THE

PAN AMERICANT h e S t u d e n t N e w s p a p e r o f T h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Te x a s - P a n A m e r i c a n J a n u a r y 1 3 , 2 0 0 5

This is the first of a two-partseries discussing the possibility offaculty workload reduction and theconsequences it may have on studentsand staff at UTPA.

While students took a break overthe holiday, University of Texas-PanAmerican faculty were busily check-ing e-mail discussion boards and con-templating life with one less class-room hour. New president BlandinaCardenas has raised the possibility ofa reduction in faculty workload,s o m e -

thing many faculty have lobbied afterfor years. One committee in particu-lar has been dedicated in making thechange.

One UTPA associate professor,Dora Saavedra, of communication,could use the time.

Scheduled to teach three classesin the spring, Saavedra is an under-graduate adviser, an internship super-visor, supervisor for three independ-ent studies, plus a member of theFaculty Senate.She alsohas a fam-ily some-

where in between and is expected toconduct research in her field.

Saavedra, nonetheless has foundtime to be part of the University TaskForce on Workload and StandardsCommittee, tirelessly seeking to findthat extra time. That group is at theheart of the discussions about theworkload reduction.

In explaining what she calledher, “hectic, somewhat pathetic life,”Saavedra said, “Most do what they dobecause they love it.”

By contract, UTPA faculty are

THE

PAN AMERICAN

Melissa Martinez/The Pan American

Faculty enlivened by less classroomhours, more research timeVacancy: Rocha

and Medrano leaveDean positions

By EMMA CLARKThe Pan American

Welcome Back Broncs

POLICE ADVISORY

Students and staff will returnto campus Thursday to find107 covered in holes anddug up as the Edinburg CityCouncil carries out its 18-month construction plan.University Police are advisingall those heading to UTPA totake alternative routes tocampus, due to the heavybuilding work. Police arewarning drivers to be readyfor long lines and wait times.They are expecting all routesonto 107 to be congested,especially Jackson, Sugar andMcColl Roads and 10thStreet. Police are also advis-ing drivers to leave theirhomes early, and of course,drive safely. They suggestedavoiding the area particularlyat peak times: early morning,lunch and late evening.

A Messy Situation

Franco Caballero/The Pan American

See FACULTY page 11

Two colleges at TheUniversity of Texas-Pan Americanwill begin the semester with achange of leadership.

In an announcement to facultyand staff of UTPA Wednesday, oneday before classes began for thespring semester, Rodolfo Arevalo,vice president for academic affairs,announced that there was a “deci-sion to implement a change in theleadership for the College of Artsand Humanities.”

The change was to removeDean Rodolfo Rocha from hisposition after six years, and placehim on leave until he assumesteaching responsibilities in the fallsemester. Rocha will return toUTPA with a focus on teachinghistory. The same circumstancehas occurred with Hilda Medrano,dean of the College of Education.

“We, myself and PresidentCardenas will be deciding over thecourse of next week who the facul-ty and staff nominations would befor the position,” Arevalo said.“We’ll then review the candidatesand interview them within twoweeks. This will be a fastprogress.”

Traditionally, when a newpresident comes into office, there’sthe possibility that people will beremoved or reassigned from their

current position. Dr. Blandina

C a r d e n a s ,UTPA’s presidentsaid she appreci-ates the manyyears of dedica-tion fromMedrano andRocha to UTPAand its students.

“I appreci-ate the manysignifigant edu-cational contri-butions thatthese individu-als have made intheir respectivecolleges and I’mgrateful for theirdedication andservice to theuniversity,” Cardenas said.

UTPA faculty has questionedthe timing of the reassignments.However, administration feels thatthe remaining leadership of thecolleges in question will be ablecope until acting deans areappointed. With the addition ofnew college leaders, Arevalo main-tains that no other major changeswill take place as of now.

“I don’t think that the focusor the strategic direction of the col-leges will change,” Arevalo said.

Rocha

Medrano

See DEANS page 11

By CLARISSA MARTINEZThe Pan American

An Entertaining SpringWhether the coming of spring means dusting off books or punching

holes in a time card, it doesn’t have to symbolize the end of leisure

time. The university and the Rio Grande Valley provide several

entertainment options for the new year. See Page 8 and 9

1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539

(956) 381-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122

http://www.panam.edu/dept/panamerican

53rd Year – No. 15

The PANAMERICAN isthe official studentnewspaper of TheUniversity ofTexas-PanAmerican. Views presentedare those of thewriters and do notnecessarily reflectthose of theuniversity.

The Pan Americangladly acceptsletters fromstudents, staff andfaculty regardingnewspaper contentor current issues.The Pan Americanreserves the rightto edit submissionsfor grammar andlength. Please limitsubmission lengthto 300 words. ThePan Americancannot publishanonymous letters,or submissionscontaining hatespeech orgratuitous personalattacks. Letters areprinted at thediscretion of theeditor and mustinclude the writer’sname, class/titleand phone number.

Letters policy

January 13 2 0 0 5

Readers with dis-abilities mayrequest an alter-native format ofthis publication atThe Pan American

business office. For special assis-tance to attendany event listed inthis publication,contact the coor-dinator of theevent at least oneweek prior to theadvertised date.

OPINION l e t t e r s n e d i t o r i a l s n c a r t o o n sPAGE 2

EditorClarissa Martinez

clarissa_utpa@hotmail.com

News EditorsDulce Gonzalezbluetinky10@aol.com

Emma Clarkkoco16@hotmail.com

A & E EditorOmaira Galarza

omairang@yahoo.com

Sports EditorJoey Gomez

jgomez23@panam.edu

Graphics EditorsDägoberto Pérezbachur@mail.com

Ginmarie Mabryohnesie@yahoo.com

Photography EditorFranco Caballero

photomosaix@aol.com

Graphic/Web Design

Eduardo Martinezemartinez23@panam.edu

Raul Cervantesracervantes1@

panam.edu

Delisa Guadarramavivalaconga@aol.com

Reporters

Jacob Alegria

Lylony Cazares

Daryl Gonzales

Joey Hinojosa

Photographers

Joel de la Rosa

Marcos Cervantes

Amanda Garcia

Copy EditorJason Chapa

SecretaryDiana Corpus Garza

CAS 170381-2541

AdviserDr. Greg Selber

CAS 154292-7201

selberg@panam.edu

DeliveryAnthony Pinal

Thursday noon

THE

PAN AMERICAN

CalendarJan. 17

Martin Luther King Jr. Day; no classesJan. 20

1. Twelfth class day (Official censusDate)

2. Last day to receive 100% refund for“dropped” classes. Students must

remain enrolled in one course in orderto receive 100% refund for the

dropped courses. Feb. 2

400 Years of Don QuixoteLibrary Gallery, 5 p.m.

An exhibit and presentation by theOffice of International Programs.

Refreshments will be served.Feb. 3

Poet Laureate: Ted KooserStudent Union Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 11Last day to receive a DR, W or

change to non-creditMarch 7-12

Spring Break; no classesApril 15

Last day to drop a course or withdrawthrough the Office of Records and

RegistrationApril 25

Deadline to file Application for Degreeform with the Office of Records and

RegistrationMay 5-6

Limited departmental final exams;dead daysMay 9-12

Spring Final Examinations

May 131. Final grade reports due in the Office

of Records and Registration2. Commencement exercises for mas-

ter and doctoral degree’s

A new year, anew semester, anew Pan American.Well, not quite.

After being atThe Pan AmericanNewspaper forthree years, I’vebeen able to see thechanges the paper,department and

university has undergone and is continuingto go through. As being a staff member ofThe Pan American, I have also seen andbeen part of the news process of the studentnewspaper.

In this time writing and editorial deci-sions of the paper have improved and grownwith the university. This semester will be nodifferent as I’m sure the paper will neverstop evolving and improving. Along withnew leadership in certain sections, the staffhas also learned from past trials and tribula-tions.

There is much to look forward to. First ofall, there is a new editorial staff eager andready to begin a new year. In a matter offour months, the staff of The Pan Americanwill bring students 14 issues. To some, itmay not sound like a lot, to us, each week is

fun-filled with deadlines, photo ops and ofcourse, nagging editors. I kid.

With most of the editors are now veteransawaiting graduation; there is a feel insidethe newsroom of wanting to serve the stu-dents the best we can. That means comingup with new ideas, finding new stories andcreating more interaction with the readers.

Within these months, editors are planningon assigning reporters to investigate studentissues such as tuition rates, student loansand even the how effective student evalua-tions are. The staff is also interested in look-ing into faculty workload, outstanding stu-dents or how the university is being affect-ed by local politics.

For example, the graphic editors areworking hard on developing a stronger Website where students can read The PanAmerican stories online, and possible evenstories from the AP wire and weekly polls.The idea is to have The Pan American at thefingertips of all students and provide a bit ofinteraction through feedback loops.

Although The Pan American has a largerstaff than ever before, there is still an inter-est in having more students participate. Thenewspaper isn’t solely opened to journalismmajors. Compared to other schools, that isone thing that is different about the paper. If

a student is a math or biology major thathappens to enjoy writing, the door is openfor them to stop by. Who knows what hid-den talent is around the campus, we’re will-ing to give anyone one chance.

One thing the editors of this semester areplanning to offer in abundance is informa-tion for students. The editors all have ideasof what they want to do with their sections,but the input doesn’t stop there. To knowexactly how to serve the community, weneed as much feedback as possible. The PanAmerican is beginning to receive commentsfrom students and faculty, and this is some-thing student newspaper employees appre-ciate.

If there are any stories that readersbelieve are newsworthy, let the staff know.If you know of an event that is important toUTPA, contact us. The editors of the paperare constantly looking for new stories, newfaces and new ideas that will improve thepublication. Helping out will simply makeeverything better.

If there are any questions about the publi-cation or any suggestions feel free to con-tact us. E-mail, phone or stop by the news-room at CAS 170. Come on by. Welcomeback UTPA, and welcome back to The PanAmerican.

Clarissa Martinez

Welcome Back Broncs; New semester dawns

Searching around for the best bargains onbooks, while trying to get the maximumamount for selling them back can be difficultand stressful for students, but it is a necessaryevil.

High school graduates soon learn college isa totally different ball game. Adding to the taskis the rising price of textbooks.

Robert Cantu, store manager of theUniversity Book Store in Edinburg said,“Publishers rationalize the increased price oftextbooks by saying that the cost of paper hasgone up.”

He added that as topics covered in classesbecome more advanced, many texts requiremore information and editing, pushing up thecost of book further.

“Publishers argue that additional materialsincluded in packages (CDs, access codes, etc.)are driving up the prices,” Cantu said.

Store prices suggest the average new text-book can cost up to $100. This can add up whenseveral must be purchased at one time for a fullsemester course load.

The end of the fall semester saw flyers for“Fall Used Textbook Buy Back” littering theUTPA campus. Many students opted to sellback their books to these vendors, in an attemptto make money back on their purchases. Moneyis often in the transition.

For example, a new edition of the basicSpanish book “Dos Mundos” purchased new is$91.50, but was only bought back for $10 atSouth Texas Book and Supply in Edinburg.

Store clerk Alex Perez said, “Prices on sell-back books change depending on how muchthey have in stock.”

Perez added, “It depends on whether the

university chooses to use that edition for thefollowing semester.”

Often students are dismayed to find thattheir book is not being used again, making ituseless as a moneymaker.

Cantu stressed the importance of receivingtextbook adoptions from professors on time.Continued use of the same text over severalsemesters also helps. If he knows what editionswill be in high demand, the UniversityBookstore will payback 50 percent of the newbook’s value because they know there will be ahigh demand for it.

“All profits made go back to theUniversity,” said Cantu. “And the honest truthis that the margins of percent of income has notincreased in over five years.”

Cantu realizes that it can get expensive, butstressed the business aspects have to be takeninto consideration as well.

“It’s a balancing act,” he said.Sometimes however, the bookstores can

refuse to buy back books they had previouslysold.

Perez says this is because book publishersare coming up with new editions of the text allthe time, making the old editions obsolete.

Cantu agreed. “When editions change, they cannot buy the

book back,” he said. “Recently, publishers wantto make sure the lifespan of a textbook is short-

er. They only make profits once.” Many students believe that this system

seems to work against them. Freshman Rick Villarreal said, “The

University Bookstore’s goals seemed to beaimed at taking your money, and then buyingback the book at less then half of what you paidso they can sell it for a profit.”

Villarreal said that he thought the systemshould be better aimed toward students and get-ting them the better deal, rather then focusingon profits.

Cantu maintained however, “First and fore-most, we’re here to serve the students.”

Another option for some students is to ven-ture across the border into Mexico to photo-copy a new textbook illegally. The book canthen be returned for a full refund.

Upon approaching the University Bookstorehowever, students are made quite aware of theillegality of photocopying textbooks. Large,clear signs hang from the windows, threateningaction from the Office of the Dean of Studentsand campus police.

The 2002 copyright law states, “Criminalliability may attach where a person infringes acopyright willfully and for purposes of com-mercial advantage or private financial gain…orby the reproduction or distribution…”

Breaking this felony law could mean up tosix years in prison.

Employees at the University Bookstorehave been trained to look for signs

of a book that has been photocopied, such asbent spines and creases in thepages. If these aresuspected, the store will not take back the book.

“We want to prevent students from infring-ing upon the copyright law,” Cantuexplained.

“A student can receive a photosyntheticcopy for 15 to 20 dollars in Mexico, for a bookthat can cost $100.”

Perez advised students with books theydon’t use to either hold on to them, or put themin the ‘Free Books Box’ located at South TexasBook and Supply.

Cantu jokingly said to either “build a nicefire, or simply donate them.”

Weight loss advice . . . . . . . . 4

Wellness Center . . . . . . . . 4

Nurse shortage . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5NEWSPrices put damper on students’ pockets

Minimum wage stagnantstill for Texas residents

Christmas drug bust sparksconcern among officers

Some won and others lost in the latest laborfight. Minimum wage in Texas stayed the same,while workers in Illinois, New York, Oregon,Vermont and Washington received a raise rang-ing from 10 cents to a dollar for the New Year,according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Texas raised its minimum wage to the currentrate of $5.15 an hour on Sept. 1, 2000 accordingto the Texas Workforce Web site. Though thestate rate did not rise this year, lobby groupresearch argues that it should have.

According to a 2000 Texas Center for PolicyStudies study on living wages, federal guidelinesestimated that full-time year-round workerswould need to earn $8.20 an hour to support afamily of four at the poverty level in the LowerRio Grande Valley. The study also suggests thatit’s up to individual communities to implement

higher wage policies through living wage ordi-nances. The Valley has some of the highestunemployment and highest poverty rates in theUnited States, so the issue of minimum wage isalways important for its residents.

Dave O. Jackson, assistant professor of eco-nomics & finance at The University of Texas-Pan American, said that the Texas minimumwage stays the same because of a large agricul-tural base that relies on cheap labor.

“Agriculture can only compete, in term ofprices, if you do have a cheaper labor base. If youwere to increase in your labor cost, then youbecome less competitive,” Jackson said.

“That’s one of the main reasons why you arenot going have them try to push that [minimumwage] up, unless you have very strong unions,”Jackson explained. “We have an abundance ofinexpensive labor, there’s little leeway for unionsand for workers’ rights representatives to take a

By RENEE CAVAZOSThe Pan American

By GINMARIE MABRYThe Pan American

See MINIMUM WAGE page 12

University Police arrested three individualson Van Week Street after uncovering fourpounds of marijuana in their car. The drugswere found during a routine traffic stop shortlybefore the Christmas break.

In light of these findings, Police ChiefHoward Miller said that homeland security isalways a top priority.

“You never know what you’re going to find.But we certainly have become more vigilant inlooking while we’re with individuals,” henoted.

He also commented that as a university,UTPA is regarded as a “soft target” for drugs.Its location near the U.S.-Mexico border puts itright in the middle of one of the most activeareas for smuggling and sales.

None of those involved with the Decembercase were UTPA students.

“They were all actually from San Antonioarea,” said Sgt. Delma Lopez of CampusOrientated Policing and Patrol/CrimePrevention.

Chief Miller speculated the four where ontheir way back to San Antonio.

According to Sgt. Lopez, Pamela Garza, 19;Alex Silva, 20; William Houston, 20; and afourth individual, Brian Knight, 26, were pass-ing through campus in a beige Ford

Taurus when Officer Roy Arce stoppedthem for running a stop sign.

While asking the individuals for basic infor-mation, Arce noticed the smell of marijuanaand asked each of them to step out of the car.

Miller stated that upon smelling drugs, theofficer has probable cause to search them.

“The officer found four pounds packaged away that seemed with intent to deliver,” Millersaid.

Possession of marijuana with intent to deliv-er, as opposed to possession for personal use, ispunishable by either a $10,000 fine, or up totwo years in state prison, depending on the indi-vidual’s criminal history, according to theEdinburg Police Department.

Pending a court appearance, the individualswere taken to Hidalgo County Jail and releasedafter posting bail.

By OFELIA PEREZThe Pan American

CRIME BEAT:

Melissa Martinez/The Pan AmericanBARGAINS - MFA graduate student OscarMartinez shops for a textbook on the eve ofspring semester. Prices are an issue yet to beresolved.

Bargaining fortextbooks

College Algebra 3rd ed.(Dugopolski)

South Texas BookstoreUniversity Bookstorehalf.ebay.comTexas Star Bookstore

Physics 2nd ed.(Walker)

Dos Mundos 5th ed.(Terrel)

New Used

101.50 77.00100.00 75.00103.00 49.90100.25 74.25

New Used

136.00 103.50135.00 101.25136.00 68.00132.00 97.00

New Used

91.50 71.50121.75 91.50121.75 91.50101.55 75.15

$

January 13, 2005 HHEEAALLTTHH NNEEWWSS Page 4

Fitness expertsoffer weight-loss advice

Only 13 days into the New Year,gyms and health stores across the RioGrande Valley are packed with peoplewho vow to lose weight in 2005.

There are several options to reach-ing the goal of shedding a fewpounds. Some opt to engage in aworkout routine, others seek outdietary pills, while a few take on anon-traditional approach and submitto surgery.

So what exactly is the best way tolose weight?

According to Albert Rodriguez,fitness consultant at Bio-Tech Fitness& Nutrition in McAllen, the first stepin weight loss and fitness is to beaware of any medical conditions.Diseases such as diabetes and cardio-vascular problems should carefully bemonitored before anybody begins aweight loss program.

Rodriguez said that a key factor inweight reduction is to keep a person’smetabolism at a consistent burningrate. To achieve this he stronglyadvised that an individual must beconsistent with meals, eating aboutsix times a day.

It is important to eat breakfast,lunch, dinner and have nutritioussnacks in between, he added.

The fitness consultant also notedthat it is crucial for people not to skipmeals. Those who generally “starve”

themselves in order to loseweight are only hurting themselves.

Rodriguez said that not eating onlycauses the body to store fat, becausethe body does not know when it willget fed again.

“When you don’t feed the body themetabolism slows down,” Rodriguezexplained. “The body begins to canni-balize and eats the muscle away. Youare not really losing weight, you arejust burning away the muscle.”

Rodriguez also advised to stay

away from eating starches and carbsin the evenings. As part of a reason-able evening meal he recommendedeating foods high in fiber, such as sal-ads and vegetables along with pro-teins, for example fish or chicken.

Melissa Garza, women’s aerobicsinstructor at X-Treme Fitness inMcAllen, explained that losingweight takes more that just eating

well. According to Garza,

there are three key elements in weightloss: dieting, a workout routine, andgetting enough rest will lead to effec-tive results.

“Rest is very important, withoutgetting enough rest you can’t do theother two,” Garza said. “You will gethurt and get sick if you don’t eat rightand get rest.”

Garza noted that it is essential forpeople to set goals for themselves,because they are an important outlineof what to do.

“If you don’t have an outline youhave nothing to go by,” Garza said.

For the best results Garza recom-mended a combination of a cardiovas-cular workout three to four times aweek, and weight training routine twoor three times a week.

Garza also stressed that the health-iest way to lose weight is throughexercise. She explained that takingdietary pills will show results, buthave bigger drawbacks.

“You will see a big differencewhen taking pills, but when you stoptaking them you will gain back theweight plus extra pounds,” Garzaadded.

For those who are not athletic,there are other options available in

The planning process for the newWellness-Recreation Center at TheUniversity of Texas-Pan American is wellunder way. The location of the Center is stillbeing finalized.

The estimated 111,000-square-foot facil-ity will likely be located near or in place ofthe current recreational fields, according toDean of Students Jerry Price.

The university is currently working witharchitects to determine what will be includ-ed in the center to offer the most appropriateservices for the students.

“We are meeting with architects on theprogramming to estimate how large it willbe and how large we can afford,” Price said.“Then that would help finalize where thebuilding is going to go.”

After the programming of the facility isfinalized, the designing phase of the build-ing will begin making floor plans available

within a month. These plans will bring thefacility closer to being approved by the statelegislature and the Board of Regents.Construction of the building is scheduled tobegin during the summer or early fall of2005.

The Wellness-Recreation Center willhouse a weight room four times larger thenthe current available university weightroom. There will also be four racquetballcourts, three indoor basketball courts, one

multipurpose court as well as a climbingand bouldering wall. Other features includetwo dance studios, locker rooms, studentlounge, outdoor recreational swimmingpool and beach volleyball courts.

Charlie Cacares and Jerome Osborne,coordinators of campus activities, believethe Wellness-Recreation Center will givestudents the opportunity to have a facilitythat provides a weight room for students, avariety of classes and benefit student’s

By LYLONY CAZARESThe Pan American

By DULCE GONZALEZThe Pan American

Wellness Center entersfinal stages of planning

Resolutionsbecome a thingof the past

A new year means opportunity for a change. A res-olution for a fresher, better person. At least for some.

Many students at the University of Texas-PanAmerican however, saw New Year’s drift by withoutresolutions. Students seem to have left the tradition ofresolving and failing in the past.

“I didn’t want to make any resolutions this year.It’s just too long term,” said Rebekah Garica, a juniorbiology major.

“Instead, everyday when I get up I’ll think ofthings that I can do to better me for that day. It’s eas-ier that way,” Garcia said.

Other students, such as senior history majorNathan Garfield, viewed New Year’s Day as a day nodifferent from the day before or the day after. Thus, aNew Year’s resolution seems more compulsory thannecessary.

“I figure when the time is right to make somechanges, then I’ll make them,” Garfield said. “Itdoesn’t need to be on a certain, designated day.”

Some say the one-year commitment can be over-whelming and can be the perfect setup for failure.

“I wouldn’t have stuck to a New Year’s resolu-tion anyway,” said Victoria Marin, a junior majoringin accounting, “So I didn’t make one. I never do.”

“I won’t stick to a resolution, so why make one inthe first place?” said Iliana Guzman, a sophomorestudying speech pathology.

Guzman’s prediction for failure is often the fatefor many New Year’s resolution hopefuls. This is alsoa reason why many UTPA students have lost hopeand veered away from the possible disappointment ofmaking resolutions.

Since they are so easy to break, resolutionsinevitably lead to failure says one Buddhist expert,Anthony Flanigan.

Some student’s who made resolutions and failedin the past, say the end up worse than they started out.

“Some people think that resolutions will maketheir life better,” Guzman said. “But it won’t. They’lljust end feeling bad about themselves because theycouldn’t follow through.”

Yet, a few students at UTPA were motivated bythe new year and opted for the classic resolution - tobe healthier and lose weight.

“I wanted to live a healthier lifestyle, to exercisemore and eat better,” said Richard Patlan, a mechan-ical engineering major.

According to a national poll done by GeneralNutrition Center, the resolution to lose weight andexercise was the second most common New Year’sresolution, right behind the resolution to spend moretime with family.

Like many around the nation, Javier Cavazos alsohoped to get in shape for the body baring week ofSpring Break, but already has tasted failure.

“I already ruined my resolution,” Cavazos said.“I wanted to get back to my original weight beforecollege and lose 15 pounds but I’ve been eating junkfood for the past few days.”

Cavazos’ desire for a fresh start was strongenough to make him keep trying. He still plans onsticking to his goal, despite a few setbacks.

For some UTPA students it seems failure is tooevident. Realistically, the tradition has just becomeoverrated and outworn.

“I just didn’t make a New Year’s resolution,”said J.C. Martinez, a junior biology major. “I justdon’t do that type of thing.”

By CECILIA CASTANEDAThe Pan American

See ADVICE page 12

Cost (per term) Size (sq. ft.)

Texas A&M Commerce $65 65,000 Texas A&M Kingsville $100 Still in designUT-San Antonio $35 65,000 North Texas $75 138,000University of Houston $12.50* 264,000*per credit hour/$150 (12 hrs)

Source: Jerry Price, UTPA Dean of Students

Texas Universities Wellness Centers

See WELLNESS CENTER page 12

Students question tradition:

“It is important to eatbreakast, lunch, dinner

and have snacks inbetween,”

-Albert Rodriguez,Bio-Tech fitness & nutrition consultant

January 13, 2005 NNEEWWSS Page 5

Recent studies have shown that there is ashortage of nurses at nursing homes in theRio Grande Valley community. Questionshave arisen as to why so many qualified indi-viduals are leaving the field of nursing, andas to why there is not enough staff at nursinghomes to assist the elderly.

There are enough patients to fill therooms, but apparently not enough staff whoare committed to their job.

According to David Williams, administra-tor of Las Palmas Healthcare Center inMcAllen, retaining employees is difficultbecause of the pull of other health care pro-grams.

“There is a problem with keeping commit-ted nurses to stay working for more thanthree years because of competitions withother programs such as rehabilitation facili-ties, home health care programs and adultday cares, not to mention salary wars,” hesaid.

Williams said most graduates entering thefield should know that their services aregreatly needed, especially in nursing homes.

“There is a great demand for nurses innursing homes, they are highly valued andwe need all types like registered nurses(RNs) and license vocational nurses (LVNs)and a good staff that has professional trainedexperience,” Williams said.

“It takes a lot to be a nurse on staffbecause you have to have people skills towork with all types of people who are chron-

ically ill or just need extra assistance,” hesaid. “Of course experienced nurses are pre-ferred but, there are good training programsto help those who are qualified and interest-ed.”

The administrator explained that the staterequires nurses in this field to be certified orhave a license to work at nursing homes. Headded that volunteers are greatly appreciated,but cannot have a large workload to do thelack of proper certification care for the elder-ly.

“It is well understood now that most peo-

ple leave their profession after a good threeyears or less,” Williams said. “It can be high-ly stressful or [nurses] are not satisfied withtheir pay and would prefer to work for a hos-pital.”

Jessica Sauceda Muniz, a sophomorenursing major at South Texas College (STC),stated that she has the passion needed towork where the need is.

“I would love to work for a nursing homebecause I have great concern for the elderlyin our local community,” Muniz said.

Muniz, daughter of an RN, volunteered at

several nursing homes and hospitals duringher high school years and realized duringstudies at STC that she would prefer to workfor a nursing home upon graduation.

“I would not be happier anywhere else if Iwas not made for this calling in life and to getpaid for what you enjoy doing is great,”Muniz said. “I believe all nurses, whetherworking at a hospital or a nursing home,should give every single patient great caredespite how much you get paid. A good nurseshould have the professional skills and theright attitude to work because no patientshould be left behind.”

On the other hand, Lilly Montalvo, asophomore nursing student at UTPA, preferspracticing her career after she graduates as anRN at a hospital, rather than at a nursinghome.

“When I volunteered my time at a nursinghome during my senior year of high school, Idid not enjoy my experience because theatmosphere depressed me,” Montalvo said. “Idid not like the idea of the elderly patientsfacing death almost every week and to seethem unhappy and alone did not uplift myspirits.

“I prefer to work with children in the nearfuture after I finish pursuing my master’sdegree in graduate school as a pediatricnurse,” she said.

To graduate with a bachelor’s degree innursing at UTPA, students are required toobtain a minimum of 125 hours and take spe-cific classes such as Community Health,Family Health, Mental Health Nursing,among others.

By JESSICA MUNIZThe Pan American

Elderly patients suffering from nursing shortage

Melissa Martinez/The Pan American

SHORTAGE-Enrique Maldonado rests in the care of nurse Leticia Gonzalez at Con CarinoAdult Day Care in the city of Elsa. The decreasing number of employees makes it difficultfor these day cares to maintain their service standards.

January 13, 2005 TTHHEE PPAANN AAMMEERRIICCAANN Page 6

Modern-day pirates steal Hollywood gold

Upcoming Events . . . . . . . 8 & 9

Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . 10

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

A&EThe days of swashbuckling pirates

searching the high seas for treasure are over.However, new times bring on a new trend.Instead of searching the ocean for gold andsilver, modern-day pirates search the Internetfor $20 million treasures—illegal copies ofmovies.

Although not as widespread as illegalmusic downloading, movie piracy is on the

rise and the Motion Picture Association ofAmerica (MPAA) is on the hunt for illegaltrading or downloading of movies online.

A July 2004 study conducted by onlineresearch company Online Testing eXchange(OTX) questioned 3,600 net users in eightcountries. According to OTX, 24 percent ofthose questioned reported that they haddownloaded a movie online and 69 percentsaid that they didn’t believe online moviepiracy was a major concern.

The study also hinted that movie piracyis on the rise. Seventeen percent of respon-dents stated that they had not yet downloadedmovies, but expect to within the next year.Meanwhile 58 percent said they expect tocontinue the practice with a current averageof eleven pirated films total each.

For several months, the MPAA has cam-paigned against this trend with ads that showvarious employees of the movie industry talk-ing about their moviemaking experiences.They mention their hard work and how theyfeel cheated when someone steals the moviethey worked on. The MPAA also estimatesthat the movie industry loses $3 billion annu-ally to global piracy.

The phenomenon is an increasingly com-mon occurrence on college campuses, andsome students feel no guilt or shame aboutdoing it because they think that moviemakingis almost always profitable.

A female student who wished to remainanonymous sells illegal copies of movies toco-workers and fellow students for $10 acopy.

“No, I don’t feel guilty,” she said. “I’vebeen doing this for awhile now and it helpedme save up money for my wedding. I’m sure[the movie industry hasn’t] lost much moneybecause of it.”

However, statistics show that only one in10 movies make money back at theaters and

four out of 10 never recoup the initial invest-ment.

Businesses that make money selling orrenting movies are also being affected.

“Business is down 15 percent from lastyear,” said Diviana Alaniz, manager of SuperVideo in Alamo. “It’s disappointing whencustomers walk in to see what’s new andthey’ve already bought them at the local fleamarket. I’ve seen the quality of these copiesand they aren’t even that good.”

A copy made from someone videotapingin a theater is often shaky, but the quality risessignificantly when it’s leaked from movieinsiders. These people have direct access tofootage and some big movies, such as “BladeTrinity” and “The Matrix Reloaded” wereleaked on the Internet before coming out intheaters. About 75 percent of the movie filesshared in 2003 were created during produc-tion or distribution of a film.

The MPAA is making attempts to stoppiracy. Two months ago, a sophomore at theUniversity of North Carolina, whose namewas not released, was sent a letter from theMPAA warning him about the penalty of ille-gally sharing media.

“The letter basically stated that I had vio-lated them by downloading certain files, andsince this is my first offense they will think ofit as a ‘slap on the wrist’ more or less,” he

By GUSTAVO RAMIREZThe Pan American

Valley nightlife is constantly reinventingitself. Former hip-hop clubs and pool hallsmorph into laid-back martini lounges withfewer people and better service. The latest addi-tions to this trend in McAllen include Fusion,located at 1415 Austin St., which used to beBuchanan’s, and Mint, located at 131 EastNolana, formerly Prada.

Fusion is a part of the City of McAllen'seffort, along with the Downtown MerchantsAssociation and co-owners Luis Guerrero,Francisco Pina and Ruben Guerrero, to bringnew life into the downtown area by creating anentertainment district. Throughout 2005, theowners of Fusion hope to open several otherestablishments including restaurants and otherauthentic pubs to add life and flavor to thedowntown district.

"I think the Valley is ready for a change,"said Guerrero, co-owner of Fusion. "We honorour customers by trying to have the best serviceavailable to them."

Fusion and Mint are both trying to givesomething different to customers by offeringmore than their predecessors could.

Fusion's intimate atmosphere gives a new

meaning to the word lounge, offering livemusic every Tuesday and Thursday as well asPoker night on Wednesdays. With its ornategold ceiling, deep blue walls and soft candle-light, customers are brought into a “DangerousLiaisons” theme full of lust, laughter and agood time.

Mint is the latest innovation from the pre-vious Prada owners, offering different musicand food services from 5 p. m. to midnightMonday through Friday, and Saturday from 8p.m.-2 a.m. Mint's modern theme and greenlighting takes a more retro approach, giving itscustomers a whole new third level, alteredflooring plan and no dress code restirictions.

"A club's life span is usually two years,"said Don Escamilla, the manager of Mint."Prada was very successful for four years, but itwas time for a change. A kind of change thatMint can offer."

Guerrero believes that to stay afloat in theentertainment world club owners must followthe example of others that have lasted. Placeslike Espana and Metropolis are inspirations toFusion because the club owners plan to succeedwhere others have fail.

“Establish a niche,” said Guerrero. “Don’tlack in service and you will stay in there for thelong haul.”

Nightclub scene changes face of nightlifeBy AMANDA GARCIAThe Pan American

With modern technology at hand movie piracy at the click of a button is becoming a majorconcern for movie industry professionals.

A martini glass overlooks the main floor of Fusion, a one-of-a-kind lounge that is part of anew stream of venues determined to innovate and reinvent Valley nightlife.

See MOVIE page 10

Franco Caballero/The Pan American

Natalie Villareal/The Pan American

“I think the Valley is ready for a

change,”

-Luis Guerrero, Fusion co-owner

JANUARY 13, 2005 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 9JANUARY 13, 2005 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 8

COMING ATTRACTIONS

SPRING2005**

If these thoughts make yousquirm, the Rio Grande Valley pro-vides opportunities for communitymembers of all ages to curb vacationwithdrawal symptoms by engagingin entertaining activities.

Movies

For premiere cinema entertainment, Valleyites can venturebeyond the usual big name theaters, such as Carmike and Cinemark.

South Texas College will boom The Beatles “Yellow Submarine”on large speakers, while animation plays on the large screen tonight at8 p.m. in the Pecan Campus Auditorium D-103 in Mcallen. Admissionis free.

In keeping with the musical theme, Cine El Rey in downtownMcAllen will show “De-Lovely,” a musical autobiography aboutAmerican composer Cole Porter starring Ashley Judd (“Twisted,”“Double Jeopardy”) and Kevin Kline (“The Emperor’s Club,” “Lifeas a House”). The film is tonight at 7:15 p.m. On Saturday at 8 p.m.the theater will show the Bollywood flick “Swades.”

Music

Avid music fans do not despair, the screen is not the only placeto catch this genre because concerts are plentiful this season.

The Bellamy Brothers, who are known for pushing the bound-aries of country music by adding rock, reggae and rap to their tunes,will perform at La Villa Real Special Events Center in McAllen onJan. 28 at 9 p.m. Reserved tickets are $20 and general admission is$13.

In the same way the Bellamy Brothers got the country musicworld talking, Duran Duran caused controversy in pop music circleswith risqué music videos, such as the dance mix of their song “Girlson Film.” The original “Fab Five,” as Rolling Stone labeled them,changed their lineup in 1985. Their stop at the Dodge Arena on Feb.16 at 8 p.m. is part of the reunion tour with the original band mem-bers.

Local musicians are bringing both popular and original scores ofmusic to the McAllen Civic Center stage. The Valley SymphonyOrchestra (VSO) and South Texas Symphony will perform a jointconcert for the first time on Jan. 28 at the McAllen Civic Center. Theconcert begins at 4 p.m. and ticket prices vary.

The two groups will perform popular classical works, such as“Hungarian Dance” by Johannes Brahms, “Liszt Piano Concierto” byFranz Listz and music from “Mission: Impossible” by Lalo Schiffrin.Audience members will recognize one or more of the pieces.

“It’s a symphonic pops extravaganza,” said Dabrowski, assistantprofessor in the UTPA music department. “That means basically thatthe program is designed in such a way that the pieces are popular andrecognizable.”

However, the VSO will also feature a new and original workwritten by Salvador Marmolejo, who is a music major at UTPA.

Dabrowski said that the Valley has many talented musicians andcomposers, and he wants to showcase their work. By featuring localtalent he hopes to forward music education in the area. The skill ofthese individuals from the university alone is abundant.

According to Dabrowski, altogether in both orchestras there are30-40 students.

Theater

Students in the Valley not only take the stage for musical endeav-ors, but also excel in the dramatic.

The spring mainstage shows include “Proof” by David Auburnfrom Feb. 23-27 and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” screenplayby Dale Wasserman from April 27-May 1. The two plays receivedTony Awards in 2001 for Best Play and Best Revival. These plays willbe in the Albert Jeffers Theatre in the Communication Arts andScience Building (CAS) at UTPA.

There is one studio show scheduled for this semester, “Arcadia”by Tom Stoppard from March 18-20 in CAS room 107. For theyounger audience, the Children’s Theatre will present “Bocon” ahumorous fable by Lisa Loomer. Ticket prices range and can be pur-chased at the University Theatre Box Office.

Those in the lower Rio Grande Valley do not necessarily have totravel to the university to enjoy an evening at the theater. The JacobBrown Auditorium in Brownsville hosts approximately one touringshow every month.

On Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m. the theater will show “I Love You You’rePerfect Now Change” by Joe Dipeitro and produced by the Rogersand Hammerstein Theatre Library in New York.

According to Maria Torres, interim director at the BrownMemorial Center, a committee from the center chose this showbecause of its humor and they think that people in the Valley willenjoy the piece.

Museums

Attending these events can generate a grumpy rumbling in a per-son’s stomach, and a trip to the Museum of South Texas History inEdinburg on Jan. 15 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. is a possible remedy.

The museum will hold a Tamalada, which is an event that fea-tures the making and tasting of tamales.

Another family oriented event that day is the Festival de ArtePopular or Festival of Popular Art at the International Museum of Artsand Science in McAllen. The festivities begin at 1 p.m. and rangefrom guest speakers by local artists to a dance presentation by BrazosRio Grande Valley School of Dance ending at 5 p.m.

Miscellaneous

Local artists will also be featured at the 16th annual Taste of theIsland and More—culinary artists. Taste buds should be prepped andready for Jan. 23 from 2 p.m.-5 p.m. at the South Padre IslandConvention Centre.

“It’s a showcase event,” Roxanne Guenzel, president of theSouth Padre Island Chamber of Commerce said. “It showcases localarea restaurants.”

Restaurants primarily from the SPI and Brownsville, such asSalty Dogs Café and Louie’s Backyard will provide samples fromtheir menus. Area businesses also hold booths with information orgoods, such as Dolphin Lodge, Echo Tourism and major gifts shopslike Ship Shore. As attendees eat and shop, the “Beach Bums” willprovide island music to create a magically day.

The Dodge Arena is bringing magic to the Valley with a namethat personifies the unexplained, David Copperfield. An IntimateEvening of Grand Illusion will take place on Feb. 8 at 5:30 p.m. and8:30 p.m. Ticket prices range and doors open one hour prior to theshows.

Schedules, wallet thickness and personal preferences in the artswill affect decisions in entertainment outings, but the Valley providesan eclectic variety of choices.

*The often dreaded, sometimes eagerly anticipated start of the spring semester is here. For studentsat The University of Texas-Pan American this marks a time for never-ending lines at the campus book-store, long hours studying at the library and circling the parking lot day after day for a prime space intheir choice lot. Working men and women return to their offices, children wiggle in their seats in theclassroom and everyone resumes the spring routine.

For more information aboutthese events:

Dodge Arena- (956) 843-6688

La Villa Real- (956) 687-7121

Valley Symphony Orchestra- (956) 393-2294

South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce- (956) 761-4412

Cine El Rey- (956) 631-0753

South Texas College (956) 668-6490

Jacob Brown Auditorium- (56) 983-7945

International Museum of Arts and Science- (956) 682-1564

Museum of South Texas History- (956) 383-6911

University Theatre Box Office- (956) 381-3581

University Program Board- (956) 316-7991

Who: The University Program BoardWhat: Spring Films

When: Friday Nights 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.Where: Student Union Theater

“13 Going on 30”Jan. 21

“Spiderman 2”Jan. 28

“Ju-on”Feb. 4

“The Notebook”Feb. 11

“Shaun of the Dead” Feb. 18

“Collateral”Feb. 25

“The SpongeBob Square Pants Movie”March 18

“Hero”April 1

“Friday Night Lights” April 8

“Ray”April 15

“The Bourne Supremacy”April 22

By Omaira Galarza

All photos courtesy of google.com

JANUARY 13, 2005 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 9JANUARY 13, 2005 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 8

COMING ATTRACTIONS

SPRING2005**

If these thoughts make yousquirm, the Rio Grande Valley pro-vides opportunities for communitymembers of all ages to curb vacationwithdrawal symptoms by engagingin entertaining activities.

Movies

For premiere cinema entertainment, Valleyites can venturebeyond the usual big name theaters, such as Carmike and Cinemark.

South Texas College will boom The Beatles “Yellow Submarine”on large speakers, while animation plays on the large screen tonight at8 p.m. in the Pecan Campus Auditorium D-103 in Mcallen. Admissionis free.

In keeping with the musical theme, Cine El Rey in downtownMcAllen will show “De-Lovely,” a musical autobiography aboutAmerican composer Cole Porter starring Ashley Judd (“Twisted,”“Double Jeopardy”) and Kevin Kline (“The Emperor’s Club,” “Lifeas a House”). The film is tonight at 7:15 p.m. On Saturday at 8 p.m.the theater will show the Bollywood flick “Swades.”

Music

Avid music fans do not despair, the screen is not the only placeto catch this genre because concerts are plentiful this season.

The Bellamy Brothers, who are known for pushing the bound-aries of country music by adding rock, reggae and rap to their tunes,will perform at La Villa Real Special Events Center in McAllen onJan. 28 at 9 p.m. Reserved tickets are $20 and general admission is$13.

In the same way the Bellamy Brothers got the country musicworld talking, Duran Duran caused controversy in pop music circleswith risqué music videos, such as the dance mix of their song “Girlson Film.” The original “Fab Five,” as Rolling Stone labeled them,changed their lineup in 1985. Their stop at the Dodge Arena on Feb.16 at 8 p.m. is part of the reunion tour with the original band mem-bers.

Local musicians are bringing both popular and original scores ofmusic to the McAllen Civic Center stage. The Valley SymphonyOrchestra (VSO) and South Texas Symphony will perform a jointconcert for the first time on Jan. 28 at the McAllen Civic Center. Theconcert begins at 4 p.m. and ticket prices vary.

The two groups will perform popular classical works, such as“Hungarian Dance” by Johannes Brahms, “Liszt Piano Concierto” byFranz Listz and music from “Mission: Impossible” by Lalo Schiffrin.Audience members will recognize one or more of the pieces.

“It’s a symphonic pops extravaganza,” said Dabrowski, assistantprofessor in the UTPA music department. “That means basically thatthe program is designed in such a way that the pieces are popular andrecognizable.”

However, the VSO will also feature a new and original workwritten by Salvador Marmolejo, who is a music major at UTPA.

Dabrowski said that the Valley has many talented musicians andcomposers, and he wants to showcase their work. By featuring localtalent he hopes to forward music education in the area. The skill ofthese individuals from the university alone is abundant.

According to Dabrowski, altogether in both orchestras there are30-40 students.

Theater

Students in the Valley not only take the stage for musical endeav-ors, but also excel in the dramatic.

The spring mainstage shows include “Proof” by David Auburnfrom Feb. 23-27 and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” screenplayby Dale Wasserman from April 27-May 1. The two plays receivedTony Awards in 2001 for Best Play and Best Revival. These plays willbe in the Albert Jeffers Theatre in the Communication Arts andScience Building (CAS) at UTPA.

There is one studio show scheduled for this semester, “Arcadia”by Tom Stoppard from March 18-20 in CAS room 107. For theyounger audience, the Children’s Theatre will present “Bocon” ahumorous fable by Lisa Loomer. Ticket prices range and can be pur-chased at the University Theatre Box Office.

Those in the lower Rio Grande Valley do not necessarily have totravel to the university to enjoy an evening at the theater. The JacobBrown Auditorium in Brownsville hosts approximately one touringshow every month.

On Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m. the theater will show “I Love You You’rePerfect Now Change” by Joe Dipeitro and produced by the Rogersand Hammerstein Theatre Library in New York.

According to Maria Torres, interim director at the BrownMemorial Center, a committee from the center chose this showbecause of its humor and they think that people in the Valley willenjoy the piece.

Museums

Attending these events can generate a grumpy rumbling in a per-son’s stomach, and a trip to the Museum of South Texas History inEdinburg on Jan. 15 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. is a possible remedy.

The museum will hold a Tamalada, which is an event that fea-tures the making and tasting of tamales.

Another family oriented event that day is the Festival de ArtePopular or Festival of Popular Art at the International Museum of Artsand Science in McAllen. The festivities begin at 1 p.m. and rangefrom guest speakers by local artists to a dance presentation by BrazosRio Grande Valley School of Dance ending at 5 p.m.

Miscellaneous

Local artists will also be featured at the 16th annual Taste of theIsland and More—culinary artists. Taste buds should be prepped andready for Jan. 23 from 2 p.m.-5 p.m. at the South Padre IslandConvention Centre.

“It’s a showcase event,” Roxanne Guenzel, president of theSouth Padre Island Chamber of Commerce said. “It showcases localarea restaurants.”

Restaurants primarily from the SPI and Brownsville, such asSalty Dogs Café and Louie’s Backyard will provide samples fromtheir menus. Area businesses also hold booths with information orgoods, such as Dolphin Lodge, Echo Tourism and major gifts shopslike Ship Shore. As attendees eat and shop, the “Beach Bums” willprovide island music to create a magically day.

The Dodge Arena is bringing magic to the Valley with a namethat personifies the unexplained, David Copperfield. An IntimateEvening of Grand Illusion will take place on Feb. 8 at 5:30 p.m. and8:30 p.m. Ticket prices range and doors open one hour prior to theshows.

Schedules, wallet thickness and personal preferences in the artswill affect decisions in entertainment outings, but the Valley providesan eclectic variety of choices.

*The often dreaded, sometimes eagerly anticipated start of the spring semester is here. For studentsat The University of Texas-Pan American this marks a time for never-ending lines at the campus book-store, long hours studying at the library and circling the parking lot day after day for a prime space intheir choice lot. Working men and women return to their offices, children wiggle in their seats in theclassroom and everyone resumes the spring routine.

For more information aboutthese events:

Dodge Arena- (956) 843-6688

La Villa Real- (956) 687-7121

Valley Symphony Orchestra- (956) 393-2294

South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce- (956) 761-4412

Cine El Rey- (956) 631-0753

South Texas College (956) 668-6490

Jacob Brown Auditorium- (56) 983-7945

International Museum of Arts and Science- (956) 682-1564

Museum of South Texas History- (956) 383-6911

University Theatre Box Office- (956) 381-3581

University Program Board- (956) 316-7991

Who: The University Program BoardWhat: Spring Films

When: Friday Nights 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.Where: Student Union Theater

“13 Going on 30”Jan. 21

“Spiderman 2”Jan. 28

“Ju-on”Feb. 4

“The Notebook”Feb. 11

“Shaun of the Dead” Feb. 18

“Collateral”Feb. 25

“The SpongeBob Square Pants Movie”March 18

“Hero”April 1

“Friday Night Lights” April 8

“Ray”April 15

“The Bourne Supremacy”April 22

By Omaira Galarza

All photos courtesy of google.com

January 13, 2005 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 10

Book examines pop culture Winter break came around and I was

meddling with the idea of reading a goodbook to keep the holiday cheer at bay – andby Jove, who doesn’t enjoy a great non-fic-tion book over pop culture? Don’t answerthat…

“Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs” by the

witty senior writer of SPIN magazine,Chuck Klosterman, provides us with hisin-depth analysis of today’s popular cul-ture. The introductory chapter is filled withquirky examples of why he believes popbands “fabricate fake love,” and how itseems that movie viewers in general createfantasy characters and incorporate theminto their lives. Within the first five pagesof this book the satirical tone is set, and Iknew the upcoming chapters would beenjoyable.

Klosterman’s wit would be on par withthat of Jon Stewart of “The Daily Show,”but then his humor and wit can sink to thephilosophical ideas of a dopehead kid dis-cussing his idea of why the moon is madeout of cheese. Some of the content disap-points and is irrelevant, such as an entirechapter over the “The Sims” video game.He does regain the reader’s attention oncehe begins discussing his forte, music.

The book is a compilation of essaysKlosterman wrote on his ideas, opinionsand analysis of sex-which he discussesthrough the analytical chapters about “TheReal World,” availability of pornographyon the Web, Pamela Anderson and ofcourse, “Saved By The Bell.”

Drugs are discussed through his verykeen knowledge of rock ’n’ roll groups. Asa matter of fact, there is a very interestingand well-written chapter, Appetite forReplication, that focuses on tribute bandsand one band in particular that pays hom-

age to Guns n’ Roses calling themselvesParadise City. This one chapter displaysKlosterman’s strong understanding ofmusic and in my opinion any chapter inthis book that deals with music is great!Klosterman has also written “Fargo CityRock,” which is pretty much along thesame satirical lines but dealing solely withmusic. This book is based on Klosterman’searlier fascinations with rock ‘n’ roll in therural parts of North Dakota. There mightjust be a review over that one in the nearfuture, but I digress…

Moving along to the Cocoa Puffs seg-ment, Klosterman’s take on the “ethos” ofcereal is definitely attention-grabbing. Hesuggests that each cereal geared toward thechildren’s market is teaching the kids tobecome “future hipsters” and how to deci-pher what is “cool” and what is not. Thisallows the children to become aware oftheir uncool surroundings and gain a senseof self-awareness through clever advertis-ing.

Klosterman also provides his readerswith a random thought at the end of eachchapter, that isn’t so ‘random’ at all, butdeals with the subject matter of the chapterin a nonsensical form that leaves the read-er either laughing, reflecting, or at timesmakes you think, “Okay that was a wasteof my time.” But don’t be discouraged bythose tid-bits that close each chapter. Thebook is a very well-written take on recentpop culture.

By SELENE GARZAThe Pan American

MOVIE continued from page 7

said. “I will continue to download, butnow, I will choose carefully. The chances ofme being caught in my opinion are small,but if I do, I am aware of the consequencesthat will follow.”

But what exactly are the conse-quences? The Copyright Law of 1976 gavethe United States some of the strongest anti-piracy legislation in the world and when itwas rewritten in 1982, it substantiallyincreased the penalties for piracy. In 1997,the No Electronic Theft Act was introducedand made several forms of copyrightinfringement a federal felony.

On Nov. 1, 2004, a new state law inCalifornia made online property crimespunishable by up to a year in jail and a fineamounting to $2,500. Most states havesimilar laws already in place includingTexas.

In Texas a person caught with illegalmovies for personal use is fined from$2,500 to $25,000, and anyone caught sell-ing pirated movies can be fined up to$500,000 or put in prison for up to fiveyears.

Despite the laws against it, movie pira-cy is here to stay for now. With the ever-expanding growth of media and the shrink-ing time it takes to download a movie, pira-cy will likely gain even more momentum infuture years unless the movie industry candevelop a strategy to counter or embrace it.The music industry has not yet been able to,but only time will tell for Hollywood.

January 13, 2005 NNEEWWSS Page 11

required to adhere to a 4-4 teaching schedule,meaning professors teach four classes in thefall and four in the spring. The committee hasbeen working to reduce these hours to 3-3,three in the fall and three in the spring.

In addition to teaching classes, facultymust comply with university service require-ments by taking part in campus activities andorganizations. They must also devote time topublishing academic research, which fallsunder the heading of professional achieve-ment.

Cardenas has described this as a three-legged chair; the university needs service, pro-fessional achievement and teaching to workproperly. UTPA’s long-term institutional goalis to transition to improved status as a researchuniversity, and accordingly the decreased classworkload would allow faculty to concentratemore on research.

Committee chair Wendy James Aldridge,also the anthropology and psychology depart-ment chair, said that this idea of change hasbeen around longer than most students.

“It’s a touchy subject, a movement in thedirection to more research. The 12-hour work-load is standard at any comprehensive univer-

sity,” she said.Saavedra explained that UTPA is the only

UT System institution that maintains the 4-4workload for tenure-track faculty.

“It has always been in discussion,”Aldridge said of the reduction, adding thatserious debate has taken place over the last fiveyears.

The committee used the very moderntechnique of an email list-serve, an online sur-vey and a town hall meeting debate to reach asmany professors as possible. Aldridge wasimpressed with the response.

“It was clear that this was an issue facultyfelt passionate about,” she said.

The committee collated all the responsesfrom the list-serve, survey and debates into areport which was given to Cardenas in mid-December, with a recommendation to reducethe workload of faculty.

The new 3-3 approach could be in placeas early as the fall semester, as class schedulesare already in review.

Saavedra explained that the reduction inworkload is keeping with the new mission ofthe university.

“It’s gone from focusing on teaching to

teaching and research,” she said.The time for change is now according to

Aldridge, and with a new president now firm-ly in office, the changes go hand-in-hand.

Saavedra agrees that without the presi-dent’s leadership and vision, the workloadadjustment may never have been made a prior-ity.

“Our president provided a window ofopportunity,” Aldridge added, “Most wereeager to get it moving. We had to say, ‘if notnow, then it will never happen.’”

While many faculty welcome the chanceto concentrate more time on research, someteaching-oriented professors are worried thatthe transition toward a research focus will hurttheir chances for tenure, and alter the student-based approach that UTPA has used in the past.

“It sounds like a good idea from an insti-tutional perspective,” said one faculty memberwho wished to remain anonymous. “But thereare a lot of faculty who came here because theresearch requirement was moderate and theywanted to be part of an environment that val-ued undergraduate students ahead of articlesand academic work.”

As outlined in the Handbook ofOperations and Procedures (HOP), professorsare entitled to take a workload adjustment in asemester by application, known as releasetime. Saavedra said that although any facultymember can do this, many don’t use this timefor research. Release time can be granted forresearch, or for special assignments such asduties as adviser.

Saavedra and Aldridge said that havingthis system in place allows for the new work-load hours to be phased in over a two-to-three

year period. “It shouldn’t be hard,” said Aldridge.

“We are expecting some kinks, bugs, land-mines that we’ll stumble across, and we knowthat.”

She explained that by cutting one classfrom the schedule, faculty has some breathingroom.

“We won’t constantly be looking at theclock. The psychology of clock time can bevery freeing,” Aldridge said.

Another benefit Aldridge feels the reduc-tion may have is that students will be taughtfirst-hand information that faculty and studentshere on the UTPA campus have gatheredthrough their research. Saavedra agrees that ineach discipline there are questions that need beasked and researched.

Aldridge said, “Professors do everything,and sometimes it’s hard to do everything.”

As the UTPA enrollment has climbed over17,000, institutional goals have become moredynamic, as the university seeks to improve itsnational reputation and satisfy the UTSystem’s vision for the future.

The faculty in large part seem to be enthu-siastic about the possible reduction, and somehave also voiced opinions that salary increasesmight be necessary to ensure that the universi-ty is able to attract and hire quality faculty tomeet the transition toward enhanced researchstatus.

Traditionally, teaching-based colleges anduniversities have offered lower salaries, whileresearch-oriented ones have been able to paymore, mainly because of the grant money andother funding that research capabilities bring tothe fore.

FACULTY continued from page 1

DEANS continued from page 1“Every time you get a new administrationin that type of position, the focus anddirection of the college will change, butright now things will remain the same.”

Medrano has been a faculty memberat UTPA since 1986, and she was also afaculty member at Texas SouthmostCollege at Brownsville, now UTBrownsville, for seven years.

She served for three years as a con-sultant for the Region One EducationService Center in Edinburg, one year as apublic school administrator, and threeyears in public school teaching at thePoint Isabel Independent School District.

Prior to being dean, Rocha was chairof the Department of History andPhilosophy for five years. He received hisPh.D in history from Texas TechUniversity and also holds BA and MAdegrees in history from then-PanAmerican University.

Rocha has been a full-time facultymember at UTPA since 1978, and has alsotaught history in the public schools, as apart-time instructor at Texas Tech and asa visiting professor at the UniversidadAutónoma de Nuevo León in Monterrey.

Arevalo insisted that the next deansshould be focused on improving retentionrates, and adding graduate programs, asthe university transitions toward anenhanced research capability and awayfrom a strictly teaching focus.

“The college is the largest collegeand fastest growing on campus,” Arevalosaid. “From my part and other administra-tors there are a few departments that weknow have a lot to contribute. The finearts are one department that has a lot tocontribute.”

To Dr. Salma Ghanem, chair of thedepartment of communication who is tak-ing a one-semester leave of absence toteach at Marquette University inMilwaukee, the decision was shocking.

“It is always unsettling when there is

change in the administration,” saidGhanem, communication chair for thepast three years. “But I understand thatthe provost and/or the president isrequesting nominations for acting dean sohopefully things will run smoothly.”

“I have no idea why this decisionwas taken but it is not unheard of for anew president to do some changes,” sheadded.

According to Michael Faubion, chairof history and philosophy, Rocha’sdemise was completely unexpected.

“I went to speak to him about a stu-dent situation and he told me he had toleave by Thursday,” Faubion said. “Buthe will be coming to my department toteach in the next semester.”

Faubion explained that the shock thatcame with the announcement was mainlybecause of the way the situation was han-dled. Because of the plans instituted byformer UTPA President Miguel A.Nevarez, Faubion was surprised that thecurrent administration would remove adean at this time.

“When Dr. Nevarez left he left plansthat would take a year or two to finish,”Faubion said. “So to have Dr. Rochaleave at this moment was a very odd deci-sion. I think the way it was handled wasdisorganized.”

At this time Wallace Tucker, associ-ate dean of the College of Arts andHumanities, and Michael Weaver, assis-tant dean of the College of Arts andHumanities, will be dealing with day-to-day events until the acting dean isappointed.

“I was surprised that it happened atthis time of year,” Tucker said. “I’mgoing to continue as associate dean, andthey [administration] are to be veryquickly looking for action of finding adean within the next two or three weeks.As for the College of Education, theassistant dean is Dr. Leo Gomez.

January 13, 2005 NNEEWWSS Page 12

strong foothold here and say that we are advo-cates for higher wages.”

Jackson noted that the abundance of cheaplabor from neighboring Mexico is a factor in thewage stagnancy.

“Because while they are bargaining on behalfof some people, there are other people comingfrom across the border who say ‘look, don’tworry, I will work for less,’” Jackson added. “Theaverage worker even at a minimum wage inTexas is substantially higher than those same peo-ple could get for example in Mexico.”

Even though minimum wage has notchanged, there are still plenty of entry-level jobsavailable that pay above the rate.

“Retail is in the lower end of the scale startingat minimum wage. Jobs in manufacturing on

average pay $6 an hour and more with experi-ence,” said Workforce Solutions External AffairsManager Dalia Rodriguez.

La Union del Pueblo Entero (LUPE) is a polit-ical organization created by Cesar E. Chavez in1979 to work with leaders in response to commu-nity needs.

“We’re continuing to fight for raising the min-imum wage. The Valley is ranked as the secondpoorest place in the country. Families work twojobs and there still isn’t enough income to survive.It’s been [minimum wage] long overdue inTexas,” said Hortencia Armendariz, LUPECommunity Organizer.

“Texas focuses on giving breaks to corpora-tions and those laws continued to press the work-ing people.”

ADVICE continued from page 4

the quest to get slimmer. Inches-A-Weigh, located at the Town

& Country Shopping Center in McAllen,is a program catered to women who wantto lose inches and live a healthierlifestyle. The program offers weight loss,along with a figure-shaping process. Theprogram offers weight loss results withoutsweating, straining or soreness.

Ellie Medina, office manager of diadayspa, said the toning beds used in theprogram are low-impact fat burners. Themachines help mold the body by workingon particular trouble areas for women.

Medina recommends the program foranyone over 30 because this is whenmetabolism slows down. Programs likeInches-A-Weigh are often utilized byolder women who can no longer go to thegym. Women simply lay down on the ton-ing bed, while the machine does all thework.

“As soon as we turn 35 our metabolismstart slowing down,” Medina said. “As weget older our metabolism gets slower andslower so we have to work harder andharder.”

According to Medina, weight problemsamong Rio Grande Valley women arelinked partially to culture. She saidwomen have to remember to eat in moder-ation. In addition, Medina said that wom-ens’ eating habits are all in the family.

“If someone is overweight, chances arethat is how the rest of the family is eat-ing,” Medina explained.

Medina advises women to drink plentyof water, keep a food journal and changetheir eating habits.

Drinking water has many benefits suchas naturally suppressing hunger while nat-urally helping the body metabolize storedfat. A food journal helps women keeptrack of what they are eating, and thistogether with help from Medina, will helpchange their eating habits.

Trying to lose weight is not always aneasy process, and many often give up ifthey don’t see progress instantly.

“People want to lose weight right awayand when they don’t see immediateresults they get discouraged,” Medinaexplained.

“They have to realize it takes time,commitment and self-discipline. It takes awhile to gain the weight so it will alsotake a while to get rid of it.”

Garza, on the other hand, believes peo-ple get discouraged because they are shy.

She said people often stop working outbecause they get embarrassed when theycompare themselves to lean, fit individu-als at the gym.

Men and women need to remember thatat a workout facility they will see an arrayof shapes and sizes.

“We all start off new,” Garza stressed.“People need to start off somewhere to getrid of the shyness.”

Medina said she firmly believes weightloss depends on the person and their atti-tude.

“If people don’t have the commitmentit is not going to work.

“You have to want it bad enough. Nodiet is going to help you unless you makeit help you.”

health. “Currently we have a weight room that stu-

dents only have access to for 18 hours a week,”Osborne said. “When the facility is open we canhave a weight room that is open for about 100hours per week.”

Cacares and Osborne also explained how thefacility will create jobs and a place for students togather in between classes.

“Research shows that students are more suc-cessful the more they spend time on campus,”Cacares said. “This facility will provide that forthem and will give students a place to blow off alittle steam.”

Many students are hoping they will be able tohave access to the center before they graduate.

Cynthia Acosta, a sophomore majoring inbusiness administration, voted on the April 1,2004 referendum to decide whether a fee shouldbe created in order to fund the construction of theWellness-Recreation Center.

“I’m glad the center is being built,” Acostasaid. “I workout at a gym in McAllen and pay

$65 a month. Since I’m already going to be pay-ing to use the Recreational Center in my tuition,I’m sure I’ll be utilizing it for my workouts inbetween my classes. I just hope it is completedwhile I’m still here.”

Students will have access to everything thefacility has to offer with the $75 student fee persemester, which includes nutritional and wellnessclasses. The Wellness-Recreation center will alsoencourage students to devolve healthy wellinformed lifestyles, explained Price.

“It’s an opportunity for people to exercise andlearn about nutrition,” Price said. “On many cam-puses they have experienced that a really highquality recreational center becomes almost like asecond student union. We think it’s a great oppor-tunity for students to participate in intramurals,aerobics and yoga classes as well.”

While the center is primarily for student useother members of the campus community willbenefit from the services. Faculty, staff and alum-ni will be able to access the center by paying a feeequal to or higher than student fees.

New York $6.00Illinois $6.50Oregon $7.25Vermont $7.00Washington $7.35

Minimum wage increased in 2005

Source: U.S. Department of Labor

MINIMUM WAGE continued from page 3

WELLNESS CENTER continued from page 4

EDINBURG, UTPA, DUPLEX1 BEDROOM/ 1 BATH, CERAMIC TILE,

WASHER/DRYER, BACK PATIO, COMPUTER STATION, ALARM, COVERED PARKING

$475/ MONTH$250/ DEPOSIT

MOVE IN SPECIAL!$200 OFF THE FIRST MONTH RENT

CALL 533-1344

Franco Caballero/The Pan AmericanSTAYING FIT - Armando Madrigal, a math professor at UTPA works out at a Cornerstone FitnessGym. Students will have acess to gym facilities with the creation of the Wellness Recreation Center.The university hopes and faculty/staff to bring an affordable outlet for recreation.

Visit theThe Pan AmericanWeb site!

http://www.panam.edu/depts/panamerican

FOR THE RECORD

Big expectations for Bronc baseballAs The University of Texas-Pan American 2005 spring baseball

season quickly approaches, the program’s improvement has alreadybrought further recognition. As the UTPA Baseball Head CoachWillie Gawlik enters his third season with the squad, the team startswith the best preseason ranking since his arrival.

Gradually the program has improved every season that CoachGawlik has been at the helm. When he first arrived, the team wasranked at the bottom of the list of the NCAA Division-1 teams. ABronc team that once was ranked 213 out of 287, is now starting theseason 117th among all Division-1 team nationwide.

On Jan. 7, the Collegiate Baseball Magazine predicted the UTPAbaseball team to finish first out of all the NCAA Division-1Independent teams.

Keying the success for the organization are it’s players. Edinburgnative Louie Alamia has been one of the standout players since hisarrival with the organization was highlighted by the publication as“Top Players to Watch” during the upcoming season. The junioroutfielder had an outstanding season last year finishing with a .324batting average; also he led team in most of the statisticalcategories for the season. Also receiving mention as “Top Players toWatch” was the Oklahoma State transfer Dane Mason who is yet toplay his first game for UTPA.

The UTPA Bronc Baseball team will open the 2005 baseballseason at the greatly anticipated UTPA Classic, which will be heldFeb. 4 at the Edinburg Baseball Stadium.

Roadrunners hunt for managerEdinburg Roadrunners manager Chad Tredaway stepped down after

leading the one-time expansion team to multiple championships in hisfour years at the helm. The news was announced on Monday afternoonwhen it was said that he would move on to a role with his family’sproduce business. The good news is that Tredaway isn’t completelydisconnecting all ties with the organization; he will stay as the team’sdirector of player procurement.

When Tredaway first arrived as the new manager for the expansionteam, he led his team to the Texas-Louisiana League Championshipwithout delay. During his stay at the helm, he had a 247-140 record infour years. The roadrunners captured the division title in 2002 and 2003with Tredaway leading the way. He was named the league’s manager ofthe year that he was with the Roadrunners. The success of Tredawayand the team led one-time roadrunner pitcher Randy Williams to a majorleague appearance with the Seattle Mariners.

This has been the toughest off-season for the Edinburg Roadrunnersas they have already lost Dan Valentin and R.C. Lichtenstein toprofessional team affiliates. Just recently announced was the retirementof outfielder Vince Moore who was an original Roadrunner. Theorganization will definitely have a tough time refilling all these vacantspots, but the hardest will be replacing the manager spot. Currently theRoadrunners are combing the nation for a replacement.

Five-time world champ prepares for fightat Dodge Arena

Johnny Tapia (53-4-2) is coming to the Dodge Arena to fight MickyBentz of Reynosa, Mexico. Tapia is a 37-year-old former five-time worldchamp who dominated in the 1990’s is continuing his career, and in hisway is Mexico native Bentz (36-3-2). Also fighting that night is Raul “ElTigre” Cazares and Cuauhtendc ‘The Aztec Warrior” Vargas in whatshould make for a good fight card.

This event is set to take place on Jan. 22 at the Dodge Arena inHidalgo.

January 13, 2005 SPORTS Page 13

SPORTSCLIPBOARD

NFLWild Card Games

Saturday, Jan. 8 St. Louis 27, Seattle 20

N.Y. Jets 20, San Diego 17 OT

Sunday, Jan. 9Indianapolis 49, Denver 24

Minnesota 31, Green Bay 17

Divisional PlayoffsSaturday, Jan. 15

N.Y. Jets at Pittsburgh, 3:30 p.m.

St. Louis at Atlanta, 7 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 16Minnesota at Philadelphia, Noon

Indianapolis at New England, 3:30p.m.

ConferenceChampionships

Sunday, Jan. 23NFC Championship Game, 2 p.m.

AFC Championship Game, 5:30 p.m.

Super Bowl XXXIXSunday, Feb. 6

NFC Champion vs. AFC Champion

Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville, Fla.

AFC-NFC Pro Bowl Sunday, Feb. 13

Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii

Note: All times central standard time

Intramural Rec-Sports

4-4 VolleyballEntry due: Jan. 28

Games begin: Feb. 1

Punt-Pass-KickEntry due: Feb. 3

Games begin: Feb. 1

SoftballEntry due: Feb. 4

Games begin: Feb. 7

SoccerEntry due: Feb. 4

Games begin: Feb. 7

Note: Applications can be picked up at

Bronc Village Apt. #2101 or call 292-0839

NBAWednesday, Jan. 12

Raptors 104, Celtics 93

Wizards 104, Blazers 100

Pistons 90, Hornets 76

Magic 87, Timberwolves 80

Bulls 110, Sixers 78

Spurs 94, Bucks 79

Tuesday, Jan. 11Cavaliers 100, Bobcats 98

Pistons 89, Nets 80

Hornets 88, Knicks 82

Hawks 103, Bucks 80

Pacers 86, Grizzlies 85

Suns 122, Heat 107

Kings 109, Nuggets 100

Sonics 104, Clippers 99

Monday, Jan. 10Celtics 119, Magic 101

Blazers 109, Sixers 100

Lakers 105, Timberwolves 96

Bulls 94, Warriors 85

Jazz 97, Spurs 96

Sunday, Jan. 9Raptors 109, Warriors 87

Knicks 113, Blazers 105

Suns 124, Pacers 89

Sonics 108, Heat 98

Rockets 116, Nuggets 98

Saturday, Jan. 8Cavaliers 104, Knicks 79

Spurs 99, Nuggets 90

UTPA SPORTS

BasketballMen’s Boxes

JAN. 11, 2005UT. VALLEY ST. 73, UTPA 51

UTPA

FG FT Reb

min M-A M-A O-D-T A Pts

East 29 3-10 2-2 3-2-5 1 8

Berry 26 2-8 2-4 0-2-2 2 6

Gedminas 12 4-5 2-2 2-1-1 0 10

Fagan 10 2-5 2-3 0-2-2 1 6

Puente 5 0-0 0-0 0-0-0 0 0

Montalvo 31 2-7 0-0 0-3-3 4 4

Sanders 15 2-5 1-3 1-1-2 2 5

Castillo 14 0-0 0-0 1-1-2 3 0

Trader 31 2-8 2-2 4-6-10 0 6

Lange 2 0-0 0-0 0-0-0 0 0

Shankle 25 2-3 1-2 0-2-2 0 6

Totals 200 19-51 12-18 11-21-32 13 51

Percentages: FG .373 FT .667. 3-Point

goals: 1-8, .125 (Shankle 1). Blocked

shots: 5 (East 2, Berry 1, Fagan 1,

Sanders 1). Turnovers: 14 (Montalvo 4,

Gedminas 2, Castillo 2, East 1, Berry 1,

Fagan 1, Puente 1, Sanders 1, Trader1).

Steals: 6 (East 3, Sanders 2, Trader 1).

Personal Fouls: 17 (Berry 3, Gedminas 3,

East 2, Montalvo 2, Sanders 2, Shankle 2,

Fagan 1, Puente 1, Trader 1).

UTPA.................28 23- 51

UVSE................ 32 41- 73

JAN. 8, 2005N. COLORADO 84, UTPA 70

UTPA

FG FT Reb

min M-A M-A O-D-T A Pts

East 19 3-9 0-0 2-3-5 0 7

Berry 30 2-12 6-6 3-1-4 2 10

Gedminas 24 6-8 4-6 3-6-9 0 16

Fagan 22 2-6 1-2 2-2-4 4 5

Puente 4 0-0 0-0 0-0-0 0 0

Montalvo 36 3-11 6-6 4-2-6 2 13

Sanders 14 0-2 2-2 0-1-1 1 2

Castillo 19 3-9 0-0 0-2-2 2 7

Trader 5 0-1 0-0 0-2-2 0 0

Lange 9 1-1 0-0 3-1-4 1 2

Shankle 18 2-6 3-4 3-1-4 0 8

Totals 200 22-65 22-26 21-21-42 12 70

Percentages: FG .338 FT .846 3-Point

goals: 4-18, .222 (East 1, Montalvo 1,

Castillo 1, Shankle 1). Blocked shots: 3

(Berry 1, Fagan 1, Lange 1). Turnovers:

17 (Montalvo 4, Berry 3, Castillo 3, Fagan

2, Gedminas 2, Sanders 1, Trader 1,

Lange 1). Steals: 8 (Montalvo 3, Fagan 3,

Sanders 1, Lange 1). Personal Fouls: 25

(Gedminas 5, Lange 4,East 4, Montalvo 4,

Shankle 4, Fagan 3, Berry 2, Castillo 1).

UTPA.................25 45- 70

NCU...................40 44- 84

BasketballWomen’s Boxes

JAN. 11, 2005UTPA 58, PRAIRIE VIEW 55

UTPA

FG FT Reb

min M-A M-A O-D-T A Pts

Guin 24 1-2 0-2 0-0-0 4 3

Reed 26 1-3 0-0 2-3-5 1 2

Daniel 23 2-4 1-4 1-3-4 0 5

Montaque 7 0-1 0-0 0-1-1 2 0

Schamel 29 4-8 1-2 1-3-4 2 9

Wilson 15 0-1 0-0 0-0-0 3 0

Roberts 24 4-10 7-9 3-2-5 1 17

Piwonka 3 0-1 0-0 0-0-0 0 0

Pierce 24 8-14 4-8 2-5-7 0 20

Arriola 4 0-2 0-0 0-0-0 0 0

Gooden 7 1-1 0-0 1-0-1 0 2

Cheadle 14 0-2 0-0 1-1-2 3 0

Totals 200 21-49 13-25 13-21-34 16 58

Percentages: FG .429, FT .520. 3-Point

goals: 3-12, .250 (Roberts 2, Guin).

Blocked shots: 4 (Guin 1, Reed 1,

Schamel 1, Arriola 1). Turnovers: 16

(Daniel 4, Guin 2, Cheadle 2, Schamel 2,

Gooden 2, Reed 1, Wilson 1, Roberts 1,

Pierce 1). Steals: 12 (Cheadle 3, Wilson 3,

Schamel 2, Pierce 2, Guin 1, Roberts 1).

Personal Fouls: 21 (Daniel 4, Guin 3,

Schamel 3, Roberts 3, Cheadle 2, Wilson

2, Reed 1, Piwonka 1, Pierce 1, Gooden

1).

UTPA.................26 32- 58

PVAMW.............25 30- 55

JAN. 8, 2005N. ARIZONA 50, UTPA 41

UTPA

FG FT Reb

min M-A M-A O-D-T A Pts

Guin 34 5-13 2-4 1-1-2 1 12

Reed 18 1-7 3-4 0-1-1 0 5

Daniel 32 1-2 3-6 3-7-10 1 5

Montague 14 1-3 0-0 0-0-0 0 2

Schamel 27 4-10 4-7 0-1-1 0 12

Wilson 19 0-1 0-0 0-1-1 2 0

Roberts 8 1-3 0-0 0-0-0 0 3

Piwonka 7 0-0 0-0 0-0-0 0 0

Pierce 8 0-5 0-0 1-0-1 0 0

Ramirez 8 0-1 0-0 1-0-1 0 0

Gooden 18 1-3 0-0 2-2-4 0 2

Totals 200 14-49 12-21 9-17-26 4 41

Percentages: FG .286 FT .571 3-Point

goals: 1-14, .071 (Roberts 1). Blocked

shots: 4 (Daniel 3, Schamel 1). Turnovers:

20 (Guin 7, Daniel 4, Gooden 3, Reed 2,

Ramirez 1, Pierce 1, Piwonka 1, Schamel

1). Steals: 9 (Daniel 3, Reed 2, Montague

1, Wilson1, Cheadle 1, Gooden 1).

Personal Fouls: 26 (Wilson 5, Gooden 4,

Guin 4, Reed 3, Daniel 3, Roberts 2,

Pierce 2, Schamel 1, Piwonka 1, Ramirez

1).

UTPA.................15 26- 41

NAU...................25 25- 50

January 13, 2005 SSPPOORRTTSS Page 14

Home after rocky tripSeason Results

Overall Home Away NeutralAll Games (7-9) (7-1) (0-8) (0-0)Date Opponent w/l Score Attend11-23-04 TAMIU W 76-59 1,20011-27-04 at SMS L 88-63 5,65212-01-04 SAGU W 82-53 1,20212-04-04 SHSU W 83-72 1,50012-07-04 at Lamar L 74-66 3,13012-11-04 NT L 92-85 1,25012-16-04 UTPB W 82-45 1,72112-20-04 BSC W 69-57 1,70212-22-04 WSU W 77-59 1,63412-23-04 MVSU W 76-73 1,24812-29-04 at UNLV L 74-54 10,45512-31-04 at Northwest L 56-48 3,8011-02-05 at Oklahoma L 94-54 12,4671-05-05 at Air Force L 84-51 2,923 1-08-05 at N. Colorado L 84-70 6341-11-05 at Utah Valley L 73-51 433

Cumulative Team StatisticsUTPA Opp

Scoring 1087 1137Points per game 67.9 71.1Field goal pct .410 4393-point pct .350 .362Free throw pct .693 .648Rebounds 626 546per game 39.1 34.1

Turnovers 278 217per game 17.4 13.6

Steals 108 122per game 6.8 7.6

Attendance 11,457 39,495Avg Home game 8-1,432 8-4,937

Score by Halves 1st 2nd totalUTPA 511 576 1087Opponents 596 541 1137

Individual StatisticsGP-GS Min FG% 3pt% FT% R/G A/G STL BLK PTS/G

03 Sanchez, S............7-7 36.4 .446 .484 .882 3.4 4.6 6 1 21.6

20 Fagan, C.............16-10 20.1 .400 .167 .759 4.6 1.3 23 9 9.4

52 Gedminas, A...16-14 24.5 .565 .000 .590 6.9 0.8 6 13 9.1

11 Berry, M...........16-14 26.8 .336 .359 .761 3.3 2.4 10 3 9.0

24 Castillo, R........16-9 19.3 .365 .333 .636 2.6 1.1 9 0 7.5

02 Montalvo, E......16-14 31.3 .345 .319 .684 4.3 3.3 19 1 7.3

00 East, D.............15-8 21.9 .432 .333 .818 5.1 0.7 10 4 6.1

32 Trader, Z...........16-0 11.2 .488 .000 .652 2.6 0.1 10 1 3.6

15 Shankle, D........14-0 10.7 .367 .267 .524 1.1 0.8 2 0 2.6

05 Sanders, T........14-0 8.6 .400 .400 .667 1.6 0.5 5 1 2.3

41 Lange, R..........15-4 11.3 .591 .000 .583 2.1 0.3 7 11 2.2

10 Wells, Z............1-0 3.0 .000 .000 .500 0.0 0.0 0 0 1.0

01 Puente, D........11-0 3.7 .375 .429 .000 0.4 0.4 0 0 0.8

33 Buck, R............2-0 2.0 .000 .000 .000 1.5 0.0 1 0 0.0

Total......................16 .410 .350 .693 39.1 13.4 108 44 67.9Opponents............16 .439 .362 .648 34.1 14.7 122 58 71.1

The Broncs men’s basketball team found out that life on the road was harder than expected.Losing high-scoring senior guard Sergio Sanchez for the trip was definitely a bad omen.

On Dec. 29 the Broncs opened the voyage against a tough University of Nevada Las Vegas(UNLV) team, falling 74-54. At the end of the first half, the Broncs found themselves tied withthe Wolfpack at 32, but their play faltered in the second half. Three of the five Bronc startersfinished the game with 10 or more points, but their overall shooting percentage was 35.8 percentwhile UNLV shot 44.3 percent. Seven-foot senior center Alvaidas Gedminas seemed to have along night, shooting 0-7 from the field. Another problem that plagued the Broncs was turnovers,as they had 18 for the game and forced just six. UNLV tacked on 24 of its 74 points off Broncturnovers, which spoiled the visitors’ chances of victory.

In game two of the trip, the Broncs started off slow in the firsthalf, but ended up outscoring their opponent in the second halfagainst Northwestern. This was one of those games that featuredtwo teams that were equal. Matt Berry and Eric Montalvo werethe only two starting Bronc players that scored over 10 points onthe game, in which the team came up short after outscoringNorthwestern in the second half. But the first-half deficit provedtoo much for, as the Broncs ended up dropping a second straightroad game, 56-48.

The Broncs’ first game of the New Year was a tough oneas they faced Big 12 powerhouse Oklahoma. A 36.7shooting percentage from field didn’t help their chances inNorman, where the Broncs fell 94-54. Turnovers wereanother key to the Broncs’ third straight loss, as theysurrendered 23. Montalvo and Chris Fagan were the onlytwo starters in double figures, while freshman ThomasSanders came off the bench to contribute 10.

Road game number four was against Air Force, whereUTPA was handed its fourth straight loss, 84-51. TheBroncs finished with a 48.6 shooting percentage from thefield but again, turnovers (19) were key. Air Force tookadvantage and tacked on 30 of 84 total points afterBronc miscues. Air Force dominated second-chancepoints, outscoring UTPA in this area 17-4.

A slow first half start in game five of the road tripproved too much for the Broncs’ rally in the second halfagainst Northern Colorado, as they lost again, 84-70. TheBronc starting five contributed 32 points while the other38 points came off the bench. Gedminas was the teamleader with 16, while starters Montalvo and Berry alsofinished in double digits.

This past Tuesday night the Broncs took on their lastroad trip opponent, Utah Valley State. The Broncs justshot 37.7 percent from the floor, and most of the pointscame from a strong solid support off the bench. Utah ValleyState took advantage for the Broncs’many turnovers, scoring 14 points. These problems seemedto doom the team, as they dropped their sixth straight road loss 73-51, bringing their overallseason record to 9-9.

Overall this season, the Broncs’ basketball team has had a tough time on the road, losing alleight games. The good news is that the Broncs are coming home Jan. 17 to face the UT-SanAntonio Roadrunners in what is expected to become a well-fought match. Broncs are 9-1 whileplaying on their own home court, and could have the injured Sanchez back by then.

By DARYL GONZALESThe Pan American

UTPA Hoops Statistics

Sergio Sanchez

Devin Reed first started dribbling a basketball when she wasfive years old. Today she is a junior guard for UTPA women’sbasketball team. The Indianapolis native says when she wasgrowing up playing basketball was her pastime.

“Coming from a basketball state, that is all we ever did,” saidReed, a 5-foot-8 junior who is among the leading scorers for thisyear’s team. “Day in and day out from the time we got up in themorning until the street lights went off at the playground, (we)played basketball, and just had fun.”

For Reed playing college basketball is an achievement she haslong sought after.

“It has always been a dream,” said the 21-year-oldsharpshooter. “To grow up and watch people on TV and seepeople from my neighborhood go to college. It was always thething I wanted to do.”

Reed played two seasons prior to her arrival at UTPA thisseason. During her freshman campaign at Valparaiso in Indiana,Reed helped her team earn a spot in the NCAA Division ITournament. Although the team did not win its first round game,Reed remembers the experience fondly.

“That is an experience within itself. Just to go out there infront of thousands of fans, and it was on ESPN, so it was nice,”said Reed. “After the game I got a chance to see myself on TV.If you haven’t been there then it is hard to describe what it waslike, but just to look out there and see the lights and just all thosethings. It is just a great experience.”

Reed chose to attend UTPA after her sophomore season atCrowley County Community College in Kansas. Lady Broncwomen’s basketball Head Coach DeAnn Craft played animportant role in getting Reed to Edinburg.

“The loyalty of the program (is important). From day one of(junior college), Coach Craft and her staff came to watch me atpractice,” said Reed. “She is a very loyal coach. She was

consistent (in her recruiting). No matter how I played she wasthere. She has seen me at my best and at my worst, and in theend she still wanted me.”

Reed is now averaging 7.5 points a game for the Lady Broncs(7-9) and is determined to help improve the team’s record.

Her best scoring performance came against Morgan StateUniversity where she contributed a season high 11 points,enabling the Lady Broncs to win two consecutive non-tournament road games for the first time in program history.

“I think we are on pace to break .500 and have a record-breaking season,” said the excitable junior, whose hustle andquickness have helped the team’s transition game. “We arestarting to gel together. We’ve shown a lot of peaks of beinggreat (this season). We have to finish it out pretty good, andwhen we actually get there it will be very nice.”

Since arriving at UTPA Reed feels she has learned a lot fromher coaches, She is in the top five of several key statisticalcategories, including steals (27), assists (32), and points pergame (7.5).

“Coach Craft has taught me a lot of things, as far as shooting,and just to be a loose player,” said Reed. “Different programshave different philosophies, some people are more mechanical,more structure oriented). But at the same time we have structureand freedom. She has taught me how to relax and just let thegame come to you.”

Another influential figure in Reed’s basketball career hasbeen her mother, whom Reed credits for pushing her to alwayswork hard.

“(Growing up) she never missed a game. She was alwaysthere. She knows a lot about sports, so whenever there wassomething I wasn’t doing right she was there to let me know,”said the Lady Broncs guard. “Your parents are always the mosthonest. She never sugar-coated anything. She always told mewhat I needed to do and what I needed to do better.”

The Lady Broncs next game will be Wednesday, Jan. 19 whenthey host Huston – Tillotson of Austin.

January 13, 2005 SSPPOORRTTSS Page 15

Standout Reed plays to winBy JOEY HINOJOSAThe Pan American

Sports Clipboard . . . . . . . . 13

Basketball . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Devin Reed . . . . . . . . . . .15SPORTS

It doesn’t take much to realize that, after sixstraight losses on the road, the Broncs could useall the help they can get. The return of injuredsenior point guard Sergio Sanchez could be thesolution to their problems, but that remains to beseen.

Trainers at UTPA are quick to point out thepossibility of nationally ranked scorer Sanchezreturning to the court on Jan. 17, but they explainthe danger of putting a date on any athlete’sreturn.

“It’s always possible,” head trainer JimLancaster said. “[But] I never put a date onanything because if you set a date on it, [and]then it doesn’t happen everybody isdisappointed.”

Lancaster, who hasn’t evaluated Sanchez inmore than two weeks since the Broncs set out ontheir 6-game road trip, said his return depends onevaluations from his own doctor as well astrainers at UTPA.

“Once he’s cleared from our goals, the doctor

says he’s ready to go then he has to get back withthe coach and team to get back into the swing ofthings,” Lancaster said.

Lancaster explained that bones have to heal,an athlete has to get back in physical shape, andhe or she must redevelop the team chemistry lostafter several weeks of inactivity.

Sanchez suffered a broken wrist on Dec. 19during practice. In the six games preceding hisinjury, Sanchez led the Broncs in scoring byaveraging a team-high 23.3 points per game,ranking him sixth among all NCAA Division Iplayers.

At the time he was also ranked third in thecountry in three-point goals made per game,averaging 4.7.

“Our concern is we would like to have himback, but we have to make sure he comes backsafe,” Lancaster said. “If he reinjures the thingthen we have to start over again.”

The Broncs are 3-9 since Sanchez’s injuryand have 12 games remaining in the season.They host the University of Texas-San Antonioon Jan. 17.

Behind the scenes, administrators at UTPAare busy finding that vital cog for the athleticprogram, someone who will continue the workrecord established by former Athletic DirectorWilliam J. Weidner in his six years here, andadvance it.

On Wednesday Chris King, currentassociate compliance director at the Universityof Alabama, met with the president’s office inEdinburg, along with a search committeecomprised of community members andadministrators within the UTPA athleticprogram. King is first out of three candidatesvying for the A.D. position vacated byWiedner in November. Whoever is selectedwill take the helm and steer the program intothe future.

James Langabeer, vice president forbusiness affairs at UTPA, said that the positionis vital because in a predominantly publicuniversity, the A.D. is “one of the most visibledepartment heads at the university.”

Langabeer said the candidates who made itout of a field of 21 are each “on their way up,”people expected to exemplify integrity andhonesty, and be able to show a general concernfor students. This personal attitude will begauged, according to Langabeer, throughbackground checks and the contacting ofofficials at the candidates’ current institution.King comes from Tuscaloosa, AL., where hehas held his current position since June 2002.

“A person desiring to be a part of ourschool who is young…they have got to gettheir feet wet. That is what I mean by ‘on theirway up,’” Langabeer said.

After more than three months of theselection process, choices were whittled lastweek from 21 to five candidates selected bythe search committee and to the current threechosen by Langabeer.

The next candidate, Scott Street, currentsenior associate athletic director for

administration at the University of Texas-SanAntonio, will meet with administrationofficials Jan. 19.

Former director of athletics at Utah State,Rance Pugmire, will be interviewed on Jan.26. In a recent article in The Monitor,Langabeer said he would likely decide the newA.D. no more than 24 hours after the finalcandidate has left campus. He said he wouldlike to have someone in place by mid-February.

Interim Athletic Director Jim Lancastersaid the model candidate will be a “wellrounded person” because the athletic directormanages specific entities within thedepartment to make sure they’re doing theright thing. He said the importance lies in the“infrastructure” within a department; it shouldbe capable of operating effectively whilestaying within the boundaries of a compliantNCAA Division I program.

“You have a business you have to run,”Lancaster said, quoting former A.D. Wiedner.“You have to fund that business.

“Weidner was an excellent fundraiser,”Lancaster added. “He helped supportprograms and developed one that had a staff inplace to make this program run efficiently andeffectively.”

Lancaster said that whoever is chosen willrecognize the importance of the financial,athletic, academic, and compliance aspects ofthe program.

“The reason we have done so well and builta program that is respectable,” Lancaster said,“is because we’ve been able to bring in moneyto put extra people in place.”

King comes to UTPA for a meeting afterprevious stints at Central Florida as theassistant athletic director from 2001-2002 andassistant A.D. for compliance from 1999-2001.He also served as director of compliance andspecial events from 1997-1999 at LibertyUniversity in Virginia.

King declined comment on the eve of hisinterview with UTPA adminstration.

Weidner replacement decision pending

Marcos Cervantes/The Pan American

Standout - Devin Reed, with ball, works around a pick as MaHogany Daniel, 13, looks onagainst the Southwest Assemblies of God Lions in December. See Reed’s story page15

Sanchez return not set in stoneBy JOEY GOMEZThe Pan American

Prospective AD Candidates (from left)

Scott StreetRance Pugmire

Chris King

By JOEY GOMEZThe Pan American