e� ect to Pell grant that Garcia has seen in her working experience at UTPA.

According to Student Financial Service, the 2010-2011 Pell award has provided a maximum monetary yield of $5,500. Eligibility factors like a student’s � nancial need or EFC, cost to attend school, status as a full-time or part-time student, and whether a student will attend school for a full academic year or less, are considered before grant money can be awarded.

Pell Grant uncertainty keeps students guessing

Students

Geared for studentsWWW.PANAMERICANONLINE.COMVolume 67, No. 27 May 5, 2011

New system promises student access, ease of coursework planning

Funds up in the air due to pending Congressional budget decision

By Roxann GarciaThe Pan American

By Roxann GarciaThe Pan American

SEE PELL GRANT || PAGE 4P

BORN THIS WAYTHE PRODUCT OF GAY BULLYING 6

BORDERREPORTER

DREAM

ACT34

10 Look for it May 18.

Remembering || Holocaust survivor speaks to students

CHECK THE WEB

to look at future demands, and make better use of funds used to create classes,

“Our goal is to go live December 1 to use for advising during the spring

� ere is also additional functionality to the software.

Geared for studentsWWW.PANAMERICANONLINE.COM

udentsStu

allows advisers to determine and better track the eligibility of

functionality to the software. Alongside the degree planning aspect is the ability to view � nancial aid status. � is includes eligibility or adherence

Also enveloped in the program is an NCAA functionality that allows advisers to determine and better track the eligibility of

“Now those functionality portions will be implemented after the degree plans,” the registrar said. “� ose are

� e Information Technology department on campus is also part of the collaboration and implementation process, while working on easy accessibility

initial reason for the software transfer, according to Rhodes.

“It is my understanding that he had

can attest to many scenarios where he was sitting across from students calculating by hand the required and accumulated hours

1 to use for advising during the spring


Sfunctionality to the software. Alongside the degree planning aspect is the ability to view � nancial aid status. � is includes eligibility or adherence

and better track the eligibility of

“Now those functionality portions will be implemented after the degree plans,” the registrar said. “� ose are

� e Information Technology department on campus is also part of

wa s t h e


Allows administrators to get a more

accurate picture of

the demand for specifi c

courses needed by students.

Allows students to instantly lay out courses

in their degree plan online, including past,

present and future classes.Allows advisers to

look ahead and build course paths for students in their

degree plan online.

Advisers

u

What DegreeWorks

does:utu

What What What What DegreeWorks DegreeWorks DegreeWorks DegreeWorks DegreeWorks DegreeWorks

does:does:does:does:does:

What DegreeWorks

does:

Administration

Yet another year has gone by for us here at � e Pan American. We’ve covered various things concerning the UTPA community from budget cuts to the happenings of the NCAA Broncs. We’ve also taken budget hits of our own, going down from a 16-page paper to a 12-pager and instead utilizing the website more. Adding Flickr slide shows and so many more photos than we could for the printed paper, it is quite possible that you might be in one of them. But just because the year is over

doesn’t mean we stop working.Coming this summer you

can expect four special summer issues, the first coming out June 2 continuing coverage of the Texas congress legislation responsible for deciding exactly how much money UTPA gets from the Education budget.

Along with the four summer issues we will be bringing more photos and video of all the goings on at and around campus from Artist Unanimous art shows to unique and interesting classes o� ered during the summer.

� e summer also gives us a chance to try out new talent in our high school summer internship program. In this issue our � rst intern Analisa Cantu from Brownsville makes her Pan American debut.

Although, you don’t have to be a high school student to join our team. If you want to take on a fun, challenging and exciting experience working on the paper just might be where you should be. I know it was for me.

I’ve had the most enjoyment

and learned so much working from reporter, editor then Editor-in-Chief at � e Pan American. I’ve also gained an immense amount of valuable experience working in this fast-paced career-type environment in addition to the work I’ve done at school, I feel con� dent that I can successfully go into a professional atmosphere and execute my duties e� ectively.

� ese past years have honestly been amazing, unforgettable and just an all around blast.

If you have a knack for graphic design, writing, taking photos or editing video join our team by stopping by COAS 170 and � lling out an application. And if not, its � ne, continue reading on into the summer and follow us online.

� ank you for reading!

Sincerely,Kristen CabreraEditor-in-Chief 2010-2011

May 5, 20112

Still more to come...

The Pan American accepts letters of 300 words or less from students, staff and faculty regarding recent newspaper content, campus concerns or current events. We reserves the right to edit submissions for grammar and length. We cannot publish anonymous letters or submissions containing hate speech or gratuitous personal attacks. Please send all story ideas to [email protected].

Individuals with disabilities wishing to acquire this publication in an alternative format or needing assistance to attend any event listed can contact The Pan American for more details.

The Pan American is the offi cial student newspaper of The University of Texas-Pan American. Views presented are those of the writers and do not necessarily refl ect those of the paper or university.

Letters to the Editor

Delivery:Thursday at noon

1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539Phone: (956) 381-2541

Fax: (956) 316-7122

THE PAN AMERICAN

Vol. 67, No. 27

Anthony Salinas/THE PAN AMERICAN

Kristen Cabrera Editor in Chief

Letter from the Editor FOLLOW US:

f acebook

@ThePanAmerican

issuu.com/

thepanamerican

thepanamerican

.com/thepanamerican

Flickr.com/

EDITOR IN CHIEF: Kristen Cabrera [email protected]

NEWS EDITOR: Roxann Garcia [email protected]

ONLINE/SPANISH EDITOR: Denisse Salinas [email protected]

ARTS & LIFE EDITOR: Benny [email protected]

SPORTS EDITOR: Sara Hernandez [email protected]

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR: Alma E. Hernandez [email protected]

SENIOR DESIGNER: Jennifer Tate [email protected]

DESIGNERS: Alexis [email protected]

Erick [email protected]

ADVISER: Dr. Greg [email protected]

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE: Anita Reyes [email protected]

ADVERTISING MANAGER: Mariel [email protected]

WEBMASTERS: Jose Villarreal [email protected]

Selvino [email protected]

When J. Chris Trevino came to � e University of Texas-Pan American, he thought, like many do, that he would just stay for undergraduate classes and then transfer to another place. But he changed his mind.

“I got accepted to other schools,” said Trevino, who moved to the Valley at age 10 and attended high school in McAllen. “I said, ‘You know, I’ll do two years at UTPA then I’ll leave for Southwest, for UTSA,’ just like a lot of people do. But I liked the experience, I liked the people, I liked my surroundings – the city, and I so I decided to stay in Edinburg.”

� at decision had far-reaching

e� ects in Trevino’s life. � e son of Hidalgo County Sheri� Lupe Trevino, he graduated with a degree in criminal justice/police administration in 2003 and went on to work as a probation o� cer and risk management specialist

for Hidalgo County. Eventually Trevino decided he would go back to school to complete the Certi� ed Public Manager certi� cation program.

“I liked that program so much and I learned so much, I was part of the � rst graduating class,” Trevino said. “� ey put you in scenarios where you’re a city manager or a councilman and you have a problem like ‘Do you want to outsource it, or do it

in-house? Why do either one of the two?’ � e experience was invaluable, it really helped me.”

While Trevino was going through

the CPM, he was also getting his master’s degree in Public Administration, graduating with it in 2010.

“A lot of people go the college and get degrees, graduate degrees and some don’t really use it in their field. Me, I use it every day,” said Trevino, who is now general operations manager for County Precinct 4 and is running for Edinburg City Council.

Trevino is not the only UTPA alum in the on the May 14 ballot for the council seat vacated by Alma Garza. Bank vice president Elias Longoria and businessman Homer Jasso Jr. also have degrees from UTPA while incumbent Gene Espinoza does not.

“(At UTPA) I have teachers who I’ve built lifelong relationships with, and some who are very involved in my campaign now,” Trevino said. “I’m a product of the UTPA system: bachelors, master’s, CPM. Running, I hope to make them proud over there.”

Memories of contribution and success are some of the things that Bob Lim, vice president for Information Technology, will take away after six years at � e University of Texas-Pan American.

Lim, who has more than 20 years of experience in IT, will be departing for a position at Kansas University as its chief information o� cer.

“My role at KU will be similar to the role I play now at UTPA,” Lim said. “I will provide the institution with wide oversight of Information Technology resources and lead the development and ongoing updates of a campus IT strategic plan.”

� e MBA graduate of St. Mary’s College (California) came to UTPA in 2005 as assistant chief information o� cer of the IT division and was named vice president in 2006.

� e bulk of Lim’s responsibilities has been to serve as the University’s senior spokesperson concerning technology, computing, operational security, and system issues as they relate to administrative, � scal, student support, academic areas and daily operation of the Division of Information Technology.

� e San Francisco native recalled his experience in the Rio Grande Valley and his admiration for the students of UTPA.

“I love the Valley and the many wonderful people we have met,” Lim said. “My wife, my kids and I have met

many great people we called friends. What I will miss most is working with our students. Many of the students remind me of myself. I was the � rst to go to college and graduate in my family. Like me, many students continue to support their families even when they have their own family.”

In his time at UTPA Lim has gone beyond expectations and responsibilities and made numerous plans to support the mission of the university. He is a member of the President’s Cabinet, UT System’s Strategic Leadership Council, information resource manager to the State of Texas, board member of the Lone Star Education and Research Network (LEARN), and has served on the Finance Committee.

NEW BLOODAccording to Lisa Prieto, UTPA

presidential chief of sta� , the president’s cabinet discussed the future of the IT division and was able to make a decision on who would be the successor; this they announced in a memo last week.

Je� Graham, hired in 2010 and originally from Michigan, is the current associate vice president. He will be promoted as CIO after Lim leaves the university early in the summer.

“I am de� nitely looking forward to my new position, as it is a chance to work with a much larger section of the University,” said Graham, who came to the Valley in 1988 to work for General Motors. “� ere are so many talented

people here at Pan Am both inside and outside of IT.”

Graham explained that as associate vice president he dealt with many internal workings, whereas the chief information o� cer post entails more focus on how IT will serve the university and its mission.

To prepare for the new position Graham has worked alongside Lim and been trained by him as well, and they will continue to enjoy that professional interaction until the � nal transition June 1.

“I am working with Bob to understand everything that is going on so that nothing is lost in the transition,” he said. “� ere are many important initiatives underway right now and we cannot a� ord to let any of them drop. I have enjoyed working for Bob over the last year as I have been able to learn a lot from him. I like how he treats and respects people and celebrates their successes.”

While Lim is excited for the move and the progression of his career to a highly respected institution like KU, he expressed his pride for his students and faculty at UTPA.

“In re� ecting on my time here, I am so proud of all the employees of Information Technology,” he said. “Without their support and dedication, none of our achievements for students, faculty and sta� would have been possible. � ey deserve and should be given big applause. Go Broncs!”

May 5, 2011 3

Lim to Kansas, Graham to take reins

Bronc ex Trevino using all college lessons in campaign

High schoolers deal with budget crisis on personal basis

By Nicole JanuaryThe Pan American

By Karen AntonacciThe Pan American

Larissa Garza/THE PAN AMERICAN

FAREWELL - As VP of IT Bob Lim prepares to leave UTPA, he refl ects over the six years he spent at the University.

Corina Medina clung to the car door, not wanting to close it, not wanting to close herself o� from her dreams. “Goodbye, Johns Hop-kins,” she muttered to herself. Sever-al months later she was in the same car, parked in front of St. Mary’s University, in San Antonio.

“Instead of going to my dream medical school, the economic cri-sis and budget cuts have me falling short,” said the Brownsville Hanna High School senior. “I almost opt-ed in to just going to UTPA, be-fore St. Mary’s gave me a good o� er. Don’t get me wrong, UTPA is still a prestigious university, but not my � rst choice either. Although a pleth-ora of ‘help’ is being o� ered, it’s not enough anymore.”

With the economy in an ongo-ing crisis, that ‘plethora of help’ will

now become even less frequent. Higher education in Texas will probably come out with many bruises from the con-troversial Legislative session in Austin, some that may not be able to heal for a very long time.

“My options were to go out of the Valley,” Med-Tech junior Cecily Gon-zalez said. “Now I can’t even imagine it. I’m going to have to get a job too, even though my parents hate the idea. It’s become necessary.”

� e projected state budget shortfall is said to be over $24 billion, and although funds for colleges only make up 12 per-cent of the budget, as much as 41 percent of cuts could be made in that area.

“We need more college graduates, not more people going to class,” is the excuse that many important men, such as Bill Hammond, president of the Texas Association of School Business O� cials, are making for the unequal

By Analisa CantuThe Pan American Intern

votejchristrevino.com

SEE ANALISA || PAGE 4

cuts. It is an excuse that just doesn’t � y with the more than 27,000 high school graduates who may not be receiving funding this upcoming fall semester.

“I feel cheated out of every-thing that they have been telling us since elementary is ‘possible,’” Brownsville St. Joseph’s Acade-my junior Samantha Garcia said. “I have many friends who don’t know the best English but are in-credibly smart- with already low hope and confidence because of their language barrier…what will this do to them?”

Top 10 percent and ‘Early Grad’ scholarships may soon be few and far between, with funds dropping an anticipated 79 per-cent and the famous Pell Grant’s funding also at risk.

For awhile the TEXAS Grant was in danger, but recently it was an-nounced that the grant has been re-newed for the near future. It helps fund higher education for thousands of students, 60 percent of whom are minorities. After long hours of studying, fatigue and sacri� ce to get themselves into the Top 10 percent or meet other grant criteria, many

students feel they met their end of the bargain, and Texas has not.

“I always thought education was prior-ity for the future of our community and America as a whole,” said Brownsville Pace High School senior Pepe Fabos. “So ma-ny people transfer to di� erent, ‘easier’ high schools just to get on the top 10, all that work is worthless now.”

Many universities are entering sur-vival mode, dipping in to reserve funds, o� ering fewer remedial classes, increas-ing tuition, and cutting course selec-tions. All these moves will make it dif-� cult for many to � nish degree plans. Texas A&M and UT Austin are also now sharing lobbyists to try to stave o� disaster, and community colleges in Texas have either had their taxes raised or been shut down. Brazosport, Frank Phillips, Odessa, and Ranger colleges have been axed.

Hope, just like funds, is quickly be-ing slashed away from the hearts of ma-ny potential college graduates.

“We, as incoming freshmen could be forced to go without 71 per-cent of programs,” Los Fresnos High School senior Brooke Kretz said. “It’s too hard to even believe yet. I really feel messed over by my own state.”

Pell seekers must be undergraduate students working on their first bachelor’s degree, U.S citizens or permanent residents, demonstrate financial need by having an EFC of no more than $5,273 and be able to meet the standard for Satisfactory Academic Progress in order to receive and maintain their Pell award.

For Jovan Paez, a 24-year-old junior pursuing music at UTPA, the last two years of receiving the Pell grant for the entire academic year have been the answer to increasing his class schedule to 16 hours.

“A friend of mine told me about the Pell Grant and how it could bene� t me paying for school. Although, I had

already known about it through the Internet,” Paez said. “It helps a lot. I can now be a full time student taking more classes that bene� t me for my studies in music. I can take about eight classes per semester.”

With a one-income household salary that is less than $20,000, Paez is grateful to be receiving the award, since it helps him pay for necessary expenses like tuition, books, supplies and other miscellaneous items.

“Without the Pell Grant I wouldn’t be where I am today. I wouldn’t have the opportunity to study what I truly love; music,” Paez said. “Plus, it helps with gas, because today’s prices are just ridiculous!”

Potential budget scares aside,

having free money for summer school is still possible this summer, by qualifying for a second Pell award. Unlike loans, Pell Grants do not have to repaid.

“� e purpose of the additional Pell amount is to help needy students accelerate their academic progress by enrolling in additional terms during a year and thus complete their degree faster,” Garcia said.

� ere is no additional application required for the Second Pell award for summer. Students that have completed a FAFSA for 2010-2011 and may be eligible for this Second Pell amount will automatically be o� ered this grant and receive an award letter showing

their maximum possible eligibility for 12 hours of enrollment during summer, she continued.

H o w e v e r , students that have not � lled out their FAFSA for the current year are urged to do so because their eligibility cannot be determined without one.

NEWS May 5, 2011

Pell Grant RequirementsMust be undergraduate pursuing first bachelor’s degree

U.S. citizen or permanent resident

Fill out a FAFSA before the deadline, online at www.fafsa.gov

Meeting satisfactory academic progress

Demonstrate financial need by having an Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) of no more than $5,273

ANALISAcontinued from Page 3

PELL GRANTcontinued from Page 1

AdvertisementsMay 5, 2011

THE PAN AMERICANTHE PAN AMERICAN May 5, 2011 May 5, 2011 Page 7

UTPA BRONCS:ALL YEAR, EVERY YEAR

From beginning to end, student-athletes and coaching sta� work hard to bring recognition to UTPA on and o� the � eld. As the school

year concludes, � e Pan American recognizes indi-vidual and team achievements in UTPA athletics.

December

Febr

uary

March

November

September9/28 - Marci Logan named GWC Volleyball Player of the Week.

11/4 - Marci Logan reaches 1,000-kill mark.

11/23 - CeʼMonay Newell is recognized as GWC Basketball Player of the Week.

11/29 - Aaron Urbanus is named GWC hoops Player of the Week.

10/12 - Aswin Vijayaragavan advances to second round of the Hill Country Classic, a professional tournament held in Austin

10/13 - UTPA hosts GWC Cross Country Championships. Women get second; Matew Kotut, Lilian Lagat and Judith Chumba receive fi rst team accolades. Omar Doria makes second team.

12/13 - Petty Perry is given GWC Player of the Week recognition.

12/14 - GWC announces Bianca Torre as Player of the Week.

CeʼMonay Newell & Erin Lewis tie single-game school records. Newell with 9 three-pointers. Lewis with 15 assists.

2/24 - Bronc Basketball Athletic Association donates $35,000 for Sam Williams Scholarship.

2/28 - Oscar Barrera wins GWC weight throw Indoor Championship in NY.

Omar Doria gets second in the mile run with 4:11.13 and Andy Lopez gets second in the 800. Menʼs DMR Relay wins indoor conference title.

3/8 - Bianca Torre earns fi rst -team All-Conference and Newell makes all Newcomer team in the Great West Conference in Chicago.

3/9 - Brandon Provost makes GWC All-Conference second team

3/13 - Newell hits GWC record with 100 three-pointers.

4/5 - Omar Doria and Melinda Sarmiento are ranked nationally in NCAA Division I.

Doria 50th in the 1,500 run and Sarmento 54th in the high jump.

4/27 - Womenʼs golf gets third at GWC Championships

Haley Hocott and Majo Corey place second and third, individually.

4/27 - Bernstein and Vijayaragavan make All-Southland Conference honors.

4/30 - Jameson Strachan breaks school record in the 400-meter; named GWC Athlete of the Year..

October

Aswin Vijayaragavan

Marci Logan

CeʼMonay Newell

Brandon Provost

Womenʼs Golf

Oscar Barrera

Erin Lewis

April


rom beginning to end, student-athletes and coaching sta� work hard to bring recognition to UTPA on and o� the � eld. As the school

recognizes indi-vidual and team achievements in UTPA athletics.

Febr

uary


11/23 - CeʼMonay Newell is recognized as GWC Basketball Player







OctoberOctober

CeʼMonay Newell

Oscar Barrera

Fred

die

Mar

tine

z/TH

E P

AN A

ME

RIC

AN

Ale

jand

ra M

ore

no/T

HE P

AN A

ME

RIC

AN

Alm

a E

. Her

nand

ez/T

HE P

AN A

ME

RIC

AN

No

rma

Go

nzal

ez/T

HE P

AN A

ME

RIC

AN

No

rma

Go

nzal

ez/T

HE P

AN A

ME

RIC

AN

Fred

die

Mar

tine

z/TH

E P

AN A

ME

RIC

AN

Alm

a E

. Her

nand

ez/T

HE P

AN A

ME

RIC

AN

THE PAN AMERICANTHE PAN AMERICAN May 5, 2011 May 5, 2011 Page 6


From beginning to end, student-athletes and coaching sta� work hard to bring recognition to UTPA on and o� the � eld. As the school

year concludes, � e Pan American recognizes indi-vidual and team achievements in UTPA athletics.

DecemberFe

brua

ry

March

November

September9/28 - Marci Logan named GWC Volleyball Player of the Week.


11/23 - CeʼMonay Newell is recognized as GWC Basketball Player of the Week.




12/13 - Petty Perry is given GWC Player of the Week recognition.

12/14 - GWC announces Bianca Torre as Player of the Week.

CeʼMonay Newell & Erin Lewis tie single-game school records. Newell with 9 three-pointers. Lewis with 15 assists.




3/8 - Bianca Torre earns fi rst -team All-Conference and Newell makes all Newcomer team in the Great West Conference in Chicago.

3/9 - Brandon Provost makes GWC All-Conference second team

3/13 - Newell hits GWC record with 100 three-pointers.

4/5 - Omar Doria and Melinda Sarmiento are ranked nationally in NCAA Division I.

Doria 50th in the 1,500 run and Sarmento 54th in the high jump.

4/27 - Womenʼs golf gets third at GWC Championships

Haley Hocott and Majo Corey place second and third, individually.

4/27 - Bernstein and Vijayaragavan make All-Southland Conference honors.

4/30 - Jameson Strachan breaks school record in the 400-meter; named GWC Athlete of the Year..

October

Aswin Vijayaragavan

Marci Logan

CeʼMonay Newell

Brandon Provost

Womenʼs Golf

Oscar Barrera

Erin Lewis

April


rom beginning to end, student-athletes and coaching sta� work hard to bring recognition to UTPA on and o� the � eld. As the school

recognizes indi-vidual and team achievements in UTPA athletics.

Febr

uary


11/23 - CeʼMonay Newell is recognized as GWC Basketball Player







OctoberOctober

CeʼMonay Newell

Oscar Barrera

Fred

die

Mar

tine

z/TH

E P

AN A

ME

RIC

AN

Ale

jand

ra M

ore

no/T

HE P

AN A

ME

RIC

AN

Alm

a E

. Her

nand

ez/T

HE P

AN A

ME

RIC

AN

No

rma

Go

nzal

ez/T

HE P

AN A

ME

RIC

AN

No

rma

Go

nzal

ez/T

HE P

AN A

ME

RIC

AN

Fred

die

Mar

tine

z/TH

E P

AN A

ME

RIC

AN

Alm

a E

. Her

nand

ez/T

HE P

AN A

ME

RIC

AN

� e realization hit Marilyn Carren all of a sudden. � e friendship that eventually bloomed between her and a classmate might never have happened if they hadn’t been the only two students who consistently arrived early to their art class. � e reason why? Her friend was fat.

“Because Emi was so large when I met her, I think I was conditioned by the media and my upbringing to ignore her,” said Carren, an MFA candidate at Goddard College in Vermont. “I hadn’t made an e� ort to speak with her…because I didn’t know what to say. � en I realized, ‘I’ve got some misconceptions here.’”

Carren partnered with UTPA English professor Jean Braithwaite to conduct a presentation on their experiences with lipophobia, or “fat-phobia.” � e pair presented one of four panels that wove issues of body image and food into an overarching theme at the Social Justice and Peace Conference on campus last week.

Carren began to examine her own biases and decided to create a short documentary called “Confessions of a Lipophobe,” on the topic when her friend, Emi Zuniga, announced she would undergo weight-loss surgery. A working single mother and graduate student, Zuniga had reached 406 pounds at the time of her surgery and drew up a will in case anything went wrong.

“People are prejudiced against

overweight people, and they don’t even realize it because it’s allowable in our society,” Carren said.

Braithwaite shared her own struggles with weight gain and loss with a reading from her memoir, “FAT: � e Story of My Life and My Body.” She also discussed the discrimination faced by overweight people, called size-ism, which a� ects everything from the quality of medical care they receive to their likeliness to attend college.

“To be prejudiced is part of human nature, but we can � ght it,” she said. “If it made even a little tiny di� erence to [students’] subtle beliefs of what fat means, I would feel like it’s a success because it’s engrained in there pretty deep by our cultural habits.”

While the concept of lipophoia may be new to some, criminal justice junior Martha Davila discussed an issue that can be raised by � ipping open almost any magazine during the panel, “Sexual Politics of Meat: An Exploratory Research of Advertisements.”

“Women in ads often only eating vegetables, when food is present, but are referred to as ‘pieces of meat,’ the 23-year-old said during her presentation, “Fragmented and Consumed Women.” When combined with the observation that meat-eating is largely associated with masculinity and power, the result is an underlying message that women’s social role is to remain passive and submissive to men.

“It’s degrading the way they portray women,” Davila said. “We’re so used to it because we see it a lot going through

magazines and listening to music that we don’t see anything wrong with it until it’s pointed out.”

English major Teresa Hernandez isn’t a fan of meat in any sense, as she expressed while moderating “Chican@s and Meat: A Panel on Veganism/Vegetarianism within the Chican@ and RGV.”

“Initially, it will be met with a lot of resistance because…you’re breaking what’s considered a social norm in your family setting,” she said of the common reaction to Valleyites who choose a meatless diet. “A lot of people think that food is something that we do just to sustain our lives, but it really is an emotional, psychological, a political, cultural thing.”

W h a t vegetarian and non-vegetar ians alike may not know is that if the tomatoes they buy come from Florida, there’s a chance that the � rst person to touch the vegetable was a farmworker in Immokalee, a town whose agricultural workers are in a struggle against what they call modern-day slavery.

“Slavery doesn’t exist in a vacuum,” said 27-year-old John-Michael Torres, a community organizer for the Valley

chapter of the Student/Farmworker Alliance who presented “Modern Day Slavery and the Consumer Connection.” “We have a strong voice on the other side of things in demanding that our food come from � elds where human rights and dignity are respected.”

� e average farmworker would have to pick over two tons of tomatoes each year to make minimum wage,

said Torres, and seven cases of forced labor involving over 1,000 Florida workers have been prosecuted by the federal g o v e r n m e n t since 1997.

S F A partners with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, a g r a s s r o o t s Florida workers rights group, and have convinced large produce buyers like Burger King and Sodexo to pay one cent more per pound for their tomatoes. � eir current focus is on Quiznos.

“ W h e n you start opening people’s eyes just a little bit, they open their own eyes the rest of the way,” Torres said. “� rough education…we can invite people to learn more, to open their eyes a little bit, and see the bigger picture.”

May 5, 20118

Biases examinedBy Nadia Tamez-Robledo The Pan American

Food panel discusses social issues related to weight, farm labor

The pieces of “The Avengers” puzzle are coming together in preparation for a 2012 release. The latest is the tale of “Thor.” The movie will focus on the story of Asgard and the Frost Giants. The fi lm will be released Friday.

Atlanta-based band Manchester Orchestra will release their third album, “Simple Math,” on Tuesday. Front man Andy Hull, 23, calls the album a conversation between himself, his wife and God.

Call it sad or a creepy addition to your long-distance relationship. The Kajimoto Laboratory has invented a device that allows users to French kiss online. The device is controlled by a user’s tongue which causes a response in another device.

“Workaholics,” the Comedy Central television show about three loveable slackers and their cubicles, has just received the green light for a second season. The current 10-episode season airs Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m.

LISTEN UP!— Criminal justice major Chris Prado speaks about animal cruelty in the SBSC building Friday during the Social Justice and Peace Conference.

John-Michael TorresPresenter

“When you start opening

peopleʼs eyes just a little

bit, they open their own

eyes the rest of the way.

Through education … we

can invite people to learn

more, to open their eyes

a little bit, and see the

bigger picture.”

Freddie Martinez / THE PAN AMERICAN

AdvertisementsMay 5, 2011

Las imágenes de mi infanciaEl festival de cine CineSol, es un

festival creado para promover y enaltecer el arte del cine del Valle del Rio Grande. Ésta organización se dedica a apoyar a los aspirantes a cineastas fomentando alianza entre la comunidad para darse a conocer. CineSol hizo su debut en septiembre de 1993 durante la celebración del mes de la Hispanidad y realizó artísticos cultuales en las ciudades de Matamoros y Reynosa.

Entre las diversas actividades y programas con los que cuenta CineSol, se encuentra el concurso de 24 horas para crear un cortometraje. Éste año, el evento se llevó a cabo el pasado 30 de abril en las instalaciones de Cine El Rey en el centro de McAllen. La hora de registro fue entre 8:30 y 10:30 horas, para mas tarde comenzar el reto. Fueron diversos los equipos y la temática de los cortometrajes, pero todos ellos lograron la creación de un material muy presentable a pesar de solo contar con pocas horas para realizar la selección del elenco, el desarrollo de la trama y la edición.

Los jueces de éste año fueron Álvaro Rodríguez, Omar Rosales y Jay Cantú. Rodríguez es escritor desde la infancia y en colaboración con Robert Rogriguez, escribió una serie de cortos, además del famoso largometraje del 2010, Machete. Por su parte, Rosales, quien cuenta con una formación en Derecho y Antropología, es un cineastra multipremiado por su primer largometraje llamado “El cielo en el exilio”, en donde Rosales retrata la vida actual de los refugiados tibetanos y el Dalai Lama. En el Festival de Cine de Inglaterra ganó el premio a mejor película documental, al igual que es el festival de Sudáfrica, además de ser nominado al premio Rising Star.

Se vivió un ambiente de camaradería y sobre todo mucho dinamismo por parte de los equipo creativos para cumplir con el cometido y presentar su proyecto el primero de mayo. “Creo que eventos cómo éste son los que nos motivan a seguir creando arte y a no desanimarnos”, dijo Mariana Gutiérrez, 25, actriz originaria de McAllen Texas. “Muchos cineastas y actores dejan sus sueños atrás al creer que sólo pocos cuentan con la suerte de lograr posicionarse en el mundo del cine, sin embargo, considero que se debe luchar siempre por los sueños”.

CineSol planea seguir con éste evento anual esperando convocar más artistas cada año y demostrar y promocionar el talento del Valle de Texas. La presentación de los � lmes será éste próximo siete de mayo a partir de las 19:00 horas en Cine El Rey, en donde los afamados jueces seleccionarán un ganador.

Por Karen VelázquezThe Pan American

Una exposición con corazón mexicano nos regresa el folklor típico de una niñez en México.

TOMA-TODO - Un toma-todo gigante estuvo en medio de la exposición que refl ejaba la educación y herencia hispana de Diego Monterrubio.

Reynaldo Leal /THE PAN AMERICAN

Cortos en 24 horas

El arte es una de las formas mas bellas y so� sticadas de transmitir una idea. Con un poco de inspiración un artista tiene la habilidad de comunicar un concepto que transmite amor, época, juventud y emoción al mismo tiempo.

Así lo hizo Diego Monterrubio, un recién graduado de la maestría de artes finas, con una exposición titulada “Las imágenes de mi infancia: una memoria visual”. Esta exposición artística tomo lugar en la gallería Clark de el edificio de artes finas de la Universidad de Texas-Pan Americana el pasado tres de mayo y acogió a sus invitados con tentempiés como tamalitos norteños y aguas frescas típicas.

El evento artístico, que duró aproximadamente tres horas, consistió de 23 piezas acomodadas alrededor de la galería pintadas fina y precisamente con temas de la cultura popular de México. La lotería, los juegos, la comida y el honorable puerto de Tampico fueron los tópicos que, a base de fuertes colores y cambiantes perspectivas, tomaron a los asiduos al arte a ver la vida desde

el punto de vista de un niño en un México menos contemporáneo.

Monterrubio, quien es oriundo de Tampico y graduado de la universidad de Fresno, California comentó de donde provino la magia con la que

pinto sus recuerdos: “Mi inspiración para este exposición viene de las imágenes de mi infancia; crecí en Tampico y esos momentos están grabados eternamente en mi corazón y alma. El titulo de la exposición es ‘Las Imágenes de mi Infancia: a visual memory’ y en estas piezas, trato de demostrar esos lindos momentos y artículos de ‘nuestra’ infancia”. M o n t e r r u b i o , quien también ha expuesto mas de 30 veces sus obras en varios estados de la nación y hasta en Vietnam, declaró que ya logrando

este titulo de la maestría en UTPA este 14 de mayo, regresa a California a seguir con sus exposiciones en Junio y Septiembre en Fresno, California y otro en San Francisco en el Otoño del 2011.

Fueron muchos los asistentes a tan nostálgico evento artístico, diferentes personas con diferentes historias se congeniaron, para ver a través de los ojos del artista. “Pude visualizar a la perfección los temas de inspiración del artista, me gustó mucho que fue una exposición grande con cuadros divertidos, de esos que puedes ver por horas pero lo que más me agrado fue la perinola gigante que le daba la bienvenida a los visitantes”, dijo María Sanmiguel, quien arribó por consejo de su maestro de diseño.

El orgulloso pintor, que además de pintar cuadros también recurrió al arte plástico como una perinola gigante y un altar de la inspiración, escribió un pensamiento que plasmo

en un cuadro con el � n de profundizar en la idea de la exposición. “Con vida, cada individuo debe encontrar un sentido de la serenidad. Para mí, para crear, para pintar, es mi propósito, mi

trayectoria a la paz. Mis pinturas de arte son embajadores del pequeño reino, a veces entendido mal, de nuestras i m a g i n a c i o n e s y en este reino mis imágenes materializan y saturan mi trabajo. Todo lo que imaginas, lo puedes lograr” dijo con muchísima alegría el ahora graduado de la maestría con el � n de alentar a otros entusiastas del arte.

Fue así como otro vástago del colegio de artes finas

dejo su marca en el mundo artístico utilizando el bello folclore de una infancia que lo marco para siempre. Junto a el partirá otra generación de estudiantes cuyo intelecto y habilidad se forjo en los recintos de UTPA pero cuyo legado se quedara para inspirar a muchos y aconsejar a otros.

Por Sergio GironThe Pan American

TODO UN ARTISTA - Diego Monterrubio (izquierda) explica su exposición de Posgrado a un amigo y partidario. La exposición se extenderá hasta el 19 de mayo en la galería Clark.

Reynaldo Leal /THE PAN AMERICAN

Para ver todas las fotos visita PANAMERICANONLINE.COM

Diego MonterrubioGraduado de UTPA

“Mi inspiración para esta

exposición viene de las

imágenes de mi infancia.

Crecí en Tampico y

esos momentos están

grabados eternamente

en mi corazón y alma”.

5 de mayo del 201110

For Melinda Sarmiento, participat-ing in the high jump was never easy or clear. But through practice and great coaching she has overcome an early lack of experience to become an excep-tional leaper.

“I had only one year of experience coming out of high school, but the coaches were interested enough in me to help me and I knew it was a process,” Sarmiento said. “I was so inexperienced as a freshman that I learned something new every day. � ere was always some-thing new for me to do when I would come to practice.”

� e Progreso na-tive knew she had a chance at becoming a good jumper since she was fairly good in volleyball and basket-ball in high school. � e trick was wheth-er or not she would learn the sport quick enough to reach her full potential.

“As I say, I was very inexperienced and my freshman year I learned a lot. During my sophomore year I began to learn the detailed version of things. After I was con� dent, I began to set goals for myself. I’m Five-foot-four and I wanted to jump 5-5 consistently,” Sarmiento said. “After I would accomplish one I

would keep setting new goals. My goal this year was to hit 5-7 consistently and I’ve hit it three times so far.”

Even though Sarmiento has in-creased in her jumps from year to year, she wasn’t always sure that would hap-pen. She says that at her high school things were disorganized and that things were very unclear for her especially in a sport in which she just joined because she wanted to stay active and have fun throughout her last days at Progreso.

“I’ve accomplished much during the whole process of learning the sport in general. I love the competition and it has become fun now, but there was a

time when I had no idea how the sport worked. I didn’t even know what regionals or anything was,” Sarmiento said. “Once I got to UTPA and as I be-gan to gain knowl-edge about the sport itself, I start-ed understanding that there were ways to get bet-ter when at times I had no idea that was possible. � ey showed me tech-

niques that helped me get to where I am now.”

During Sarmiento’s junior and se-nior year she has improved greatly, and is currently ranked � rst in the Great West Conference and in the top 50 in

the nation. She looks to improve and complete her goals, which are to qualify for regionals and ultimately nationals.

“I’m just trying to do it an inch at a time, next up is to hit 5-8 and I’m waiting for the moment,” she said. “I’m hoping to qualify for regionals after the Great West Conference Champion-ships. I’m working hard each day for that moment.”

If her accolades don’t speak for themselves, Assistant Track and Field Coach Xavier Richardson has seen Sarmiento day in and day out at UTPA and has nothing but praise for the se-nior jumper.

“I came in here junior year, and she has been the hardest worker out there. You don’t have to keep watch-ing her to make sure she does what she’s supposed to do. During practice she works hard and takes care of busi-ness,” Richardson said. “� is year she has jumped much higher than the past years and we can attribute that to her hard work, dedication, and diligence. At times she’s looking up, literally, at her competition and she has mastered that mentality of not being intimidat-ed. She loves what she does and is very passionate and focused.”

Sarmiento is a senior majoring in criminal justice. After graduation she hopes to enroll in the academy in Aus-tin to become a DPS trooper.

JAMESON STRACHAN BREAKS SCHOOL RECORD

� e University of Texas-Pan Ameri-can’s Jameson Strachan continued his vast improvement with another great

performance at the Bobcat Invitational meet at Texas State University last week, breaking his own school record in the 400-meter dash with a time of 46.60.

“Basically I’m taking it one step at a time. Every race is an obstacle and I’ve been able to overcome every one. I’m trying to keep my body healthy and stay focused on my next goal, which is to run an equivalent time of 45 seconds or better,” the senior sprinter said. “At this time I’m focused and ready for the Great West Conference Championships and beyond. � e pressure is gonna be on me. Everyone is going to try to beat me, but I’m ready to take it all on full force.”

After last weekend’s meet Strachan is ranked No. 33 in the nation in the event, and maintains a 1.53-second lead on Skylar Burningham of Utah Valley in the GWC individual standings.

On Strachan’s recent success, track and � eld coach Dave Hartman had high praise.

“Jameson ran an amazing race that will put him in position to advance to the NCAA Champion-ships,” he exclaimed.

Strachan arrived at UTPA in the spring of the 2008 semester after trans-ferring from Dickinson State Univer-sity. He is originally from Nassau, Baha-mas. � is year, he has progressed during each meet he has participated in and has broken his own school record in the 400m for the second time in the out-door schedule. Yesterday the Great West Conference announced that Strachan was named Athlete of the Year for the week ending May 1.

Next up on Strachan’s list is trying to break that 45-second barrier and advance past the conference level to re-gionals and beyond.

“I would say getting that mark would be a career achievement for me, along with gaining my degree of course,” said the business major, who will graduate next weekend. “Last year I ran in the 47-second range and this year I’m trying to hit 45 seconds or under. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to � nish my career here at UTPA on top.”

Besides Strachan and Sarmiento, Edinburg North ex Omar Doria broke Westly Keating’s 1,500-meter run school record by almost one sec-ond at the Stanford Cardinal Invita-tional. Keating’s record was 3:49.69 (2003); Doria ran a time of 3:45.57 last weekend at the track meet held in Palo Alto, Calif.

Strachan, Sarmiento and Doria will look to improve and qualify for region-als at the GWC meet in Orem, Utah, May 12-14.

May 5, 2011 11

Broncs make it a good oneSenior track and � eld athletes strive to � nish

collegiate career with regional-qualifying marks.By Michael SaenzThe Pan American

Melinda SarmientoSenior

“I love the competition and it has become fun now, but there was a time when I had no idea how the sport worked.”

MOST IMPROVED - Although Melinda Sarmiento of Progreso joined the UTPA track team only with one year of high-jump experience, she is now one of the most successful members of the team.

Alma E. Hernandez/THE PAN AMERICAN

ONE STEP AT THE TIME - Jameson Strachan broke the 400-meter dash school record last weekend at the Bobcat Invitational with a time of 46.60.

Jason Smith/THE PAN AMERICAN

WOMEN’S TENNISGWC CHAMPIONSHIP

Seattle 4, UTPA 0North Dakota 4, UTPA 0

BRONC TRACKER

BASEBALL SERIES AGAINST HBU

4/29 W 16-44/30 W 10-24/30 L 13-125/1 L 12-9

MEN’S GOLF

AMERICA SKY CONFERENCE

CHAMPIONSHIP

9 UTPA 940T17 Santiago Bueno 229T20 Kevin Kirakossian 230T37 A.J. Gonzalez 237T45 Johnatan Sloss 237DQ Walker Barrett 244

the pan american May 5, 2011

may 5, 2011

Documents

e software

e program

e intent

e idea

software transfer

program planning

student information

registrar je rey rhodes