January 16, 2003
16
THURSDAY January 16, 2003 An Inside Look: ■ News ............................................2 ■ A & E ............................................7 ■ Sports ........................................16 The Student Newspaper of The University of Texas-Pan American Page 4 Campus VOICE Would you be interested in hearing Rudy Giuliani speak? CAMPUS ■ Comedic Stylings Comedian and actor Kyle Cease entertained students in the Student Union Food Court Wednesday night with his clean comedy. Known for his role as Bogey Lowenstein in "Ten Things I Hate About You" and the slow clapper in "Not Another Teen Movie," Cease is touring the country and performing at various colleges. "I prefer colleges because the audience is closer to my age and they can identify with me when I talk about Nintendo and Britney Spears," 25-year-old Cease said. "Plus I've made teen movies so they know who I am." Cease’s show included audience interaction, something the students seemed to enjoy. "It was like he was a part of the crowd," Chris Baiyeri, a freshman computer science major, said. "That made it different. He was great and really funny." Cease answered Baiyeri's cell phone during the show and played a joke on his friend who was on the other end. Cease also pulled Chris Florez, a freshman criminal justice major, from the audience to assist him with a few songs. "It was really cool even though he was teasing me. I hope he comes back to give us another show," said Florez. The University Program Board was responsible for bringing Cease to campus. Noelynn Gillamac, a sophomore nursing major and movie committee chair, said the decision to invite Cease was made as a group. Celeste Y. Tello/The Pan American HISTORY— Time marches on as workers continue the demolition of Jody Ramsey Stadium on Tuesday. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani will present a speech tonight at the University of Texas-Pan American Field House, in which he is expected to talk about his leadership in New York and how he plans to clean up Mexico City. As part of its Outstanding Leadership Series, the UTPA Foundation will host the speech at a private dinner at 7 p.m. The high- dollar dinner costs $600 per person, or $1,000 per couple. UTPA President Miguel Nevarez is glad the foundation was able to bring someone like Giuliani to the university, and hopes that it can continue to bring such speakers to campus in the future. Last year Desert Storm commander Norman Schwartzkopf gave an address at the school. “We are very honored to have him here,” said Nevarez of Giuliani. “He is Time’s Person of the Year, I don’t think we could’ve asked for a better individual.” Although the mass media will not be able to attend the private dinner, the foundation will hold a press conference Friday at which the media will be able to meet briefly with Giuliani. Giuliani and his consulting firm have been hired by Mexico City officials to cut down on crime, after he was instrumental in lowering the crime rate in New York City by 65 percent, cleaning up the city streets, and taking charge during the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. According to an article in the San Antonio Express News, Giuliani, who will be paid $4.3 million, is optimistic that his zero tolerance policy can work in Mexico City, a massive city of 18 million residents where corruption and crime are rampant. He visited there this week, even amid rumors of a possible kindapping plot by Colombian rebels. This might be just the beginning of his troubles, according to some observers. Juanita Garza, a history professor at UTPA, says Giuliani may have a difficult time cleaning up Mexico City because of his lack of knowledge about the people, culture and the politics. “If he is going to try to clean up Mexico City, he should know about the people,” said Garza. “We may have similar laws, but the way that they play them out may be different in Mexico.” According to Sylvia Aldape, director of Stewardship Annual Giving at the University Development Office at UTPA, and coordinator for the event, the money that is raised will go to scholarships for students. Generous supporters of the event will make such fundraising possible. “In the past we have had high- level speakers come to campus,” said Aldape. “We are thankful because we have had a lot of support from the community.” Aldape says such supporters donate anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000. The supporters are labeled by the foundation as Five Star Sponsors down to Two Star Sponsors, depending on their donation. All sponsors will have recognition in a special advertisement to appear in the Sunday edition of The Monitor, Valley Morning Star, and the Brownsville Herald. Although not many students will be able to attend the dinner, Aldape says that some student groups from UTPA will have the opportunity to see the man who rallied a nation after Sept. 11. One such group is the UTPA Student Ambassadors. “We do have three student groups involved in the event,” said Aldape. “The groups are helping us with the event.” However, Garza says that students should be granted the opportunity to see Giuliani because they should get to hear his ideas. If students are able to hear Giuliani speak, she noted, they will have the chance to compare his ideas from the others and make a choice out of it. “That is what higher education is,” said Garza. “It’s about making choices, and how are you going to make choices if you don’t get a variety of ideas?” Around campus this week, many students have wondered why they are not going to get a chance to learn from one of the country’s Giuliani visits Former mayor to speak at Fieldhouse tonight By JENNIFER TAPIA The Pan American Because of the shortage of scientists a local laboratory will be opening its doors to offer clinical rotations for students who are in the University of Texas Pan- American Clinical Laboratory Science program. A spokesperson for the Microbiology Specialty Lab in Edinburg says that they will now be able to offer clinical rotations for the students because they will be moving into a new office on Jan. 27. A clinical rotation is when the student is sent to a laboratory and is placed in each department for six weeks at a time. The departments in which they do there rotations are hematology(the study of blood), chemistry (serum chemical analytes), coagulation, (blood clots), urinalysis (urine), immunology (antibodies), and microbiology (microorganisms). While making the architectural plans for the new lab, MSL said the aim was to make special accommodations for the students to have a classroom-like atmosphere. “We are now going to have room to have the students come here and achieve hands-on experience,” said Celia Munoz co-owner of MSL and a clinical laboratory scientist. “I love to teach and that is one of my favorite things to do. “ According to Teresa Savoie another co- owner and scientist, MSL is a laboratory that draws blood from patients referred by area doctors, receiving specimens sent by local doctors’ offices. MSL performs the various tests ordered by the doctor on the specimens and they are analyzed by high-technology machines and by scientists on staff. MSL then reports the results to the doctor’s offices so they can inform to the patient of the results. “MSL opened four years ago and has grown a lot,” Munoz said. “It is important to me that these tests are performed right because it is a patient’s result and our reputation that is at stake.” After experiencing the work Major changes in store for microbiology By HILDA BARRIENTES The Pan American See LAB page 4 See GUILIANI page 4
description
volume59number14
Transcript of January 16, 2003
THURSDAYJanuary 16, 2003
An Inside Look:
■ News ............................................2■ A & E............................................7■ Sports ........................................16
T 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 T e x a s - P a n A m e r i c a n
Page 4
CCaammppuussVOICEWould you
beinterested in
hearingRudy
Giulianispeak?
CAMPUS
■ Comedic StylingsComedian and actor
Kyle Cease entertainedstudents in the StudentUnion Food CourtWednesday night withhis clean comedy.Known for his role asBogey Lowenstein in"Ten Things I HateAbout You" and theslow clapper in "NotAnother Teen Movie,"Cease is touring thecountry and performingat various colleges.
"I prefer collegesbecause the audience iscloser to my age andthey can identify withme when I talk aboutNintendo and BritneySpears," 25-year-oldCease said. "Plus I'vemade teen movies sothey know who I am."
Cease’s showincluded audienceinteraction, somethingthe students seemed toenjoy.
"It was like he was apart of the crowd,"Chris Baiyeri, afreshman computerscience major, said."That made it different.He was great and reallyfunny."
Cease answeredBaiyeri's cell phoneduring the show andplayed a joke on hisfriend who was on theother end. Cease alsopulled Chris Florez, afreshman criminaljustice major, from theaudience to assist himwith a few songs.
"It was really cooleven though he wasteasing me. I hope hecomes back to give usanother show," saidFlorez.
The UniversityProgram Board wasresponsible for bringingCease to campus.Noelynn Gillamac, asophomore nursingmajor and moviecommittee chair, saidthe decision to inviteCease was made as agroup.
Celeste Y. Tello/The Pan American
HISTORY— Time marches on as workers continue the demolition of JodyRamsey Stadium on Tuesday.
Former New York City MayorRudy Giuliani will present aspeech tonight at the University ofTexas-Pan American Field House,in which he is expected to talkabout his leadership in New Yorkand how he plans to clean upMexico City.
As part of its OutstandingLeadership Series, the UTPAFoundation will host the speech ata private dinner at 7 p.m. The high-dollar dinner costs $600 perperson, or $1,000 per couple.
UTPA President Miguel Nevarezis glad the foundation was able tobring someone like Giuliani to theuniversity, and hopes that it cancontinue to bring such speakers tocampus in the future. Last yearDesert Storm commander NormanSchwartzkopf gave an address atthe school.
“We are very honored to havehim here,” said Nevarez ofGiuliani. “He is Time’s Person ofthe Year, I don’t think we could’veasked for a better individual.”
Although the mass media willnot be able to attend the privatedinner, the foundation will hold apress conference Friday at whichthe media will be able to meetbriefly with Giuliani.
Giuliani and his consulting firmhave been hired by Mexico Cityofficials to cut down on crime,after he was instrumental inlowering the crime rate in NewYork City by 65 percent, cleaningup the city streets, and takingcharge during the terrorist attackson the World Trade Center.According to an article in the SanAntonio Express News, Giuliani,who will be paid $4.3 million, isoptimistic that his zero tolerancepolicy can work in Mexico City, amassive city of 18 million residentswhere corruption and crime arerampant. He visited there thisweek, even amid rumors of apossible kindapping plot byColombian rebels. This might bejust the beginning of his troubles,according to some observers.
Juanita Garza, a historyprofessor at UTPA, says Giulianimay have a difficult time cleaningup Mexico City because of his lackof knowledge about the people,
culture and the politics.“If he is going to try to clean up
Mexico City, he should knowabout the people,” said Garza.“We may have similar laws, butthe way that they play them outmay be different in Mexico.”
According to Sylvia Aldape,director of Stewardship AnnualGiving at the UniversityDevelopment Office at UTPA, andcoordinator for the event, themoney that is raised will go toscholarships for students. Generoussupporters of the event will makesuch fundraising possible.
“In the past we have had high-level speakers come to campus,”said Aldape. “We are thankfulbecause we have had a lot ofsupport from the community.”
Aldape says such supportersdonate anywhere from $5,000 to$15,000. The supporters arelabeled by the foundation as FiveStar Sponsors down to Two StarSponsors, depending on theirdonation. All sponsors will haverecognition in a specialadvertisement to appear in theSunday edition of The Monitor,Valley Morning Star, and theBrownsville Herald.
Although not many students willbe able to attend the dinner, Aldapesays that some student groups fromUTPA will have the opportunity tosee the man who rallied a nationafter Sept. 11. One such group isthe UTPA Student Ambassadors.
“We do have three studentgroups involved in the event,” saidAldape. “The groups are helpingus with the event.”
However, Garza says thatstudents should be granted theopportunity to see Giuliani becausethey should get to hear his ideas.If students are able to hear Giulianispeak, she noted, they will have thechance to compare his ideas fromthe others and make a choice out ofit.
“That is what higher educationis,” said Garza. “It’s about makingchoices, and how are you going tomake choices if you don’t get avariety of ideas?”
Around campus this week, manystudents have wondered why theyare not going to get a chance tolearn from one of the country’s
Giuliani visitsFormer mayor to speak at Fieldhouse
tonightBy JENNIFER TAPIAThe Pan American
Because of the shortage of scientists alocal laboratory will be opening its doorsto offer clinical rotations for studentswho are in the University of Texas Pan-American Clinical Laboratory Scienceprogram.
A spokesperson for the MicrobiologySpecialty Lab in Edinburg says that theywill now be able to offer clinicalrotations for the students because theywill be moving into a new office on Jan.27.
A clinical rotation is when the studentis sent to a laboratory and is placed ineach department for six weeks at a time.The departments in which they do thererotations are hematology(the study ofblood), chemistry (serum chemicalanalytes), coagulation, (blood clots),urinalysis (urine), immunology(antibodies), and microbiology(microorganisms).
While making the architectural plansfor the new lab, MSL said the aim was tomake special accommodations for the
students to have a classroom-likeatmosphere.
“We are now going to have room tohave the students come here and achievehands-on experience,” said Celia Munozco-owner of MSL and a clinicallaboratory scientist. “I love to teach andthat is one of my favorite things to do. “
According to Teresa Savoie another co-owner and scientist, MSL is a laboratorythat draws blood from patients referredby area doctors, receiving specimenssent by local doctors’ offices. MSLperforms the various tests ordered by thedoctor on the specimens and they areanalyzed by high-technology machinesand by scientists on staff. MSL thenreports the results to the doctor’s officesso they can inform to the patient of theresults.
“MSL opened four years ago and hasgrown a lot,” Munoz said. “It isimportant to me that these tests areperformed right because it is a patient’sresult and our reputation that is at stake.”
After experiencing the work
Major changes instore for microbiologyBy HILDA BARRIENTESThe Pan American
See LAB page 4 See GUILIANI page 4
The UTPA Lady Broncs notched their secondvictory of the season by rolling over the Prairie ViewA&M Lady Panthers 64-48 Jan 14, led by AmandaCarlow who picked up a career-high 21 points. Thewin is their second in four games, and marks adrastic momentum change for the Lady Broncswho opened the season with 11 straight losses.
UTPA began the turnaround at the beginning ofthe month after an abysmal start to the season byupsetting highly-touted Nebraska, 61-58. Theteam hopes that its recent performances are asign of things to come.
"We're going to be in every game from hereon out and that's going to make us tough downthe stretch," interim head coach TracyAnderson said.
The women’s hoopsters pressured PrairieView throughout the first half by playing anaggressive, fast-paced style of basketball thatforced several turnovers. The Lady Broncscashed in those turnovers.
UTPA charged to a 19-2 lead midwaythrough the first half and went into theintermission with a lofty 36-13 advantagethanks to Carlow's 16-point first halfcontribution. In the early minutes of thesecond half, the Lady Broncs mounted animpressive 32-point lead over Prairie View, 47-15.
But the Lady Panthers upped their intensity andlevel of play in order to chip away at the UTPAlead. The fast-paced offense of the first halfhad apparently taken its toll on the LadyBroncs, who slowed down and began to turnover the ball. Prairie View took advantage ofthe Lady Bronc fatigue and used a 16-0 run to
cuttheleadto 10pointswith3:18left ingame.
TheLadyBroncs
eventually composed themselves, adding 10insurance points in the process to improve to 2-13on the season.
"It was a good win for us,” Anderson said. "Wedon't tend to handle athletic teams very well and weneeded a win here at home because we've beenstruggling to do that.”
Carlow, UTPA's leading scorer, credited the teamfor her season-high performance. "My teammates setme up real good so I've got to give credit to them,”Carlow said.
With the victory over Prairie View, the team has won two of theirlast four games and appear to be on their way to turning aroundtheir sub-par season.
UTPA began to turn the tide Jan. 5 by upsetting Nebraska inLincoln, Neb. Alex Gravel scored 22 points while hitting 14 of 14free throws to lead the upset.
"That's one of those wins as a coach that I'll never ever forget,”Anderson said. "We played flawless basketball on both ends.
It was just a huge monkey off the kids' back.”On Jan. 9, the momentum from the victory over Nebraska
carried the team to a 12-point lead over Air Force, but theyfailed to hold on and eventually lost the game, 64-61, atthe Field House. On the upside, Naima Williams led theteam in scoring for the fifth time, notching 17 points.
"We made some really poor decisions down the stretchand didn't shoot free throws well," explained Anderson
about the heartbreaking loss to Air Force.On Jan. 11, the orange and green nearly came back to
defeat Lipscomb at Allen Arena. UTPA's rally in the secondhalf came up short as they fell 57-49. Junior Mary DeCock
stepped up and led the team in scoring with 15 points."If we can just play the whole 40 minutes instead of playing
just 36 minutes. I think we can turn the whole season aroundand get some more wins. I see a very positive finish on theseason," commented Carlow on the team's outlook for theremainder of the season.
"We're working a lot better now as a whole than we werebefore," Gravel said.
"Offensively, we're pretty solid. Defensively, we've got somework to do. I think we're still giving up too many easy baskets,”Anderson said.
"We have a tough stretch coming up with New Mexico Stateand the two trips to Arkansas so, we're going to have to cover
shooters better and continue to finish in the paint,” Andersonsaid.
The Lady Broncs are on the road from Jan. 18-23 againstNew Mexico State, Arkansas State and Arkansas-Little Rock.Their next home game will be on Jan. 25 against TexasA&M-Corpus Christi at 7 p.m.
■ Gravel Feature . ......... .15
■ Hoops Review . . . . . . .14
■ Sports Clipboard... . . . 13
PAGE 16
SPORTS
Cowboys reservedefensive backDwayne Goodrich wasreleased from jailWednesday after post-ing a $50,000 bond.Goodrich was beingheld on two charges offelony manslaughterfollowing a hit-and-runin Dallas. The hit-and-run claimed the livesof two Plano residentswho were trying torescue a man from theaftermath of a previ-ous accident. Thepenalty for eachmanslaughter chargeis a sentence of two to20 years and fines upto $10,000. Policewere still consideringother charges uponGoodrich’s release.
Mariucci Out
After six seasonswith winning recordsSteve Mariucci haslost his job as 49’ershead coach. OwnerJohn York hasexpressed dissatisfi-cation with Mariucci’sinability to bring achampionship to SanFrancisco. Mariucci’sdismissal comes lessthan one week afterthe 49’ers 31-6 lossto Tampa Bay, whichended their hopes ofadvancing to theSuper Bowl. York isexpected to choosefrom a short list ofavailable candidatesincluding defensivecoordinator Jim Mora,and other assistantsfrom Mariucci’sremaining staff.
Drive-by Cowboy
Lady Broncs down Prairie View A&MUTPA Women Edge Second Victory of the Season;
Momentum Changing for Lady Broncs
We’re going tobe in every gamefrom here on out,and that’s going tomake us toughdown the stretch
“
“
- Tracy Anderson, Lady Bronc head coach
By ED CHRNKOThe Pan American
Women’s basketballSchedule
Date Opponent Site
Jan. 18 NM State Las Cruces
Jan. 21 Arkansas State State Univ.
Jan. 23 ARK.-Little Rock Little Rock
Jan. 25 TAMUCC Fieldhouse
Jan. 28 Oral Roberts Tulsa
Feb. 1 Centenary Shreveport
Feb. 3 LA-Lafayette Fieldhouse
Feb. 8 TAMUCC Corpus Christi
Feb. 13 IPFW Fort WayneNaimaWilliams
1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539(956) 381-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122
http://www.panam.edu/dept/panamerican51th Year – No. 14
EditorMatt Lynch
Layout Designers
Ashley Brooks
Brian Carr
Gabriel O. Hernandez
Reporters
Hilda Barrientes
Amelia Garcia
Adrianna Martinez
Jennifer Tapia
Celeste Y. Tello
Cesar Trevino
Arianna Vazquez
Advertising
Dagoberto Perez
Advertising Coordinator
Juanita Sanchez
Adviser
Dr. Greg Selber
the PAN AMERICAN is theofficial 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 orgratuitouspersonal attacks.Letters are printedat the discretion ofthe editor andmust include thewriter’s name,class/title andphone number.
Letters policy
January 162 0 0 3
Readers with dis-abilities mayrequest an alter-native format ofthis publicationat The PanAmerican busi-ness office. For special assis-tance to attendany event listedin this publica-tion, contact thecoordinator of theevent at least oneweek prior to theadvertised date.
Sports EditorBrian Carr
Celebrating 50 years
A & E EditorAshley Brooks
News EditorBelinda Reyes
Graphics EditorGabriel O.Hernandez NEWS
■ Student fees . . . . . . 3■ Faculty profile . . . . . . 5 ■ Tattoos . . . . . . . . . . 6
A new scholarship will soon beavailable for undergraduate studentspursuing a degree in the College ofScience and Engineering.
The George and Keturah LenigEndowment Memorial Scholarship willbe awarded to students based primarily onfinancial need. The funds for thescholarship will come from two, 10-acretracts of land located in Hidalgo Countyworth an estimated $130,000 donated byDeborah Yeakel, a retired teacher andgranddaughter of the Lenigs.
According to Deborah Gonzalez,associate director of the Office ofDevelopment at the University of Texas-Pan American, with an endowment,donated funds are placed in a bankaccount. Every semester a certainpercentage of the funds is awarded torecipients of the scholarship.
“Endowments tend to grow over timewith the interest rates they collect in thebank,” Gonzalez said. “In essence they arethere forever, which is great.”
She explained that the LenigEndowment Scholarship differs from mostothers because it was donated in the formof real estate. The land must be soldbefore the exact value is known, butofficials plan to award a scholarship thissemester.
“All the paperwork is currently beingworked on and we also need to inform
students and have them apply,” Gonzalezsaid. “Scholarships are not usuallyawarded right away after the endowmentis received, but for this one it was part ofthe arrangement with the donor.”
Yeakel set up the Lenig EndowmentScholarship to honor her grandparents,who moved to Edinburg after their homebuilding business in Akron, Ohio failed in
1933 during the Great Depression. Afterrelocating to the Rio Grande Valley,George Lenig found work as a bus driverfor the Edinburg School District and alsoworked for Coen Construction Companyinto his eighties.
According to Yeakel, George Lenighelped build many local homes, churches,the Edinburg Hospital, and some buildingsfor Edinburg College, now UTPA.
The Lenigs also farmed land and at onepoint held 120 planted acres. Theyattempted to grow citrus orchards severaltimes, but freezing climates killed thetrees. After fighting a losing battle withthe elements, the Lenigs then concentratedon cotton and vegetable crops.
George Lenig, who lived to be 95, andKeturah Lenig, who lived to be 90, alsoplanted roots in the Valley for theirfamily. They had five children, 15grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren,and several great-great grandchildren.
“The Lenigs’ work ethic, theirfriendliness to all, and their constantgenerosity were and are, a source of greatrespect and inspiration to the children,their descendants, their friends, and theirneighbors in the Valley,” Yeakel said.
She said she understands the challengesmany students face when having to workto pay for college. She hopes theendowment will help by removing someof the financial burden, allowing studentsto achieve their academic goals.
“The George and Keturah LenigEndowment Memorial Scholarship forstudents in financial need is intended tohonor the lives of these Valley pioneers ina lasting way through the University ofTexas Pan American,” Yeakel said.
According to Gonzalez, the paperworkis being processed for the scholarship, bute-mails will be sent to students and signswill be posted with more information. Formore information, contact the College ofScience and Engineering at 381-2404.
New scholarship on tap
Thanks from a familyDear Editor,I would like to thank the University of
Texas-Pan American for the help theyprovided for me and my family on theDec. 14 graduation.
My son, Walker Smith, graduated fromyour outstanding University with a financedegree. His brother, Aaron Smith, wasgraduating on the same day from Steven F.Austin University in Nacadoches. Theirmother and my wife of 30 years hasterminal cancer. One of her goals she setwhen she found out was to watch her sonsgraduate. 550 miles apart and on the sameday and her being sick presented anobstacle that without UTPA’s help wouldhave made it impossible to see her sonswalk across the stage.
With the help first from Dr. CindyBrown and then the Provost it becamepossible. UTPA graciously agreed to letAaron Smith walk across the stage withWalker. On top of that, when thegraduation ceremony came, they putLaurie front and center and she got towatch both her sons graduate 30 secondsapart on the same stage not 20 feet fromher. The smile on her face was one we hadnot seen for awhile.
They can talk about the “big”
universities all they want. We have anoutstanding university here in the Valleythat may not be as “big” as some, but ithas a big heart and that is an A+ in mygrade book.
Thank you from the bottom of ourhearts and we are very proud to say our“sons” graduated from the University ofTexas-Pan American.
Lamar and Laurie Smith
Remembering a teacherDear editor, About four years ago, the deadline
loomed for my final exam in reportingclass.
We had an hour and a half to write anews story with information and quotesprovided by the professor. A feeling ofdesperation seemed to set on the class,which dropped to about five students overthe course of the semester, when the timeallotted neared the end.
“In this business you live and die bydeadlines, turn in what you have,” he said.
Incomplete, everyone turned in theirstories. Bob Rollins was a hard-nosed,tough professor who never made excisesor apologized for how he was.
He probably never felt compelled to.Students didn’t take Rollins’ criticism and
tough approach to teaching personally. Hemade sure they didn’t. Semester aftersemester, he told his students the samething on the first day of class - “Checkyour ego at the door.”
I had the opportunity to enjoy a double-dip of Rollins. Working as a sports writerfor this publication, I took in some extraRollins - who was the newspaper's adviserat the time - after everyone went home.
On one occasion, Rollins made sure topoint out a few mistakes I made on thatday’s publication to the entire class. Itgoes without saying that I wasembarrassed and a little mad at Rollins.After class he made sure to remind me ofhis motto.
“If you're going to make it in thisbusiness, you'll need to be thick-skinned,”he said.
Rollins died three years ago, and to thisday I'm glad I met him, even if it was for ashort time. As a sports writer for theValley Morning Star, I've had to deal withcriticisms from readers, and at times entirecommunities, who disagree with myviews.
Fortunately, my ego is still hanging inroom 175 of the CAS.
Eladio Jaimez
OPINION l e t t e r s ■ e d i t o r i a l s ■ c a r t o o n sPAGE 2
By AMELIA GARCIAThe Pan American
Endowments tend togrow over time with
the interest rates theycollect in the bank. In
essence they arethere forever, which
is great.
“
“
- Deborah Gonzalez,Assoc. Director of the Office of Development
January 16, 2003 sports Page 15
Lady Bronc tennis team gears up for SMU
Senior Alex Gravel rebounds from injury
The second half of the women’stennis schedule begins Friday againstWestern Athletic Conference tennisgiant Southern Methodist University inneutral territory, at Corpus Christi.
SMU, which will travel to Corpus tocompete against both UTPA and TexasA&M Corpus, begins its season againstthe Islanders Friday morning beforemeeting the Lady Broncs Fridayafternoon.
The spring season, which stronglycontrasts the mainly blind competitiontournaments of the fall, pits schoolagainst school - matching sixindividuals athletes and three doublesteams in exclusive school-on-schoolcompetition.
SMU, which did extremely wellduring the fall season, is a strongfavorite in the matchup, but UTPA headcoach Todd Chapman hopes to
capitalize on familiar conditions and afatigued SMU squad.
"We get enough wind [at UTPA] thatmost of the girls will be used to theconditions [in Corpus],"Chapman said."SMU will be a tough first match, butbecause of expense we always practiceoutdoors, where as SMU has on-siteindoor courts. I keep telling my girlsthat the colder and windier it is, thegreater our advantage becomes."
Both UTPA and SMU attended theOmni Hotels Southwest Regional inOctober. Sophomore Ana Pena ofMcAllen was the only Lady Bronc tocompete against a member of the SMUtennis team, losing in two straight setsto junior Nadia Vaughn.
There might have been more chancemeetings between the two teams, butthe tournament was cut short byinclement weather – and subsequentlyall consolation rounds were canceled. Itwas an unfortunate turn of events for
The work of senior AlexGravel isn’t quite done yet.The Lady Broncs' 5-foot-8Canadian-born guard hasworked hard to get back inthe lineup after a long seriesof leg/foot injuries.
She red-shirted last yearand missed the first threegames of 2002-2003 whilerecovering from anotherinjury.
But now, she’s back andmaking a difference for theteam.
She’s scoring nearly 13points per game, but has yetto get back into tiptop shapeafter the long layoff.
“At the beginning it did(affect me) because I wasout of shape. I was doingbike workouts and it’s notthe same as running up anddown the court, but now it'sgetting a lot better,” she saidof the injury she sufferedlast season. “I play 30minutes a game, but I can'tplay more than 4-5 minutesat a time."
The Lady Broncs stillhave nearly half a season toplay, 13 games to be exact.Their most recent game wasa 64-48 victory over PrairieView A&M Jan. 14, whichimproved the record to 2-13.Gravel, who is averaging12.3 points per game, scoredseven points in the game as
she continues to adjust toher new role as playmakeron the team.
"We did really good in thefirst half building a lead, butthere were six to eightminutes in the second halfthat was just ugly,” Gravelsaid. “They brought up theirintensity and we just leveledinstead of bringing it up.With like three minutes togo we finally brought it up,too, but we'll take the win."
Prior to her injury, Gravelhad established severalUTPA’s women basketballrecords, and was close tobreaking more.
She is the most prolificthree-point shooter in schoolhistory and is high on thescoring list as well.
More importantly, in anera known for selfish, me-first athletes, Gravel is arefreshing change: To her,individual records aren’teverything.
“I don't really think aboutit when I play. I just try toget out there and do what Ihave to do,” she said. “If Ibreak them, that's somethingelse I can tell my kids. I'mjust trying to get out of here,win games and start buildingup the program.”
Despite her injury, Gravelhas tried to rehabilitate herway back into mid-seasonform while taking on newroles within the team.
She has led the women in
scoring in six of the 12games she's played in thisyear while scoring a season-high 22 points on twooccasions, once in a 60-50loss to Montana in the LadyGriz Classic on Dec. 28 oflast year and again on Jan. 5in a memorable 61-58 winover Nebraska.
The Vanier high schoolgraduate couldn't containher obvious satisfactionwhen asked about the upsetvictory over Nebraska, abig-time school from a big-time conference.
"It was awesome to win infront of 3,000 people thatare screaming against you,but for us, it was justanother team. We knew wecould beat them because weworked really hard,” shesaid. “And against a goodteam you always go out andwant to beat them real badand we just played well.For us, we knew we coulddo it and we were gettingbetter so, it's like beatingany other team, but it'sexciting because it's the Big12 and everything."
The game againstNebraska appears to havebeen a turning point for theLady Broncs, who gained atremendous amount ofconfidence with the victorywhich has propelled theteam to a 2-2 record overtheir last four games.
Despite mounting injuries, Gravel continues to playrole in Lady Bronc success
By ED CHRNKOThe Pan American
UTPA women’s squad prepares for openingmatch against Southern Methodist
By BRIAN CARRThe Pan American
See GRAVEL page 13
See TENNIS page 13
Got Control: Alex Gravel drives down the court during the game vs. Prairie View.
Gearing Up: Elisabet Mateos and Laura Boskovich warm up during a recent practice.
Photos by Matt Lynch/The Pan American
Photos by Matt Lynch/The Pan American
January 16, 2003 THE PAN AMERICAN Page 3
Officials explain budget policiesSeveral members of the Student Affairs
Advisory Committee at the University ofTexas-Pan American say that studentsmight not be aware of how the moneycollected from student service fees isdisbursed to the departments. Or to whomthe majority of the dollars go.
According to Elvie Davis, Dean ofStudents at UTPA and adviser for SAAC,an interview with each departmentsaccount manager is set up. In thisinterview, the account manager has toexplain to the members of SAAC whythey need such funds for theirorganization.
“Every year around February, theuniversity departments submit a budgetrequest,” said Davis. “They come and tellus what they would like for next year.”
After a few days of meetings, Davissays SAAC makes a recommendation tothe university president, who makes thefinal approval of the budget.
Miguel Nevarez, president of UTPA forthe last 21 years, says during this process,he has to make sure that the amount ofbudget requested matches with theestimated budget of the following year.
“We have to predict how manystudents are going to be enrolled inSeptember,” said Nevarez. “The studentservice fee is based on the enrollment.”
When balancing and approvingbudgets for the departments, Nevarez says
he looks for the recommendations of thedepartment heads and SAAC. If therecommendations are different, he looksinto the reason why.
“I also look into the recommendation ofthe Dean of Students,” says Nevarez.“Over the years, we have disagreed, but ithasn’t been major disagreement.”
In the past two years, the studentservice fee budget shows that anestimated $3.5 million was collected peryear. Devin Lacey, a member of SAAC,says from that collection, 47 to 48 percentgoes to the Intercollegiate AthleticsDepartment.
“Most people are glad that we have abasketball team and glad that we have atrack and field team,” said Lacey. “Butwhen students start complaining, theydon’t know that sports is one of thereasons that other areas get cut forfunding.”
Davis says that by law, the university isnot allowed to give the athleticsdepartment more than 50 percent of thestudent service fee budget. She explainsthat most colleges with an athleticdepartment are funded partially by studentservice fees.
Raul Betancourt, assistant athleticdirector for business operations at UTPA,says he was unaware of the fact that theyget 47 to 48 percent of the student servicefee budget. However, he is veryappreciative.
“If the university wants athletics indivision one, the funding has to come
from somewhere and it generally comesfrom student service fees,” saidBetancourt. “I don’t see how we cansurvive without it.”
Betancourt adds that with the funds, theathletic department is able to field avariety of sports, including more women’ssports than ever before. The men’sbasketball team get the largest amount ofthe budget, while the men’s golf team getsthe least.
Although they do get close to 50percent of the student service fee budget,Betancourt says it only supplies 60 to 75percent of the total budget.
“It’s not the only component of ourbudget,” says Betancourt. “We get moneyfrom corporate sponsorship, donationsfrom the athletic foundation, gameguarantees and ticket sales.”
According to Davis, complaints havebeen made from several departmentsabout the amount they receive in theirbudget.
However, Nevarez says although theuniversity would like to provide everydepartment with what it needs, this is justnot feasible.
Lacey says the athletic departmenthelps increase enrollment because itimproves the university’s image, givingthe community the chance to watch aDivision I team locally. With theenrollment increase, the student servicebudget will rise, and eventually may beable to provide more for otherdepartments in the future.
By JENNIFER TAPIAThe Pan American Money CrunchingMoney Crunching::
UTPA’s Revenues forStudent Service Fees
Fiscal Year 2001 (for year ended 8/31/01)
Student Service Fee:$3,319,686.18Less: SSF Allocation - IntercollegiateAthletics: $1,513,776.82SSF Allocation - Student Services:$1,615,829.48Uncollectible Registration Debt:$16,673.09Total: $3,146,279.39Net Revenues: $173,406.79
Fiscal Year 2002 (for year ended 8/31/02)
Student Service Fee:$3,616,492.33Less: SSF Allocation - IntercollegiateAthletics: $1,510,808SSF Allocation - Student Services:$1,920,294.82Tuition Discount: $225,696.14Total: $3,656,798.96Net Revenues: ($40,306.63)
Source:UTPA
Organizations lack funding
Times are tough for the University of Texas Pan-Americanas a number of departments are suffering from lack of fundsthis year. However those departments understand that thefunds are not available partly because money from the state isnot forthcoming because of a budget deficit.
“I understand that sometimes money is tight,” said CharlieCaceres, coordinator of campus activities and sponsor for theUTPA Cheerleaders and Blazer dance team. “But right now Iam running on a shoestring.”
Caceres says he is unable to purchase miscellaneoussupplies for his cheer leading and dance team, such asmegaphones, pompoms, uniforms, and recruitment letters.
“The only way I was able to get new pompoms last yearwas because we used a $500 gift certificate we receivedwhen we won second place at a competition,” Caceres said.
To increase their budget the UTPA cheerleaders andBlazers participate in various fundraising activities and try toraise the same amount of money approved by the universitypresidents. They sell posters of themselves to localbusinesses for donations and the UTPA Cheerleaders holdcheer leading camps for Valley girls. Caceres added thatfundraising does take time away from his otherresponsibilities but believes it is something that needs to bedone.
Caceres said he has a wish list of things that he would liketo have for his cheerleading and dance team, including moremoney to spend on travel expenses so the teams can followand support the UTPA basketball team. He would also liketo hire choreographers and buy new uniforms for the teamsto prepare for competitions.
“I feel the cheerleaders and the Blazers play a veryimportant part in UTPA,” Caceres said. “They represent theuniversity and recruit students so they can attend UTPA.”
Cheerleading and the dance team aren’t the onlyorganizations feeling the pinch. Director of Career PlacementServices Enedelia P. Kidd agrees on behalf of studentsrepresenting UTPA. According to Kidd Student
Employment Services set up a system of part-time jobs forstudents attending UTPA. But at the same time while thestudents are working with their employer, students are areflection of UTPA.
“I believe that when the student is working where we haveplaced them they are representing UTPA,” Kidd said.“Therefore, I feel that they should have the proper knowledgeof how to dress and the skill to be in a workingenvironment.”
Kidd feels that a larger staff would help her organizationand provide students any orientation or advisement neededfor various jobs.
“Most of these students have never worked before so thisis their first job,” Kidd said. “Some don’t know how todress for an interview.”
Kidd would like to provide more information to studentsbut feels her organization doesn’t have the budget or theresources to do so. She will try to apply for a federal grantand hopes that next year her request will be approved by thepresident of the university.
Tom Grabowski, designer and technical director for TheUniversity Theatre, feels that there will always be a need formore money but he decided to make due with what hisorganization has been funded.
“We are funded by the student service fee but we also relyon the revenue we get from the productions we do,”Grabowski said.
He added the money that is raised is spent on a scholarshipfund, having a box office clerk, and on productions.Costumes, set design and construction, printing the programsand paying for the rights to do the show are all expensesencountered when planning a production.
But university officials feel its not possible to satisfy everyorganization when formulating a fiscal budget. In years whena budget shortfall is encountered, UTPA administrators dowhat is necessary to produce a balanced budget, even if itmeans cutting the funding of organization or departments.
“Revenues and expenditures have to be same,” UTPAPresident Dr. Miquel Navarez said. “I have a responsibilityto balance the budget.”
By HILDA BARRIENTESThe Pan American GETGET
INFORMED!INFORMED!
with the FREENews Source of
the ValleyRead The Pan
American everyThursday
The much anticipated second tournament of the2002/03 Mexican First Division soccer season kickedoff last weekend, however, the off-season did not see alot of stellar trades or transfers, but some clubs did dotheir best to reinforce their lineups in order to be ableto compete with the stronger clubs of the MexicanLeague or to simply save their hides from relegation.
The team which fortified itself the most during theoff-season was Monterrey who was in dire need of anoffensive overhaul after being the worst goal-scoringclub in the Mexican League last season.
The "Regios" obtained the services of Brazilian starstriker and play-maker Alexsandro Fernandes fromMorelia, last season's runner-up, which should makeArgentinian head coach Daniel Passarella quite happy.Monterrey also acquired Mexican forward JesúsMendoza from Club América in exchange for itsformer Mexican national team striker, Antonio DeNigris, who had fallen out of favor with Passarella.Rounding out the revamped offense was theacquisition of Luis Ernesto Pérez from Mexico Cityclub Necaxa.
However, don't expect much this season fromMonterrey since they have always had problemscoming together and playing as a unified team. Sincethe new offensive crew is coming from three differentclubs with different styles of play, they will need theseason to get used to playing with one another to beeffective.
Another team to watch this season is SantosLaguna. The Warriors managed to reach last season'splayoffs despite a rough start and made it all the wayto the semifinals under the leadership of technicaldirector Luis Fernando Tena before being knocked outby eventual champion Toluca.
The momentum they had at the end of the previoustournament should carry over into the new season.The Torreón club's biggest acquisition during the off-season was play-maker José Antonio Noriega fromMorelia. Noriega joins a star-studded club thatincludes Paraguayan World Cup members DenisCaniza and Luis Romero, Mexican World Cup playersJoahán Rodríguez and Jared Borgetti as well as theveteran Chilean spark plug Rodrigo Ruiz.
The Pumas of U.N.A.M. will try to improve fromthird place finishes the last two seasons, but maystruggle because they will be participating in the CopaLibertadores for the first time simultaneously duringthe regular season.
Defending champion Toluca is always a club towatch out for, especially with its potent Paraguayanstriker José Saturnino Cardozo. Last season, Cardozoshattered the short tournament single-season goal-scoring record with 29.
The Red Devils will try to win their second title in arow, something that no team has been able to do in thetwice-a-year short tournament season format institutedin 1996.
And finally, keep an eye out for Club America whowill try to reclaim the title this season. They have oneof the most solid lineups in the Mexican League.During the off-season, the Eagles fortified their lineupwith the acquisition of De Nigris from Monterrey.
Meanwhile, the other fight on the field will be forpermanence in the First Division. Veracruz, Morelos,Chiapas and Puebla are all candidates for relegation.During the break, the Atlético de Celaya Bulls movedto Cuernavaca, Morelos due to economic problemsand will debut as the First Division's newest club nowknown as the Hummingbirds, but that may be short-lived if they fail to accumulate enough points duringthe course of the tournament to remain there.
The Mexican Football Federation recently changedthe name of the two-a-year short tournaments fromwinter and summer (Invierno and Verano) to openingand closing (Apertura and Clausura). The MexicanSoccer League plays two tournaments a year and thushas two champions each season.
January 16, 2003 sports Page 14
Hoops teams up, down over break
For most University ofTexas-Pan American students,Winter Break meant gorgingto the point of discomfort onfestive feasts, drinking to thepoint of mindlessness inobservation of the New Year,and generally avoiding anyand all activities that mighthinder one's ability torejuvenate from a lengthy fallsemester.
For the men and women'sbasketball teams, however,the break was limited to anacademic hiatus, as the 2002-03 season continued throughthe holidays.
Unfortunately for theplayers, coaching staff, andfans of UTPA Broncbasketball, the break fromeducational rigors did notensure stronger game-playand better results from either
program. The men, who opened the
season with two consecutivelosses at the South PadreIsland Roundball InvitationalTournament (S.P.I.R.I.T.),have not yet found thegrounding to turn their seasonaround.
Their limited success onthe road is shown in their 4-15 record, but the Broncshave won 75 percent of theirhome games, losing only onehome contest, a 85-79 loss tothe Rice Owls on Jan. 8.
The Lady Broncs, whoopened the season with 11consecutive losses, came upwith a huge win against Big12’s Nebraska at the BobDevaney Sports Center pmJan. 5. UTPA, which hadstruggled with Division IIteams both at home and onthe road, defeated Nebraska61-58 in what was a stellarupset. But despite the huge
win, the women’s basketballteam has an abysmal 2-13record, with only a singlehome win to its credit.
It now seems inevitablethat both squads will finishthe 2002-2003 campaign witha losing record.
In order for the Broncs tofinish with a record of .500they will have to win all 11remaining games, whichwould put them at 15-15 forthe season.
During the month ofFebruary, UTPA will playfive consecutive home games,but with a injury-laden benchand limited options, headcoach Bob Hoffman mightnot find much comfort inhome-court advantage.
The Lady Broncs, whodefeated Prairie View A&Min a home game Tuesday,could finish two games aheadof .500 if they can manage an13-straight wins. But with
rival TAMU-CC and NewMexico State still ahead intheir spring schedule, it willtake some kind of fancymagic for head coach TracyAnderson to pull off theincredible feat.
The Broncs, who have hadto adjust their roster due toinjuries sustained during theseason and off-season, haveseen great offensivecontributions from EricMontalvo and KevinMitchell, who have bothstepped up their numbers dueto lack of the Broncs’ insidegame.
Alex Gravel, who missedthe first three games of theseason due to a reoccurringstress fracture in her rightankle, came into the seasonaveraging 12.3 points pergame, and even tied a single-game record for three-pointers (six) againstNebraska.
Lady Broncs win first two games of season during winter hiatus, Broncs continue to struggle
By BRIAN CARRThe Pan American
2002-2003 season stats
Soccer tourneyunder way in MexicoBy ED CHRNKOThe Pan American
January 16, 2003 THE PAN AMERICAN Page 4
Armando MariscalCriminal JusticeJunior
I would be interested to hear hissuggestions to fix the corruption inMexico and any suggestions he has forthe Valley.
Nelda PerezEducationJunior
I would have loved to meet RudolfGiuliani. I think he has become animportant face in American historyand I certainly would have loved tohear what he had to say.
Ivan BarajasFinanceJunior
I wouldn’t go because he’s just not aperson who seems interesting to me.
Would you be interested inhearing Rudy Giuliani speak?
Gaby BarajasPublic Relation/AdvertisingJunior
I would go because I see Mayor Giuliani asa true leader who knows how to guide acity and a nation in times of crisis.
VOICECCaammppuuss
Danny QuirozCISJunior
I would attend based solely on all of hisexperiences. The advesity he has had toovercome both personally andprofessionally has proven that he is abrilliant leader.
By 2004, a new research facility promises toprovide local college students the opportunityto make a difference in the health of RioGrande Valley residents.
A $20 million structure in Edinburg will bethe future site of the Medical ResearchDivision of the Regional Academic HealthCenter, or RAHC.
The RAHC, in conjunction with TheUniversity of Texas Health Science Center atSan Antonio (UTHSCSA) will concentrate ondiabetes research and the study of infectiousdiseases such as dengue fever and tuberculosis,as well as various forms of cancer.
On Dec. 11, 2002, officials from the TexasCongress, the City of Edinburg, UTHSCSA,and UTPA gathered for the groundbreakingceremony on Van Week Street where thefacility will be located. Construction is set tobegin in February and is slated for completionin the spring of 2004.
Dr. Leo Vela, dean of the center, is lookingforward to the completion of the facility tobegin researching and finding cures andtreatments for diseases affecting largepopulations of Valley communities, such asdiabetes.
"Diabetes unfortunately affects the Hispanicpopulation and it's not proportional to theentire country," Vela said. "We want toresearch the disease in terms of its underlyingcause and how we can develop intervention."
Recent studies show that 20 percent ofValley residents will contract the disease atsome point. Many more are at risk.
The research center and its developers hope
to aid Valley residents by finding cures andtreatments for a number of ailments, while alsoassisting UTPA students interested in the fieldof biomedical research. Upon its completion,UTPA students will be enlisted to assist RAHCfaculty in performing research on the varioustypes of diseases, as Vela commented.
"We envision that students will have theopportunity to engage in this verysophisticated kind of research," Vela said. "Itwill also give the opportunity to provideknowledge that will benefit people around theValley and country."
Officials at the RAHC and UTPA plan tointegrate the faculty of both programs in aneffort to afford students at UTPA theopportunity to get involved in the research.
According to UTPA President Dr. MiguelNevarez, the relationship between the facultiescould help link students interested in researchwith a chance to participate and provide ahelping hand to the medical research field.
"Having the biomedical research in campusgives us added advantage of staff and studentsusing the facility and working together,"Nevarez said. "Relationship between thefaculties is going to make our students getinvolved."
Dr. William McIntyre, dean of the Collegeof Health Sciences and Human Services, saidRAHC research will give undergraduates andgraduate UTPA students the chance to exploredifferent diseases which are more likely toafflict families living in the Valley.
"We are already feeling an impact,"McIntyre said. "In our point of view, it isexcellent to have people doing researchbecause it stimulates opportunities and it givesstudents the chance to explore research."
Work on newRAHC under wayBy ARIANNA VAZQUEZThe Pan American
atmosphere at hospitals, Savoie and Munozrealized that hospitals are very busy andhave a shortage of laboratory scientists.The result is that there is not enough timeto sit down and teach the students one onone and explain everything to them.
“The students tend to get the grunt workand are not a high priority,” said Savoie.“This is not done intentionally it is just thatthere is not enough time.”
Munoz added that caring about peopleand a career is what is important and she isdetermined to make the time and effort forthe students who will do their rotations atMSL.
Elisa Diaz, microbiology supervisor andscientist at McAllen Medical Center, saysthat the scientists at MMC have to make the
time to sit down and teach because thestudents are their product.
“It reflects badly on us if they go andwork for another hospital and they do notknow how to perform a certain test,” saidDiaz. “The question that will be asked is‘Where were you trained?’”
Program director Karen Chandler saysthat she sends students to each of the majorhospitals to do their rotation because that iswhere all the areas the students needtraining in their rotations.
“MSL as well as major hospitals have thedepartments is which the students need todo their rotations,’” Chandler said. “MSLdoes have a higher level of a microbiologydepartment and is ranked at a hospitallevel.”
LAB continued from page 1
best leaders. They will have a chance to watcha tape-delayed version of the address onEdinburg’s local cable television channel. Still,to some, this is a repeat of last year’s situationwith Schwartzkopf, when students heard hewas coming but were unable to see the speech.
‘It’s seriously overpriced,” said UTPAfreshman Joe Cortez. “He did a good jobduring 9-11 but it’s no reason for them to becharging that much.”
Even though most students will not have theopportunity to attend the dinner, Garza saysmany Valley residents will still attend becausethey are political conservatives who supportGiuliani, a Republican.
“The leadership in the Valley is alwaysconservative,” said Garza. “They’ll pay $600because they have $600, and that’s who’sgonna go.”
In the past, the foundation was able to bringother individuals to speak to UTPA students.Aldape says such speakers came to UTPAduring Hispanic Engineering Science andTechnology Week. During that week, speakerswere able to motivate students into joiningvarious technology fields.
Aldape hopes that in the future,organizations like the foundation can bringmore leaders to UTPA so students can have theopportunity to hear them express their ideas.
GIULIANI continued from page 1
Tampa Bay BuccaneersWarren Sapp will look to
strengthen his legendarycareer as one of themost feared defensive
tackles to play the game. With apower house like Sapp ondefense, offenses can look to bestifled.
Philadelphia EaglesDonovan McNabb has proven
himself as a strong NFLquarterback. All he needs
to do now is bring homethe championship. Look for more
big plays from James Thrash,and expect an exciting game.
Oakland RaidersRich Gannon and Charlie Garnerhave demonstrated animmense amount ofchemistry during the postseason. The Raiders strongground game coupled with veter-an receiver Rice’s history ofplaying well in big games insuresthey will be a strong contender.
Tennessee TitansSteve McNair and the Tennessee
Titans are fresh off anovertime win againstPittsburgh, without Eddie
George who was side lined in thefirst quarter with a mild concus-sion. They have the ability toplay well under pressure, evenwith an injured roster.
January 16, 2003 Sports Page 13
SPORTS CLIPBOARD
They had been in a slide all seasonbefore that.
"Different people are stepping up andscoring, which means the team is comingtogether,” Gravel said. “We have a lot ofgames left and we can still win a lot ofthem. We're just taking it one day at a time
and hopefully we'll get 10 wins in our last13 games. That's our goal pretty much. Atleast, that's my goal."
Along with the team's new attitude, thecompetitive Gravel has learned to adjust tothe various new roles she has on the teamas well as other facets of her game.
the Lady Broncs, who saw only one player,sophomore Kathryn Waslen, advance to thesecond round of the shortened tournaments.
The last time UTPA and SMU met, theMustangs swept the Lady Broncs, picking upall six possible points in the competition bywinning 72 of 86 sets played. The Mustangs,who were then ranked 55th in the nation, hadhome court advantage and dominated in thefirst half of what was a doubleheader forSMU. In their second match up of the day,against Abilene Christian, the Mustangs gaveup only one available point in the singlesround - unfazed by the prior match up.
SMU retains every player who participatedin last year's competition against the LadyBroncs, while UTPA has lost the only playerto win at least two games in each of her losingsets, Celine Merlini, who did so playing in thenumber one spot.
Chapman and the Lady Broncs will alsoplay without junior Julie Fife, who will missthe first few matchups of the spring schedulewhile she recuperates from surgery to repair atorn meniscus.
Regardless of holes in the Lady Broncroster, Chapman looks to the depth of hissquad to gain an edge in Friday's competition.
"Tennis is a game where no matter if youplay at the number one spot or number sixspot all the points count the same," Chapmansaid. "I'll be looking for contributions fromeveryone."
Senior Elisabet Mateos, who was defeatedby Nadia Vaughn while playing in the secondspot last February, will be slated as thenumber one seed for UTPA.
This will be her last semester as a LadyBronc, and she hopes to go out on a positivenote.
“I am very excited about the season,”Mateos said. “ I’ve been preparing allChristmas by lifting weights, and trying tofind anybody to feed me tennis balls.”
Mateos, who made the Dean’s List FirstHonors for the Fall 2002 semester, will alsocompete at the number one spot in doublesalong with partner Ana Pena.
There were no doubles competitions atUTPA’s last tournament with SMU.
TENNIS continued from page 15
GRAVEL continued from page 15
Road to Super Bowl 37By BRIAN CARRThe Pan AmericanBronc Forward
Receives Red Shirt
Chris Fagan, who has been side-lined with a stress fracture sincethe pre-season, will retain twoyears of eligibility due to theinjury he sustained to his rightfoot.
Fagan, who was brought in tohelp strengthen the Broncs’ insidegame, will be one of two playerson the injured list who have beenred-shirted due to injury.
Senior forward Andrius Sakalys,will return next year after undergo-ing a surgery this December torepair a torn ACL - an injurywhich he sustained during the off-season.
Brains and brawnThe cumulative GPA of UTPA
students went up .02 pointsbetween the spring and fall semes-ter of 2002. The GPA ofathlete/students was raised from
2.88 to 2.90, and several studentathletes made Dean’s List FirstHonors.
Among them are:Filip Koziell, Jeremy Salvo,
Stacey Gooden, Elisabet Mateos,Nicole Boychuk and CrystalFrazier
Hockey in theValley
The CHL hockey team, which isset to begin play next season inHidalgo, was named during thewinter break.
The Rio Grande Valley KillerBees will join the league, and trav-el to compete against variousTexas teams including the AustinIce Bats and the Corpus Christi IceRays.
There have been no releases asto who will play for the KillerBees, but tickets for individualcompetitions, as well as seasonpackages, have gone on sale.
Gabe Hernandez
January 16, 2003 THE PAN AMERICAN Page 5January 16, 2003 THE PAN AMERICAN Page 12
Now a sociology professor at the Universityof Texas-Pan American, Dr. Kelley Himmel,52, had two things he wanted to do in his life:be a farmer and teach at the college level.
Born and raised on a cotton farm in CrosbyCounty in West Texas, Himmel grew upworking on the farm, raising plants and cattle.After graduating from high school in 1968, hewent on to Rice University to pursue abachelor’s degree in sociology, which heearned in 1973.
While he was still young, Himmel wanted tofulfill his dream to raise cattle. He decided tohead back to West Texas, to the farm his familyowned since 1920. He wanted to do sobecause he felt that it would get him closer tohis father, who didn’t want him to be a farmerin the first place.
“My dad didn’t want me to follow hisfootsteps because it didn’t bring a lot of moneyto the table,” Himmel said.
Himmel loved and lived the life of a farmertoo much to listen to his father. He worked theland for 15 years before deciding to go back toschool to further his education. During thattime he married and had a son, Lee, who isnow 28 and a cook in the U.S. Navy. Himmelcould have been a farmer all his life but he hadanother dream to chase, the one of being acollege professor.
In 1988, he enrolled at Texas TechUniversity in Lubbock, to pursue a master’sdegree. Although already in his mid-thirties,he knew he wanted to continue his quest forknowledge. He just did not know what route totake. He considered the fields of English and
history, but after reading course descriptions inthe university catalog many times, sociologyseemed the most interesting. It was then that heknew he would be a sociology teacher.
During his time at Tech, Himmel enrolled ina class called “Indians of the Southern Plains,”taught by Nancy Hickerson.
“I didn’t really like the way she taught theclass, but she was a really good role model forresearch,” he said. Hickerson wrote one bookcalled “The Jumanos Hunters and Traders ofthe South Plains.”
While in the class, Himmel wrote his firstpaper on the Tonkawas and Karankawas, two19th-century native tribes indigenous to Texas.
“As a child I read a lot about the Indians andwas very interested in Texas history,” he said.“I decided to combine the two interests.”
Even though he had a great interest in NativeAmericans, Himmel put the topic aside andwrote his thesis on another issue, and titled hiswork “Perceived Powerlessness andPornography Use Among Men.”
“The debate on pornography was a big issueback in the late 1980s, so I did my research formy thesis on that subject,” he said.
In 1990, Himmel enrolled at the Universityof Texas-Austin to pursue his doctoral degree.Texas Tech University only offered history inits doctorate program and he wanted teachsociology, so he made the move to Austin. Stillhaving a strong interest in Indians, Himmelstarted deeper research to discover more aboutthe conquest of Native Americans in Texas inthe 19th century and Immanuel Wallerstein’sWorld System Theory. This theory is based oneconomics and how humans could makechoices and change events.
“I was interested in the role of people’s
cultural values and how they integrated in theWorld System Theory,” he said.
Gideon Sjoberg, a sociology professor at UT,was supervising Himmel in his dissertation.
“He let me do my own thing and let mewrite the way I wanted to,” Himmel said. “Ireally appreciated that and he really motivatedme to keep going in my research. It is hard tobe motivated when you don’t have the supportof your professors.”
Sjoberg wrote several books, but the mostpopular one is titled “The Pre-industrial city,”published in 1950 and still in print today.
In 1995, Himmel finished his dissertation,but felt the finished product wasn’t as good ashe wanted it to be. It was called “The Conquestof the Karankawas and the Tonkawas, 1821-1859.” He decided to push himself to finishthe work he had started and finish what he hadto say on the subject. In 1999, he published thebook, which was a revised version of thedissertation.
“The book was really important to me to gettenure at Pan-Am,” he said.
Life in the Valley The University of Texas-Pan American is
where Himmel ended up in the fall of 1995.Two days after he interviewed with theuniversity, he got a call on his way to theValley.
“I went on interviews all over the UnitedStates and Pan-Am was my first choice and Iwas theirs, too.” he said. “I was very happybecause I liked the campus, the people and theValley.”
Today, Himmel teaches five undergraduatecourses and one graduate course per year.
“I like to teach to students who are eager to
learn and I like interaction and the immediatefeedback they provide,” he said.
In the meantime, he is working on a secondbook, but believes it will some time to get hisnewest work published.
“It took seven years from the idea topublication with the first book,” he said. “Thisone will probably take the same amount oftime.”
The book will be about Texas history and acoal-mining town named Thurber, which wasinhabited from 1880 to 1930, but is now aghost town, Thurber was owned by the TexasCoal Company and when the company closedits doors because of competition from othercompanies, the town dried up, leaving nothingbehind for the workers.
“My great-grandfather was a miner there inthe 1900s and I heard a lot of stories growingup,” he said. “I’ve had an interest in the subjectfor a long time.”
His book will concentrate on ethnic andlabor relations in the community, as well as therole women played in the Thurber community.Himmel is in the early stage of the researchprocess, still gathering data.
“I don’t have many problems doing theresearch but with all the time I spend teaching,there is a lack of time to devote to myresearch,” he said.
Now living in Weslaco with his wife andthree dogs, Himmel plans on continuing hislifestyle of teaching and research for a numberof years to come until his retirement.
“I like teaching a lot and I like to doresearch,” he said. “I want to write a third bookand since it takes me seven years to get oneout, I figured 15 more years of teaching wouldgive me enough time for the next two!”
UTPA professor seeks knowledgeBy ALEX GRAVELSpecial to The Pan American
January 16, 2003 THE PAN AMERICAN Page 6 January 16, 2003 Arts & Entertainment Page 11
Tattoos make mark on student bodiesThey invoke fascination, they are the topic of small talk
among young people, they are long-lasting expressions ofpersonalities...they are tattoos. No matter how interestingthey are, there are some details that not everyone knowsabout this age-old art form, and it wouldn’t hurt them to dosome research.
The Flaming Heart tattoo parlor on Closner Street is onelocation near campus where those looking to get body artcan find answers from manager Eddie Gomez, who has beenin the tattoo business for six years. He describes the FlamingHeart as a busy shop, but admits that some days are slowerthan others.
“We’re a pretty busy shop, we always have been,” Gomezsaid. “On a daily basis we do about three tattoos, but there’sdays that we just sit around twiddling our thumbs. ItDepends on the season.”
The Flaming Heart is in the early phases of the busyseason and spring break bears the promise of more clientsfor the shop. Gomez said a majority of the people who comeinto the shop are younger adults.
“A good 65 percent of the people who come in here arecollege students,” Gomez said.
Even though a majority of the people who visit theFlaming Heart are college students, Gomez has not noticed asignificant difference between the number of males andfemales who come in.
Despite the popularity of tattoos, some people worryabout how safe they really are, regardless of gender. Gomezsaid the Flaming Heart does what can be done can tominimize contamination and emphasize customer safety.
“We don’t reuse anything that has to do with blood,” hesaid. “Needles get thrown away once the tattoo is complete.”
Because not all the equipment is disposable, the shop usesa device called an autoclave to sterilize instruments. Themachine uses water to raise the temperature and sterilize theinstruments.
The shop’s precautions and emphasis on safety haveearned it the approval of the State Department of Health,
and as a result, the Flaming Heart has become a licensedshop.
Along with the concerns about shop safety, all shops haveto deal with what happens when people decide their body arthas to go. The idea that tattoos are permanent is not entirelyaccurate anymore. Linda Moncada, a laser technician atValley Hand & Plastic Surgery PA in McAllen, has theknow-how on tattoo removal.
Moncada said she sees many people come in to have theirtattoos removed for a variety of reasons.
“Usually, it’s something they did when they were youngerand now that they’re older they may have a job where theymay not want their tattoo to show,” she said. “Sometimesthey don’t want their kids to get tattoos and they removetheir own so their kids don’t see it.”
Moncada said she sometimes treats Winter Texans whowant to remove tattoos they got in their youth and no longerhave a taste for. Despite the age range of her clients, shesaid about 50 percent of the people who want to have theirtattoos removed are college students. She said that there aremore females than males among her college clients.
Even though tattoo removal may seem like a simplesolution for someone who has grown tired of their body art,Moncada said that it is a long and painful process.
“It’s very painful because it’s burning the skin. It’s a longongoing process, not a quick fix,” she said. “That’s whypeople need to really think it through. You can get a tattoo inabout an hour, but it takes up to a year to get it removed.”
This is one of the reasons Gomez said anyone looking toget a tattoo should weigh the situation carefully because it isa permanent artwork. And, he suggests they have somethinking done before they come.
“A lot of people come in here and kind of grocery shop,and ask ‘How would this look on me,’“ he said. “The bestthing to do is talk to the artist and have an idea of what youwant before you actually get something.”
Aside from being a yearlong process, tattoo removal canhave an impact on a patient’s finances.
For small, uncolored tattoos, a person can expect to pay$200 for removal and up to $1,200 if a tattoo is large andcolored.
“Colored tattoos are more complicated to remove becausethey require different treatments,” Moncada said.
So once a person has dished out money and endured painfor a tattoo removal, they have one more setback before thetattoo is out of sight and out of mind...the scarring.
“Scarring is 100 percent in tattoo removal,” Moncadasaid.
The area where the tattoo was will initially be pink andclients are told to avoid sun exposure. Eventually the skinmay return to normal after the burning and blistering is pastbut it may stay darker than the rest of the skin.
With tattoos increasing in popularity and a steady numberof clients looking to have them removed, the professionalswho place and erase permanent ink strongly recommend thatpeople seriously consider whether they really want to get atattoo.
By CELESTE Y. TELLOThe Pan American
Celeste Y. Tello/The Pan American
Chris Deleon of the Flaming Heart tattoo parlor performsa cover up over the tattoo of a customer Wednesday.
■ Gallery Exhibit . . . . 8-9
■ Culture Club . . . . . . . 9
■ Movie Review . . . . . 10ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
PAGE 7
AroundTown
Book DiscussionJan. 18 at 3 p.m.Place: Barnes & Noble,4006 N. 10th St.Info: UTPA professor Dr.Rob Johnson will discusshis first collection ofcuentos de fantasmas,titled “Fantasmas:Supernatural Stories byMexican AmericanWriters,” featuring 19stories by various writers,many of which are Valleynatives. Rene Saldaña Jr.,also a UTPA facultymember, will read his story“El Bronco y La Lechuza.”
Music Fest 2003Jan. 18 at 2 p.m.Place: McAllen CivicCenterPrice: Tickets are $12 inadvance or $15 at the doorand are available at theRio Grande Children’sHome on N. Bentsen Drivein Mission, and all ValleyAlamo Banks and BootJack stores.
Carrot TopJan. 21Place: La Villa Real, 1201S. Bentsen RoadEvent: The infamous propcomic brings his uniqueperspectives to the Valley. Phone: (956) 687-7121 forticket information.
McAllen SymphonicBandFeb. 4 at 7:30 p.m.Place: McAllen CivicCenter AuditoriumEvent: The McAllenSymphonic Band presents“Gems of the ConcertBand,” which will feature“Radetsky March,”“Anitshka” and “Marchfrom SymphonicMetamorphosis. Phone: (956) 668-9740Price: Admission donationis $5; tickets available atMelhart’s Music Centerand McAllen Chamber ofCommerce.
MARIACHI CONCERTSaturday, Jan. 18 and Sunday, Jan. 19 at 2 p.m.in the Fine Arts Auditorium
The nationally-known UTPA Mariachi will performMexican folk music in the traditional mariachi form,including “Sones” and “Canciones.” The new UTPAMariachi Femenil, an all-female mariachi, and theSol y Luna Dance Club will also perform.
Tickets are $5 and will be sold at the door. Formore information, call (956) 381-3471.
LATIN SALSA BAND CONCERTSaturday, Feb. 8 and Sunday, Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. in the FineArts Auditorium
The UTPA Latin Salsa Band, joined by the UTPA Mariachiand UTPA Mariachi Femenil, will perform “tropical” andtraditional “salsa” stylings, combining rhythms from Africawith melodies and harmonies from Spain. The Sol y LunaDance Club will join the musicians on stage.
Tickets are $5 and will be sold at the door. For moreinformation, call (956) 381-3471.
UPCOMING MUSIC DEPARTMENT EVENTS
The South Texas Conjunto Association and the UTPAMusic Department joined forces to present
“Accordeones de Texas En Vivo.” The festival wasintended to detail the origins of conjunto music in the
Lower Rio Grande Valley in the 1920’s. Themusicians told stories to the audience of about 150people giving the history of each of the instruments
and how the workers and farmers incorporated theminto the local Mexican music.
Photos by Celeste Y. Tello
“Johnny” isn’t hereanymore... Jack Nicholson hasreplaced his “Shining” personawith the very methodicalWarren Schmidt. Warren livesat home with his wife, Helen(June Squibb), and is bitterlycoping with recent retirement.One night while flipping
through the television channelshe sees a commercial in whichAngela Landsbury urgesviewers to sponsor a needychild. Warren feels compelledto do so, resulting in hissponsorship of a six-year-oldTanzanian boy named Ndugu.Eventually Warren beginsexamining his life through the
letters he sends toNdugu.
He tells Ndugo allabout his wife, the “oldwoman who lives in hishouse,” and of the wayshe requires him to sitwhen he urinates inorder to avoid anymesses (an example ofher overbearingpersonality). He alsotells Ndugo of hisdaughter, Jeannie(Hope Davis), and thatshe is going to marry abumbling waterbedsalesman namedRandall (DermotMulroney), of whom
Warren does not approve. Suddenly, Warren’s wife
dies (in an unfortunate yetamusing manner), and he isforced to attend his daughter’swedding alone. Deciding tomake the most of his journeyto the wedding, Warren hopsin his Winnebago and visitsplaces he lived as a child.Eventually Warren ends up inNebraska and meets he and hisdaughter’s future in-laws, theHertzels.
Enter Roberta (KathyBates), the groom’s mother,who portrays the epitomy ofraunch. As Warren sees thefamily that Jeannie hasdecided to join, he concludesthat his life is a failure. Hefeels that he has not touchedanyone else’s life and that hisown life is meaningless. Theevents of his past haveaffirmed this, but at the end ofthe movie Warren receives aletter from Ndugo’s teacher,making Warren realize he hastouched the life of at least one
person.Aside from Bates exposing
herself and letting it all “hang”out in front of the camera,“About Schmidt” isentertaining and fun. All in all,Nicholson has truly capturedthe essence (or lack thereof )of Warren Schmidt and itshould come as no surprise ifhe receives a fourth Oscarnomination.
January 16, 2003 Arts & Entertainment Page 10
1. “Just Married” - $17.5
2. “Lord of the Rings:The Two Towers” - $14.8
3. “Catch Me If YouCan” - $14.6
4. “Two Weeks Notice” -$6.8
5. “About Schmidt” -$6.4
6. “Chicago” - $5.7
7. “Maid in Manhattan” -$5.1
8. “Gangs of New York”- $4.8
9. “Antwone Fisher” -$3.8
10. “Wild ThornberrysMovie” - $2.8
BOX OFFICESTATS
REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW
Starring: Jack Nicholson,June Squibb, Hope Davis,Dermot Mulroney, Kathy
Bates, Howard HessemanDirector: Alexander Payne
MPAA rating: R, forlanguage and brief nudity.
Running time: 125minutes
Reviewer’s Rating:
out of 5 stars
Last week’s results
Movie turns dull into delightfully funny
All ‘About Schmidt’By DÄGOBERTO PÉREZThe Pan American
January 16, 2003 Arts & Entertainment Page 9January 16, 2003 Arts & Entertainment Page 8
Movie: “Just Married”Book: “The Rose That Grew From Concrete” by 2PacWebsite: NBA.com
CD: “Blizzard of Ozz” by Ozzy OsbourneBook: “Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. SalingerWebsite: yahoo.com
CD: “Up!” by Shania TwainMovie: “Meet Joe Black”Book: “Desperation” by Stephen King
Darla JacksonJuniorinterdisciplinaryStudies
Ernie GonzalezJuniorGeneral Studies
Rick RochaFreshmanCriminal Justice
CULTURE CLUBWhat students like to read, listen to and surf.
The
Photos byMatt Lynch
The University Gallery, located in the
Communication Arts and Sciences Building,
hosts the Master of Fine Arts exhibit “Love,
Labor & Life: Existence through a neo-
surrealist style” by Manuel Saenz Jr. The
exhibit runs through Feb. 4 with an artist’s
reception tonight from 7 to 9 p.m. in the
University Gallery. Admission is free.
January 16, 2003 Arts & Entertainment Page 9January 16, 2003 Arts & Entertainment Page 8
Movie: “Just Married”Book: “The Rose That Grew From Concrete” by 2PacWebsite: NBA.com
CD: “Blizzard of Ozz” by Ozzy OsbourneBook: “Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. SalingerWebsite: yahoo.com
CD: “Up!” by Shania TwainMovie: “Meet Joe Black”Book: “Desperation” by Stephen King
Darla JacksonJuniorinterdisciplinaryStudies
Ernie GonzalezJuniorGeneral Studies
Rick RochaFreshmanCriminal Justice
CULTURE CLUBWhat students like to read, listen to and surf.
The
Photos byMatt Lynch
The University Gallery, located in the
Communication Arts and Sciences Building,
hosts the Master of Fine Arts exhibit “Love,
Labor & Life: Existence through a neo-
surrealist style” by Manuel Saenz Jr. The
exhibit runs through Feb. 4 with an artist’s
reception tonight from 7 to 9 p.m. in the
University Gallery. Admission is free.
■ Gallery Exhibit . . . . 8-9
■ Culture Club . . . . . . . 9
■ Movie Review . . . . . 10ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
PAGE 7
AroundTown
Book DiscussionJan. 18 at 3 p.m.Place: Barnes & Noble,4006 N. 10th St.Info: UTPA professor Dr.Rob Johnson will discusshis first collection ofcuentos de fantasmas,titled “Fantasmas:Supernatural Stories byMexican AmericanWriters,” featuring 19stories by various writers,many of which are Valleynatives. Rene Saldaña Jr.,also a UTPA facultymember, will read his story“El Bronco y La Lechuza.”
Music Fest 2003Jan. 18 at 2 p.m.Place: McAllen CivicCenterPrice: Tickets are $12 inadvance or $15 at the doorand are available at theRio Grande Children’sHome on N. Bentsen Drivein Mission, and all ValleyAlamo Banks and BootJack stores.
Carrot TopJan. 21Place: La Villa Real, 1201S. Bentsen RoadEvent: The infamous propcomic brings his uniqueperspectives to the Valley. Phone: (956) 687-7121 forticket information.
McAllen SymphonicBandFeb. 4 at 7:30 p.m.Place: McAllen CivicCenter AuditoriumEvent: The McAllenSymphonic Band presents“Gems of the ConcertBand,” which will feature“Radetsky March,”“Anitshka” and “Marchfrom SymphonicMetamorphosis. Phone: (956) 668-9740Price: Admission donationis $5; tickets available atMelhart’s Music Centerand McAllen Chamber ofCommerce.
MARIACHI CONCERTSaturday, Jan. 18 and Sunday, Jan. 19 at 2 p.m.in the Fine Arts Auditorium
The nationally-known UTPA Mariachi will performMexican folk music in the traditional mariachi form,including “Sones” and “Canciones.” The new UTPAMariachi Femenil, an all-female mariachi, and theSol y Luna Dance Club will also perform.
Tickets are $5 and will be sold at the door. Formore information, call (956) 381-3471.
LATIN SALSA BAND CONCERTSaturday, Feb. 8 and Sunday, Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. in the FineArts Auditorium
The UTPA Latin Salsa Band, joined by the UTPA Mariachiand UTPA Mariachi Femenil, will perform “tropical” andtraditional “salsa” stylings, combining rhythms from Africawith melodies and harmonies from Spain. The Sol y LunaDance Club will join the musicians on stage.
Tickets are $5 and will be sold at the door. For moreinformation, call (956) 381-3471.
UPCOMING MUSIC DEPARTMENT EVENTS
The South Texas Conjunto Association and the UTPAMusic Department joined forces to present
“Accordeones de Texas En Vivo.” The festival wasintended to detail the origins of conjunto music in the
Lower Rio Grande Valley in the 1920’s. Themusicians told stories to the audience of about 150people giving the history of each of the instruments
and how the workers and farmers incorporated theminto the local Mexican music.
Photos by Celeste Y. Tello
“Johnny” isn’t hereanymore... Jack Nicholson hasreplaced his “Shining” personawith the very methodicalWarren Schmidt. Warren livesat home with his wife, Helen(June Squibb), and is bitterlycoping with recent retirement.One night while flipping
through the television channelshe sees a commercial in whichAngela Landsbury urgesviewers to sponsor a needychild. Warren feels compelledto do so, resulting in hissponsorship of a six-year-oldTanzanian boy named Ndugu.Eventually Warren beginsexamining his life through the
letters he sends toNdugu.
He tells Ndugo allabout his wife, the “oldwoman who lives in hishouse,” and of the wayshe requires him to sitwhen he urinates inorder to avoid anymesses (an example ofher overbearingpersonality). He alsotells Ndugo of hisdaughter, Jeannie(Hope Davis), and thatshe is going to marry abumbling waterbedsalesman namedRandall (DermotMulroney), of whom
Warren does not approve. Suddenly, Warren’s wife
dies (in an unfortunate yetamusing manner), and he isforced to attend his daughter’swedding alone. Deciding tomake the most of his journeyto the wedding, Warren hopsin his Winnebago and visitsplaces he lived as a child.Eventually Warren ends up inNebraska and meets he and hisdaughter’s future in-laws, theHertzels.
Enter Roberta (KathyBates), the groom’s mother,who portrays the epitomy ofraunch. As Warren sees thefamily that Jeannie hasdecided to join, he concludesthat his life is a failure. Hefeels that he has not touchedanyone else’s life and that hisown life is meaningless. Theevents of his past haveaffirmed this, but at the end ofthe movie Warren receives aletter from Ndugo’s teacher,making Warren realize he hastouched the life of at least one
person.Aside from Bates exposing
herself and letting it all “hang”out in front of the camera,“About Schmidt” isentertaining and fun. All in all,Nicholson has truly capturedthe essence (or lack thereof )of Warren Schmidt and itshould come as no surprise ifhe receives a fourth Oscarnomination.
January 16, 2003 Arts & Entertainment Page 10
1. “Just Married” - $17.5
2. “Lord of the Rings:The Two Towers” - $14.8
3. “Catch Me If YouCan” - $14.6
4. “Two Weeks Notice” -$6.8
5. “About Schmidt” -$6.4
6. “Chicago” - $5.7
7. “Maid in Manhattan” -$5.1
8. “Gangs of New York”- $4.8
9. “Antwone Fisher” -$3.8
10. “Wild ThornberrysMovie” - $2.8
BOX OFFICESTATS
REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW
Starring: Jack Nicholson,June Squibb, Hope Davis,Dermot Mulroney, Kathy
Bates, Howard HessemanDirector: Alexander Payne
MPAA rating: R, forlanguage and brief nudity.
Running time: 125minutes
Reviewer’s Rating:
out of 5 stars
Last week’s results
Movie turns dull into delightfully funny
All ‘About Schmidt’By DÄGOBERTO PÉREZThe Pan American
January 16, 2003 THE PAN AMERICAN Page 6 January 16, 2003 Arts & Entertainment Page 11
Tattoos make mark on student bodiesThey invoke fascination, they are the topic of small talk
among young people, they are long-lasting expressions ofpersonalities...they are tattoos. No matter how interestingthey are, there are some details that not everyone knowsabout this age-old art form, and it wouldn’t hurt them to dosome research.
The Flaming Heart tattoo parlor on Closner Street is onelocation near campus where those looking to get body artcan find answers from manager Eddie Gomez, who has beenin the tattoo business for six years. He describes the FlamingHeart as a busy shop, but admits that some days are slowerthan others.
“We’re a pretty busy shop, we always have been,” Gomezsaid. “On a daily basis we do about three tattoos, but there’sdays that we just sit around twiddling our thumbs. ItDepends on the season.”
The Flaming Heart is in the early phases of the busyseason and spring break bears the promise of more clientsfor the shop. Gomez said a majority of the people who comeinto the shop are younger adults.
“A good 65 percent of the people who come in here arecollege students,” Gomez said.
Even though a majority of the people who visit theFlaming Heart are college students, Gomez has not noticed asignificant difference between the number of males andfemales who come in.
Despite the popularity of tattoos, some people worryabout how safe they really are, regardless of gender. Gomezsaid the Flaming Heart does what can be done can tominimize contamination and emphasize customer safety.
“We don’t reuse anything that has to do with blood,” hesaid. “Needles get thrown away once the tattoo is complete.”
Because not all the equipment is disposable, the shop usesa device called an autoclave to sterilize instruments. Themachine uses water to raise the temperature and sterilize theinstruments.
The shop’s precautions and emphasis on safety haveearned it the approval of the State Department of Health,
and as a result, the Flaming Heart has become a licensedshop.
Along with the concerns about shop safety, all shops haveto deal with what happens when people decide their body arthas to go. The idea that tattoos are permanent is not entirelyaccurate anymore. Linda Moncada, a laser technician atValley Hand & Plastic Surgery PA in McAllen, has theknow-how on tattoo removal.
Moncada said she sees many people come in to have theirtattoos removed for a variety of reasons.
“Usually, it’s something they did when they were youngerand now that they’re older they may have a job where theymay not want their tattoo to show,” she said. “Sometimesthey don’t want their kids to get tattoos and they removetheir own so their kids don’t see it.”
Moncada said she sometimes treats Winter Texans whowant to remove tattoos they got in their youth and no longerhave a taste for. Despite the age range of her clients, shesaid about 50 percent of the people who want to have theirtattoos removed are college students. She said that there aremore females than males among her college clients.
Even though tattoo removal may seem like a simplesolution for someone who has grown tired of their body art,Moncada said that it is a long and painful process.
“It’s very painful because it’s burning the skin. It’s a longongoing process, not a quick fix,” she said. “That’s whypeople need to really think it through. You can get a tattoo inabout an hour, but it takes up to a year to get it removed.”
This is one of the reasons Gomez said anyone looking toget a tattoo should weigh the situation carefully because it isa permanent artwork. And, he suggests they have somethinking done before they come.
“A lot of people come in here and kind of grocery shop,and ask ‘How would this look on me,’“ he said. “The bestthing to do is talk to the artist and have an idea of what youwant before you actually get something.”
Aside from being a yearlong process, tattoo removal canhave an impact on a patient’s finances.
For small, uncolored tattoos, a person can expect to pay$200 for removal and up to $1,200 if a tattoo is large andcolored.
“Colored tattoos are more complicated to remove becausethey require different treatments,” Moncada said.
So once a person has dished out money and endured painfor a tattoo removal, they have one more setback before thetattoo is out of sight and out of mind...the scarring.
“Scarring is 100 percent in tattoo removal,” Moncadasaid.
The area where the tattoo was will initially be pink andclients are told to avoid sun exposure. Eventually the skinmay return to normal after the burning and blistering is pastbut it may stay darker than the rest of the skin.
With tattoos increasing in popularity and a steady numberof clients looking to have them removed, the professionalswho place and erase permanent ink strongly recommend thatpeople seriously consider whether they really want to get atattoo.
By CELESTE Y. TELLOThe Pan American
Celeste Y. Tello/The Pan American
Chris Deleon of the Flaming Heart tattoo parlor performsa cover up over the tattoo of a customer Wednesday.
January 16, 2003 THE PAN AMERICAN Page 5January 16, 2003 THE PAN AMERICAN Page 12
Now a sociology professor at the Universityof Texas-Pan American, Dr. Kelley Himmel,52, had two things he wanted to do in his life:be a farmer and teach at the college level.
Born and raised on a cotton farm in CrosbyCounty in West Texas, Himmel grew upworking on the farm, raising plants and cattle.After graduating from high school in 1968, hewent on to Rice University to pursue abachelor’s degree in sociology, which heearned in 1973.
While he was still young, Himmel wanted tofulfill his dream to raise cattle. He decided tohead back to West Texas, to the farm his familyowned since 1920. He wanted to do sobecause he felt that it would get him closer tohis father, who didn’t want him to be a farmerin the first place.
“My dad didn’t want me to follow hisfootsteps because it didn’t bring a lot of moneyto the table,” Himmel said.
Himmel loved and lived the life of a farmertoo much to listen to his father. He worked theland for 15 years before deciding to go back toschool to further his education. During thattime he married and had a son, Lee, who isnow 28 and a cook in the U.S. Navy. Himmelcould have been a farmer all his life but he hadanother dream to chase, the one of being acollege professor.
In 1988, he enrolled at Texas TechUniversity in Lubbock, to pursue a master’sdegree. Although already in his mid-thirties,he knew he wanted to continue his quest forknowledge. He just did not know what route totake. He considered the fields of English and
history, but after reading course descriptions inthe university catalog many times, sociologyseemed the most interesting. It was then that heknew he would be a sociology teacher.
During his time at Tech, Himmel enrolled ina class called “Indians of the Southern Plains,”taught by Nancy Hickerson.
“I didn’t really like the way she taught theclass, but she was a really good role model forresearch,” he said. Hickerson wrote one bookcalled “The Jumanos Hunters and Traders ofthe South Plains.”
While in the class, Himmel wrote his firstpaper on the Tonkawas and Karankawas, two19th-century native tribes indigenous to Texas.
“As a child I read a lot about the Indians andwas very interested in Texas history,” he said.“I decided to combine the two interests.”
Even though he had a great interest in NativeAmericans, Himmel put the topic aside andwrote his thesis on another issue, and titled hiswork “Perceived Powerlessness andPornography Use Among Men.”
“The debate on pornography was a big issueback in the late 1980s, so I did my research formy thesis on that subject,” he said.
In 1990, Himmel enrolled at the Universityof Texas-Austin to pursue his doctoral degree.Texas Tech University only offered history inits doctorate program and he wanted teachsociology, so he made the move to Austin. Stillhaving a strong interest in Indians, Himmelstarted deeper research to discover more aboutthe conquest of Native Americans in Texas inthe 19th century and Immanuel Wallerstein’sWorld System Theory. This theory is based oneconomics and how humans could makechoices and change events.
“I was interested in the role of people’s
cultural values and how they integrated in theWorld System Theory,” he said.
Gideon Sjoberg, a sociology professor at UT,was supervising Himmel in his dissertation.
“He let me do my own thing and let mewrite the way I wanted to,” Himmel said. “Ireally appreciated that and he really motivatedme to keep going in my research. It is hard tobe motivated when you don’t have the supportof your professors.”
Sjoberg wrote several books, but the mostpopular one is titled “The Pre-industrial city,”published in 1950 and still in print today.
In 1995, Himmel finished his dissertation,but felt the finished product wasn’t as good ashe wanted it to be. It was called “The Conquestof the Karankawas and the Tonkawas, 1821-1859.” He decided to push himself to finishthe work he had started and finish what he hadto say on the subject. In 1999, he published thebook, which was a revised version of thedissertation.
“The book was really important to me to gettenure at Pan-Am,” he said.
Life in the Valley The University of Texas-Pan American is
where Himmel ended up in the fall of 1995.Two days after he interviewed with theuniversity, he got a call on his way to theValley.
“I went on interviews all over the UnitedStates and Pan-Am was my first choice and Iwas theirs, too.” he said. “I was very happybecause I liked the campus, the people and theValley.”
Today, Himmel teaches five undergraduatecourses and one graduate course per year.
“I like to teach to students who are eager to
learn and I like interaction and the immediatefeedback they provide,” he said.
In the meantime, he is working on a secondbook, but believes it will some time to get hisnewest work published.
“It took seven years from the idea topublication with the first book,” he said. “Thisone will probably take the same amount oftime.”
The book will be about Texas history and acoal-mining town named Thurber, which wasinhabited from 1880 to 1930, but is now aghost town, Thurber was owned by the TexasCoal Company and when the company closedits doors because of competition from othercompanies, the town dried up, leaving nothingbehind for the workers.
“My great-grandfather was a miner there inthe 1900s and I heard a lot of stories growingup,” he said. “I’ve had an interest in the subjectfor a long time.”
His book will concentrate on ethnic andlabor relations in the community, as well as therole women played in the Thurber community.Himmel is in the early stage of the researchprocess, still gathering data.
“I don’t have many problems doing theresearch but with all the time I spend teaching,there is a lack of time to devote to myresearch,” he said.
Now living in Weslaco with his wife andthree dogs, Himmel plans on continuing hislifestyle of teaching and research for a numberof years to come until his retirement.
“I like teaching a lot and I like to doresearch,” he said. “I want to write a third bookand since it takes me seven years to get oneout, I figured 15 more years of teaching wouldgive me enough time for the next two!”
UTPA professor seeks knowledgeBy ALEX GRAVELSpecial to The Pan American
January 16, 2003 THE PAN AMERICAN Page 4
Armando MariscalCriminal JusticeJunior
I would be interested to hear hissuggestions to fix the corruption inMexico and any suggestions he has forthe Valley.
Nelda PerezEducationJunior
I would have loved to meet RudolfGiuliani. I think he has become animportant face in American historyand I certainly would have loved tohear what he had to say.
Ivan BarajasFinanceJunior
I wouldn’t go because he’s just not aperson who seems interesting to me.
Would you be interested inhearing Rudy Giuliani speak?
Gaby BarajasPublic Relation/AdvertisingJunior
I would go because I see Mayor Giuliani asa true leader who knows how to guide acity and a nation in times of crisis.
VOICECCaammppuuss
Danny QuirozCISJunior
I would attend based solely on all of hisexperiences. The advesity he has had toovercome both personally andprofessionally has proven that he is abrilliant leader.
By 2004, a new research facility promises toprovide local college students the opportunityto make a difference in the health of RioGrande Valley residents.
A $20 million structure in Edinburg will bethe future site of the Medical ResearchDivision of the Regional Academic HealthCenter, or RAHC.
The RAHC, in conjunction with TheUniversity of Texas Health Science Center atSan Antonio (UTHSCSA) will concentrate ondiabetes research and the study of infectiousdiseases such as dengue fever and tuberculosis,as well as various forms of cancer.
On Dec. 11, 2002, officials from the TexasCongress, the City of Edinburg, UTHSCSA,and UTPA gathered for the groundbreakingceremony on Van Week Street where thefacility will be located. Construction is set tobegin in February and is slated for completionin the spring of 2004.
Dr. Leo Vela, dean of the center, is lookingforward to the completion of the facility tobegin researching and finding cures andtreatments for diseases affecting largepopulations of Valley communities, such asdiabetes.
"Diabetes unfortunately affects the Hispanicpopulation and it's not proportional to theentire country," Vela said. "We want toresearch the disease in terms of its underlyingcause and how we can develop intervention."
Recent studies show that 20 percent ofValley residents will contract the disease atsome point. Many more are at risk.
The research center and its developers hope
to aid Valley residents by finding cures andtreatments for a number of ailments, while alsoassisting UTPA students interested in the fieldof biomedical research. Upon its completion,UTPA students will be enlisted to assist RAHCfaculty in performing research on the varioustypes of diseases, as Vela commented.
"We envision that students will have theopportunity to engage in this verysophisticated kind of research," Vela said. "Itwill also give the opportunity to provideknowledge that will benefit people around theValley and country."
Officials at the RAHC and UTPA plan tointegrate the faculty of both programs in aneffort to afford students at UTPA theopportunity to get involved in the research.
According to UTPA President Dr. MiguelNevarez, the relationship between the facultiescould help link students interested in researchwith a chance to participate and provide ahelping hand to the medical research field.
"Having the biomedical research in campusgives us added advantage of staff and studentsusing the facility and working together,"Nevarez said. "Relationship between thefaculties is going to make our students getinvolved."
Dr. William McIntyre, dean of the Collegeof Health Sciences and Human Services, saidRAHC research will give undergraduates andgraduate UTPA students the chance to exploredifferent diseases which are more likely toafflict families living in the Valley.
"We are already feeling an impact,"McIntyre said. "In our point of view, it isexcellent to have people doing researchbecause it stimulates opportunities and it givesstudents the chance to explore research."
Work on newRAHC under wayBy ARIANNA VAZQUEZThe Pan American
atmosphere at hospitals, Savoie and Munozrealized that hospitals are very busy andhave a shortage of laboratory scientists.The result is that there is not enough timeto sit down and teach the students one onone and explain everything to them.
“The students tend to get the grunt workand are not a high priority,” said Savoie.“This is not done intentionally it is just thatthere is not enough time.”
Munoz added that caring about peopleand a career is what is important and she isdetermined to make the time and effort forthe students who will do their rotations atMSL.
Elisa Diaz, microbiology supervisor andscientist at McAllen Medical Center, saysthat the scientists at MMC have to make the
time to sit down and teach because thestudents are their product.
“It reflects badly on us if they go andwork for another hospital and they do notknow how to perform a certain test,” saidDiaz. “The question that will be asked is‘Where were you trained?’”
Program director Karen Chandler saysthat she sends students to each of the majorhospitals to do their rotation because that iswhere all the areas the students needtraining in their rotations.
“MSL as well as major hospitals have thedepartments is which the students need todo their rotations,’” Chandler said. “MSLdoes have a higher level of a microbiologydepartment and is ranked at a hospitallevel.”
LAB continued from page 1
best leaders. They will have a chance to watcha tape-delayed version of the address onEdinburg’s local cable television channel. Still,to some, this is a repeat of last year’s situationwith Schwartzkopf, when students heard hewas coming but were unable to see the speech.
‘It’s seriously overpriced,” said UTPAfreshman Joe Cortez. “He did a good jobduring 9-11 but it’s no reason for them to becharging that much.”
Even though most students will not have theopportunity to attend the dinner, Garza saysmany Valley residents will still attend becausethey are political conservatives who supportGiuliani, a Republican.
“The leadership in the Valley is alwaysconservative,” said Garza. “They’ll pay $600because they have $600, and that’s who’sgonna go.”
In the past, the foundation was able to bringother individuals to speak to UTPA students.Aldape says such speakers came to UTPAduring Hispanic Engineering Science andTechnology Week. During that week, speakerswere able to motivate students into joiningvarious technology fields.
Aldape hopes that in the future,organizations like the foundation can bringmore leaders to UTPA so students can have theopportunity to hear them express their ideas.
GIULIANI continued from page 1
Tampa Bay BuccaneersWarren Sapp will look to
strengthen his legendarycareer as one of themost feared defensive
tackles to play the game. With apower house like Sapp ondefense, offenses can look to bestifled.
Philadelphia EaglesDonovan McNabb has proven
himself as a strong NFLquarterback. All he needs
to do now is bring homethe championship. Look for more
big plays from James Thrash,and expect an exciting game.
Oakland RaidersRich Gannon and Charlie Garnerhave demonstrated animmense amount ofchemistry during the postseason. The Raiders strongground game coupled with veter-an receiver Rice’s history ofplaying well in big games insuresthey will be a strong contender.
Tennessee TitansSteve McNair and the Tennessee
Titans are fresh off anovertime win againstPittsburgh, without Eddie
George who was side lined in thefirst quarter with a mild concus-sion. They have the ability toplay well under pressure, evenwith an injured roster.
January 16, 2003 Sports Page 13
SPORTS CLIPBOARD
They had been in a slide all seasonbefore that.
"Different people are stepping up andscoring, which means the team is comingtogether,” Gravel said. “We have a lot ofgames left and we can still win a lot ofthem. We're just taking it one day at a time
and hopefully we'll get 10 wins in our last13 games. That's our goal pretty much. Atleast, that's my goal."
Along with the team's new attitude, thecompetitive Gravel has learned to adjust tothe various new roles she has on the teamas well as other facets of her game.
the Lady Broncs, who saw only one player,sophomore Kathryn Waslen, advance to thesecond round of the shortened tournaments.
The last time UTPA and SMU met, theMustangs swept the Lady Broncs, picking upall six possible points in the competition bywinning 72 of 86 sets played. The Mustangs,who were then ranked 55th in the nation, hadhome court advantage and dominated in thefirst half of what was a doubleheader forSMU. In their second match up of the day,against Abilene Christian, the Mustangs gaveup only one available point in the singlesround - unfazed by the prior match up.
SMU retains every player who participatedin last year's competition against the LadyBroncs, while UTPA has lost the only playerto win at least two games in each of her losingsets, Celine Merlini, who did so playing in thenumber one spot.
Chapman and the Lady Broncs will alsoplay without junior Julie Fife, who will missthe first few matchups of the spring schedulewhile she recuperates from surgery to repair atorn meniscus.
Regardless of holes in the Lady Broncroster, Chapman looks to the depth of hissquad to gain an edge in Friday's competition.
"Tennis is a game where no matter if youplay at the number one spot or number sixspot all the points count the same," Chapmansaid. "I'll be looking for contributions fromeveryone."
Senior Elisabet Mateos, who was defeatedby Nadia Vaughn while playing in the secondspot last February, will be slated as thenumber one seed for UTPA.
This will be her last semester as a LadyBronc, and she hopes to go out on a positivenote.
“I am very excited about the season,”Mateos said. “ I’ve been preparing allChristmas by lifting weights, and trying tofind anybody to feed me tennis balls.”
Mateos, who made the Dean’s List FirstHonors for the Fall 2002 semester, will alsocompete at the number one spot in doublesalong with partner Ana Pena.
There were no doubles competitions atUTPA’s last tournament with SMU.
TENNIS continued from page 15
GRAVEL continued from page 15
Road to Super Bowl 37By BRIAN CARRThe Pan AmericanBronc Forward
Receives Red Shirt
Chris Fagan, who has been side-lined with a stress fracture sincethe pre-season, will retain twoyears of eligibility due to theinjury he sustained to his rightfoot.
Fagan, who was brought in tohelp strengthen the Broncs’ insidegame, will be one of two playerson the injured list who have beenred-shirted due to injury.
Senior forward Andrius Sakalys,will return next year after undergo-ing a surgery this December torepair a torn ACL - an injurywhich he sustained during the off-season.
Brains and brawnThe cumulative GPA of UTPA
students went up .02 pointsbetween the spring and fall semes-ter of 2002. The GPA ofathlete/students was raised from
2.88 to 2.90, and several studentathletes made Dean’s List FirstHonors.
Among them are:Filip Koziell, Jeremy Salvo,
Stacey Gooden, Elisabet Mateos,Nicole Boychuk and CrystalFrazier
Hockey in theValley
The CHL hockey team, which isset to begin play next season inHidalgo, was named during thewinter break.
The Rio Grande Valley KillerBees will join the league, and trav-el to compete against variousTexas teams including the AustinIce Bats and the Corpus Christi IceRays.
There have been no releases asto who will play for the KillerBees, but tickets for individualcompetitions, as well as seasonpackages, have gone on sale.
Gabe Hernandez
January 16, 2003 THE PAN AMERICAN Page 3
Officials explain budget policiesSeveral members of the Student Affairs
Advisory Committee at the University ofTexas-Pan American say that studentsmight not be aware of how the moneycollected from student service fees isdisbursed to the departments. Or to whomthe majority of the dollars go.
According to Elvie Davis, Dean ofStudents at UTPA and adviser for SAAC,an interview with each departmentsaccount manager is set up. In thisinterview, the account manager has toexplain to the members of SAAC whythey need such funds for theirorganization.
“Every year around February, theuniversity departments submit a budgetrequest,” said Davis. “They come and tellus what they would like for next year.”
After a few days of meetings, Davissays SAAC makes a recommendation tothe university president, who makes thefinal approval of the budget.
Miguel Nevarez, president of UTPA forthe last 21 years, says during this process,he has to make sure that the amount ofbudget requested matches with theestimated budget of the following year.
“We have to predict how manystudents are going to be enrolled inSeptember,” said Nevarez. “The studentservice fee is based on the enrollment.”
When balancing and approvingbudgets for the departments, Nevarez says
he looks for the recommendations of thedepartment heads and SAAC. If therecommendations are different, he looksinto the reason why.
“I also look into the recommendation ofthe Dean of Students,” says Nevarez.“Over the years, we have disagreed, but ithasn’t been major disagreement.”
In the past two years, the studentservice fee budget shows that anestimated $3.5 million was collected peryear. Devin Lacey, a member of SAAC,says from that collection, 47 to 48 percentgoes to the Intercollegiate AthleticsDepartment.
“Most people are glad that we have abasketball team and glad that we have atrack and field team,” said Lacey. “Butwhen students start complaining, theydon’t know that sports is one of thereasons that other areas get cut forfunding.”
Davis says that by law, the university isnot allowed to give the athleticsdepartment more than 50 percent of thestudent service fee budget. She explainsthat most colleges with an athleticdepartment are funded partially by studentservice fees.
Raul Betancourt, assistant athleticdirector for business operations at UTPA,says he was unaware of the fact that theyget 47 to 48 percent of the student servicefee budget. However, he is veryappreciative.
“If the university wants athletics indivision one, the funding has to come
from somewhere and it generally comesfrom student service fees,” saidBetancourt. “I don’t see how we cansurvive without it.”
Betancourt adds that with the funds, theathletic department is able to field avariety of sports, including more women’ssports than ever before. The men’sbasketball team get the largest amount ofthe budget, while the men’s golf team getsthe least.
Although they do get close to 50percent of the student service fee budget,Betancourt says it only supplies 60 to 75percent of the total budget.
“It’s not the only component of ourbudget,” says Betancourt. “We get moneyfrom corporate sponsorship, donationsfrom the athletic foundation, gameguarantees and ticket sales.”
According to Davis, complaints havebeen made from several departmentsabout the amount they receive in theirbudget.
However, Nevarez says although theuniversity would like to provide everydepartment with what it needs, this is justnot feasible.
Lacey says the athletic departmenthelps increase enrollment because itimproves the university’s image, givingthe community the chance to watch aDivision I team locally. With theenrollment increase, the student servicebudget will rise, and eventually may beable to provide more for otherdepartments in the future.
By JENNIFER TAPIAThe Pan American Money CrunchingMoney Crunching::
UTPA’s Revenues forStudent Service Fees
Fiscal Year 2001 (for year ended 8/31/01)
Student Service Fee:$3,319,686.18Less: SSF Allocation - IntercollegiateAthletics: $1,513,776.82SSF Allocation - Student Services:$1,615,829.48Uncollectible Registration Debt:$16,673.09Total: $3,146,279.39Net Revenues: $173,406.79
Fiscal Year 2002 (for year ended 8/31/02)
Student Service Fee:$3,616,492.33Less: SSF Allocation - IntercollegiateAthletics: $1,510,808SSF Allocation - Student Services:$1,920,294.82Tuition Discount: $225,696.14Total: $3,656,798.96Net Revenues: ($40,306.63)
Source:UTPA
Organizations lack funding
Times are tough for the University of Texas Pan-Americanas a number of departments are suffering from lack of fundsthis year. However those departments understand that thefunds are not available partly because money from the state isnot forthcoming because of a budget deficit.
“I understand that sometimes money is tight,” said CharlieCaceres, coordinator of campus activities and sponsor for theUTPA Cheerleaders and Blazer dance team. “But right now Iam running on a shoestring.”
Caceres says he is unable to purchase miscellaneoussupplies for his cheer leading and dance team, such asmegaphones, pompoms, uniforms, and recruitment letters.
“The only way I was able to get new pompoms last yearwas because we used a $500 gift certificate we receivedwhen we won second place at a competition,” Caceres said.
To increase their budget the UTPA cheerleaders andBlazers participate in various fundraising activities and try toraise the same amount of money approved by the universitypresidents. They sell posters of themselves to localbusinesses for donations and the UTPA Cheerleaders holdcheer leading camps for Valley girls. Caceres added thatfundraising does take time away from his otherresponsibilities but believes it is something that needs to bedone.
Caceres said he has a wish list of things that he would liketo have for his cheerleading and dance team, including moremoney to spend on travel expenses so the teams can followand support the UTPA basketball team. He would also liketo hire choreographers and buy new uniforms for the teamsto prepare for competitions.
“I feel the cheerleaders and the Blazers play a veryimportant part in UTPA,” Caceres said. “They represent theuniversity and recruit students so they can attend UTPA.”
Cheerleading and the dance team aren’t the onlyorganizations feeling the pinch. Director of Career PlacementServices Enedelia P. Kidd agrees on behalf of studentsrepresenting UTPA. According to Kidd Student
Employment Services set up a system of part-time jobs forstudents attending UTPA. But at the same time while thestudents are working with their employer, students are areflection of UTPA.
“I believe that when the student is working where we haveplaced them they are representing UTPA,” Kidd said.“Therefore, I feel that they should have the proper knowledgeof how to dress and the skill to be in a workingenvironment.”
Kidd feels that a larger staff would help her organizationand provide students any orientation or advisement neededfor various jobs.
“Most of these students have never worked before so thisis their first job,” Kidd said. “Some don’t know how todress for an interview.”
Kidd would like to provide more information to studentsbut feels her organization doesn’t have the budget or theresources to do so. She will try to apply for a federal grantand hopes that next year her request will be approved by thepresident of the university.
Tom Grabowski, designer and technical director for TheUniversity Theatre, feels that there will always be a need formore money but he decided to make due with what hisorganization has been funded.
“We are funded by the student service fee but we also relyon the revenue we get from the productions we do,”Grabowski said.
He added the money that is raised is spent on a scholarshipfund, having a box office clerk, and on productions.Costumes, set design and construction, printing the programsand paying for the rights to do the show are all expensesencountered when planning a production.
But university officials feel its not possible to satisfy everyorganization when formulating a fiscal budget. In years whena budget shortfall is encountered, UTPA administrators dowhat is necessary to produce a balanced budget, even if itmeans cutting the funding of organization or departments.
“Revenues and expenditures have to be same,” UTPAPresident Dr. Miquel Navarez said. “I have a responsibilityto balance the budget.”
By HILDA BARRIENTESThe Pan American GETGET
INFORMED!INFORMED!
with the FREENews Source of
the ValleyRead The Pan
American everyThursday
The much anticipated second tournament of the2002/03 Mexican First Division soccer season kickedoff last weekend, however, the off-season did not see alot of stellar trades or transfers, but some clubs did dotheir best to reinforce their lineups in order to be ableto compete with the stronger clubs of the MexicanLeague or to simply save their hides from relegation.
The team which fortified itself the most during theoff-season was Monterrey who was in dire need of anoffensive overhaul after being the worst goal-scoringclub in the Mexican League last season.
The "Regios" obtained the services of Brazilian starstriker and play-maker Alexsandro Fernandes fromMorelia, last season's runner-up, which should makeArgentinian head coach Daniel Passarella quite happy.Monterrey also acquired Mexican forward JesúsMendoza from Club América in exchange for itsformer Mexican national team striker, Antonio DeNigris, who had fallen out of favor with Passarella.Rounding out the revamped offense was theacquisition of Luis Ernesto Pérez from Mexico Cityclub Necaxa.
However, don't expect much this season fromMonterrey since they have always had problemscoming together and playing as a unified team. Sincethe new offensive crew is coming from three differentclubs with different styles of play, they will need theseason to get used to playing with one another to beeffective.
Another team to watch this season is SantosLaguna. The Warriors managed to reach last season'splayoffs despite a rough start and made it all the wayto the semifinals under the leadership of technicaldirector Luis Fernando Tena before being knocked outby eventual champion Toluca.
The momentum they had at the end of the previoustournament should carry over into the new season.The Torreón club's biggest acquisition during the off-season was play-maker José Antonio Noriega fromMorelia. Noriega joins a star-studded club thatincludes Paraguayan World Cup members DenisCaniza and Luis Romero, Mexican World Cup playersJoahán Rodríguez and Jared Borgetti as well as theveteran Chilean spark plug Rodrigo Ruiz.
The Pumas of U.N.A.M. will try to improve fromthird place finishes the last two seasons, but maystruggle because they will be participating in the CopaLibertadores for the first time simultaneously duringthe regular season.
Defending champion Toluca is always a club towatch out for, especially with its potent Paraguayanstriker José Saturnino Cardozo. Last season, Cardozoshattered the short tournament single-season goal-scoring record with 29.
The Red Devils will try to win their second title in arow, something that no team has been able to do in thetwice-a-year short tournament season format institutedin 1996.
And finally, keep an eye out for Club America whowill try to reclaim the title this season. They have oneof the most solid lineups in the Mexican League.During the off-season, the Eagles fortified their lineupwith the acquisition of De Nigris from Monterrey.
Meanwhile, the other fight on the field will be forpermanence in the First Division. Veracruz, Morelos,Chiapas and Puebla are all candidates for relegation.During the break, the Atlético de Celaya Bulls movedto Cuernavaca, Morelos due to economic problemsand will debut as the First Division's newest club nowknown as the Hummingbirds, but that may be short-lived if they fail to accumulate enough points duringthe course of the tournament to remain there.
The Mexican Football Federation recently changedthe name of the two-a-year short tournaments fromwinter and summer (Invierno and Verano) to openingand closing (Apertura and Clausura). The MexicanSoccer League plays two tournaments a year and thushas two champions each season.
January 16, 2003 sports Page 14
Hoops teams up, down over break
For most University ofTexas-Pan American students,Winter Break meant gorgingto the point of discomfort onfestive feasts, drinking to thepoint of mindlessness inobservation of the New Year,and generally avoiding anyand all activities that mighthinder one's ability torejuvenate from a lengthy fallsemester.
For the men and women'sbasketball teams, however,the break was limited to anacademic hiatus, as the 2002-03 season continued throughthe holidays.
Unfortunately for theplayers, coaching staff, andfans of UTPA Broncbasketball, the break fromeducational rigors did notensure stronger game-playand better results from either
program. The men, who opened the
season with two consecutivelosses at the South PadreIsland Roundball InvitationalTournament (S.P.I.R.I.T.),have not yet found thegrounding to turn their seasonaround.
Their limited success onthe road is shown in their 4-15 record, but the Broncshave won 75 percent of theirhome games, losing only onehome contest, a 85-79 loss tothe Rice Owls on Jan. 8.
The Lady Broncs, whoopened the season with 11consecutive losses, came upwith a huge win against Big12’s Nebraska at the BobDevaney Sports Center pmJan. 5. UTPA, which hadstruggled with Division IIteams both at home and onthe road, defeated Nebraska61-58 in what was a stellarupset. But despite the huge
win, the women’s basketballteam has an abysmal 2-13record, with only a singlehome win to its credit.
It now seems inevitablethat both squads will finishthe 2002-2003 campaign witha losing record.
In order for the Broncs tofinish with a record of .500they will have to win all 11remaining games, whichwould put them at 15-15 forthe season.
During the month ofFebruary, UTPA will playfive consecutive home games,but with a injury-laden benchand limited options, headcoach Bob Hoffman mightnot find much comfort inhome-court advantage.
The Lady Broncs, whodefeated Prairie View A&Min a home game Tuesday,could finish two games aheadof .500 if they can manage an13-straight wins. But with
rival TAMU-CC and NewMexico State still ahead intheir spring schedule, it willtake some kind of fancymagic for head coach TracyAnderson to pull off theincredible feat.
The Broncs, who have hadto adjust their roster due toinjuries sustained during theseason and off-season, haveseen great offensivecontributions from EricMontalvo and KevinMitchell, who have bothstepped up their numbers dueto lack of the Broncs’ insidegame.
Alex Gravel, who missedthe first three games of theseason due to a reoccurringstress fracture in her rightankle, came into the seasonaveraging 12.3 points pergame, and even tied a single-game record for three-pointers (six) againstNebraska.
Lady Broncs win first two games of season during winter hiatus, Broncs continue to struggle
By BRIAN CARRThe Pan American
2002-2003 season stats
Soccer tourneyunder way in MexicoBy ED CHRNKOThe Pan American
1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539(956) 381-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122
http://www.panam.edu/dept/panamerican51th Year – No. 14
EditorMatt Lynch
Layout Designers
Ashley Brooks
Brian Carr
Gabriel O. Hernandez
Reporters
Hilda Barrientes
Amelia Garcia
Adrianna Martinez
Jennifer Tapia
Celeste Y. Tello
Cesar Trevino
Arianna Vazquez
Advertising
Dagoberto Perez
Advertising Coordinator
Juanita Sanchez
Adviser
Dr. Greg Selber
the PAN AMERICAN is theofficial 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 orgratuitouspersonal attacks.Letters are printedat the discretion ofthe editor andmust include thewriter’s name,class/title andphone number.
Letters policy
January 162 0 0 3
Readers with dis-abilities mayrequest an alter-native format ofthis publicationat The PanAmerican busi-ness office. For special assis-tance to attendany event listedin this publica-tion, contact thecoordinator of theevent at least oneweek prior to theadvertised date.
Sports EditorBrian Carr
Celebrating 50 years
A & E EditorAshley Brooks
News EditorBelinda Reyes
Graphics EditorGabriel O.Hernandez NEWS
■ Student fees . . . . . . 3■ Faculty profile . . . . . . 5 ■ Tattoos . . . . . . . . . . 6
A new scholarship will soon beavailable for undergraduate studentspursuing a degree in the College ofScience and Engineering.
The George and Keturah LenigEndowment Memorial Scholarship willbe awarded to students based primarily onfinancial need. The funds for thescholarship will come from two, 10-acretracts of land located in Hidalgo Countyworth an estimated $130,000 donated byDeborah Yeakel, a retired teacher andgranddaughter of the Lenigs.
According to Deborah Gonzalez,associate director of the Office ofDevelopment at the University of Texas-Pan American, with an endowment,donated funds are placed in a bankaccount. Every semester a certainpercentage of the funds is awarded torecipients of the scholarship.
“Endowments tend to grow over timewith the interest rates they collect in thebank,” Gonzalez said. “In essence they arethere forever, which is great.”
She explained that the LenigEndowment Scholarship differs from mostothers because it was donated in the formof real estate. The land must be soldbefore the exact value is known, butofficials plan to award a scholarship thissemester.
“All the paperwork is currently beingworked on and we also need to inform
students and have them apply,” Gonzalezsaid. “Scholarships are not usuallyawarded right away after the endowmentis received, but for this one it was part ofthe arrangement with the donor.”
Yeakel set up the Lenig EndowmentScholarship to honor her grandparents,who moved to Edinburg after their homebuilding business in Akron, Ohio failed in
1933 during the Great Depression. Afterrelocating to the Rio Grande Valley,George Lenig found work as a bus driverfor the Edinburg School District and alsoworked for Coen Construction Companyinto his eighties.
According to Yeakel, George Lenighelped build many local homes, churches,the Edinburg Hospital, and some buildingsfor Edinburg College, now UTPA.
The Lenigs also farmed land and at onepoint held 120 planted acres. Theyattempted to grow citrus orchards severaltimes, but freezing climates killed thetrees. After fighting a losing battle withthe elements, the Lenigs then concentratedon cotton and vegetable crops.
George Lenig, who lived to be 95, andKeturah Lenig, who lived to be 90, alsoplanted roots in the Valley for theirfamily. They had five children, 15grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren,and several great-great grandchildren.
“The Lenigs’ work ethic, theirfriendliness to all, and their constantgenerosity were and are, a source of greatrespect and inspiration to the children,their descendants, their friends, and theirneighbors in the Valley,” Yeakel said.
She said she understands the challengesmany students face when having to workto pay for college. She hopes theendowment will help by removing someof the financial burden, allowing studentsto achieve their academic goals.
“The George and Keturah LenigEndowment Memorial Scholarship forstudents in financial need is intended tohonor the lives of these Valley pioneers ina lasting way through the University ofTexas Pan American,” Yeakel said.
According to Gonzalez, the paperworkis being processed for the scholarship, bute-mails will be sent to students and signswill be posted with more information. Formore information, contact the College ofScience and Engineering at 381-2404.
New scholarship on tap
Thanks from a familyDear Editor,I would like to thank the University of
Texas-Pan American for the help theyprovided for me and my family on theDec. 14 graduation.
My son, Walker Smith, graduated fromyour outstanding University with a financedegree. His brother, Aaron Smith, wasgraduating on the same day from Steven F.Austin University in Nacadoches. Theirmother and my wife of 30 years hasterminal cancer. One of her goals she setwhen she found out was to watch her sonsgraduate. 550 miles apart and on the sameday and her being sick presented anobstacle that without UTPA’s help wouldhave made it impossible to see her sonswalk across the stage.
With the help first from Dr. CindyBrown and then the Provost it becamepossible. UTPA graciously agreed to letAaron Smith walk across the stage withWalker. On top of that, when thegraduation ceremony came, they putLaurie front and center and she got towatch both her sons graduate 30 secondsapart on the same stage not 20 feet fromher. The smile on her face was one we hadnot seen for awhile.
They can talk about the “big”
universities all they want. We have anoutstanding university here in the Valleythat may not be as “big” as some, but ithas a big heart and that is an A+ in mygrade book.
Thank you from the bottom of ourhearts and we are very proud to say our“sons” graduated from the University ofTexas-Pan American.
Lamar and Laurie Smith
Remembering a teacherDear editor, About four years ago, the deadline
loomed for my final exam in reportingclass.
We had an hour and a half to write anews story with information and quotesprovided by the professor. A feeling ofdesperation seemed to set on the class,which dropped to about five students overthe course of the semester, when the timeallotted neared the end.
“In this business you live and die bydeadlines, turn in what you have,” he said.
Incomplete, everyone turned in theirstories. Bob Rollins was a hard-nosed,tough professor who never made excisesor apologized for how he was.
He probably never felt compelled to.Students didn’t take Rollins’ criticism and
tough approach to teaching personally. Hemade sure they didn’t. Semester aftersemester, he told his students the samething on the first day of class - “Checkyour ego at the door.”
I had the opportunity to enjoy a double-dip of Rollins. Working as a sports writerfor this publication, I took in some extraRollins - who was the newspaper's adviserat the time - after everyone went home.
On one occasion, Rollins made sure topoint out a few mistakes I made on thatday’s publication to the entire class. Itgoes without saying that I wasembarrassed and a little mad at Rollins.After class he made sure to remind me ofhis motto.
“If you're going to make it in thisbusiness, you'll need to be thick-skinned,”he said.
Rollins died three years ago, and to thisday I'm glad I met him, even if it was for ashort time. As a sports writer for theValley Morning Star, I've had to deal withcriticisms from readers, and at times entirecommunities, who disagree with myviews.
Fortunately, my ego is still hanging inroom 175 of the CAS.
Eladio Jaimez
OPINION l e t t e r s ■ e d i t o r i a l s ■ c a r t o o n sPAGE 2
By AMELIA GARCIAThe Pan American
Endowments tend togrow over time with
the interest rates theycollect in the bank. In
essence they arethere forever, which
is great.
“
“
- Deborah Gonzalez,Assoc. Director of the Office of Development
January 16, 2003 sports Page 15
Lady Bronc tennis team gears up for SMU
Senior Alex Gravel rebounds from injury
The second half of the women’stennis schedule begins Friday againstWestern Athletic Conference tennisgiant Southern Methodist University inneutral territory, at Corpus Christi.
SMU, which will travel to Corpus tocompete against both UTPA and TexasA&M Corpus, begins its season againstthe Islanders Friday morning beforemeeting the Lady Broncs Fridayafternoon.
The spring season, which stronglycontrasts the mainly blind competitiontournaments of the fall, pits schoolagainst school - matching sixindividuals athletes and three doublesteams in exclusive school-on-schoolcompetition.
SMU, which did extremely wellduring the fall season, is a strongfavorite in the matchup, but UTPA headcoach Todd Chapman hopes to
capitalize on familiar conditions and afatigued SMU squad.
"We get enough wind [at UTPA] thatmost of the girls will be used to theconditions [in Corpus],"Chapman said."SMU will be a tough first match, butbecause of expense we always practiceoutdoors, where as SMU has on-siteindoor courts. I keep telling my girlsthat the colder and windier it is, thegreater our advantage becomes."
Both UTPA and SMU attended theOmni Hotels Southwest Regional inOctober. Sophomore Ana Pena ofMcAllen was the only Lady Bronc tocompete against a member of the SMUtennis team, losing in two straight setsto junior Nadia Vaughn.
There might have been more chancemeetings between the two teams, butthe tournament was cut short byinclement weather – and subsequentlyall consolation rounds were canceled. Itwas an unfortunate turn of events for
The work of senior AlexGravel isn’t quite done yet.The Lady Broncs' 5-foot-8Canadian-born guard hasworked hard to get back inthe lineup after a long seriesof leg/foot injuries.
She red-shirted last yearand missed the first threegames of 2002-2003 whilerecovering from anotherinjury.
But now, she’s back andmaking a difference for theteam.
She’s scoring nearly 13points per game, but has yetto get back into tiptop shapeafter the long layoff.
“At the beginning it did(affect me) because I wasout of shape. I was doingbike workouts and it’s notthe same as running up anddown the court, but now it'sgetting a lot better,” she saidof the injury she sufferedlast season. “I play 30minutes a game, but I can'tplay more than 4-5 minutesat a time."
The Lady Broncs stillhave nearly half a season toplay, 13 games to be exact.Their most recent game wasa 64-48 victory over PrairieView A&M Jan. 14, whichimproved the record to 2-13.Gravel, who is averaging12.3 points per game, scoredseven points in the game as
she continues to adjust toher new role as playmakeron the team.
"We did really good in thefirst half building a lead, butthere were six to eightminutes in the second halfthat was just ugly,” Gravelsaid. “They brought up theirintensity and we just leveledinstead of bringing it up.With like three minutes togo we finally brought it up,too, but we'll take the win."
Prior to her injury, Gravelhad established severalUTPA’s women basketballrecords, and was close tobreaking more.
She is the most prolificthree-point shooter in schoolhistory and is high on thescoring list as well.
More importantly, in anera known for selfish, me-first athletes, Gravel is arefreshing change: To her,individual records aren’teverything.
“I don't really think aboutit when I play. I just try toget out there and do what Ihave to do,” she said. “If Ibreak them, that's somethingelse I can tell my kids. I'mjust trying to get out of here,win games and start buildingup the program.”
Despite her injury, Gravelhas tried to rehabilitate herway back into mid-seasonform while taking on newroles within the team.
She has led the women in
scoring in six of the 12games she's played in thisyear while scoring a season-high 22 points on twooccasions, once in a 60-50loss to Montana in the LadyGriz Classic on Dec. 28 oflast year and again on Jan. 5in a memorable 61-58 winover Nebraska.
The Vanier high schoolgraduate couldn't containher obvious satisfactionwhen asked about the upsetvictory over Nebraska, abig-time school from a big-time conference.
"It was awesome to win infront of 3,000 people thatare screaming against you,but for us, it was justanother team. We knew wecould beat them because weworked really hard,” shesaid. “And against a goodteam you always go out andwant to beat them real badand we just played well.For us, we knew we coulddo it and we were gettingbetter so, it's like beatingany other team, but it'sexciting because it's the Big12 and everything."
The game againstNebraska appears to havebeen a turning point for theLady Broncs, who gained atremendous amount ofconfidence with the victorywhich has propelled theteam to a 2-2 record overtheir last four games.
Despite mounting injuries, Gravel continues to playrole in Lady Bronc success
By ED CHRNKOThe Pan American
UTPA women’s squad prepares for openingmatch against Southern Methodist
By BRIAN CARRThe Pan American
See GRAVEL page 13
See TENNIS page 13
Got Control: Alex Gravel drives down the court during the game vs. Prairie View.
Gearing Up: Elisabet Mateos and Laura Boskovich warm up during a recent practice.
Photos by Matt Lynch/The Pan American
Photos by Matt Lynch/The Pan American
THURSDAYJanuary 16, 2003
An Inside Look:
■ News ............................................2■ A & E............................................7■ Sports ........................................16
T 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 T e x a s - P a n A m e r i c a n
Page 4
CCaammppuussVOICEWould you
beinterested in
hearingRudy
Giulianispeak?
CAMPUS
■ Comedic StylingsComedian and actor
Kyle Cease entertainedstudents in the StudentUnion Food CourtWednesday night withhis clean comedy.Known for his role asBogey Lowenstein in"Ten Things I HateAbout You" and theslow clapper in "NotAnother Teen Movie,"Cease is touring thecountry and performingat various colleges.
"I prefer collegesbecause the audience iscloser to my age andthey can identify withme when I talk aboutNintendo and BritneySpears," 25-year-oldCease said. "Plus I'vemade teen movies sothey know who I am."
Cease’s showincluded audienceinteraction, somethingthe students seemed toenjoy.
"It was like he was apart of the crowd,"Chris Baiyeri, afreshman computerscience major, said."That made it different.He was great and reallyfunny."
Cease answeredBaiyeri's cell phoneduring the show andplayed a joke on hisfriend who was on theother end. Cease alsopulled Chris Florez, afreshman criminaljustice major, from theaudience to assist himwith a few songs.
"It was really cooleven though he wasteasing me. I hope hecomes back to give usanother show," saidFlorez.
The UniversityProgram Board wasresponsible for bringingCease to campus.Noelynn Gillamac, asophomore nursingmajor and moviecommittee chair, saidthe decision to inviteCease was made as agroup.
Celeste Y. Tello/The Pan American
HISTORY— Time marches on as workers continue the demolition of JodyRamsey Stadium on Tuesday.
Former New York City MayorRudy Giuliani will present aspeech tonight at the University ofTexas-Pan American Field House,in which he is expected to talkabout his leadership in New Yorkand how he plans to clean upMexico City.
As part of its OutstandingLeadership Series, the UTPAFoundation will host the speech ata private dinner at 7 p.m. The high-dollar dinner costs $600 perperson, or $1,000 per couple.
UTPA President Miguel Nevarezis glad the foundation was able tobring someone like Giuliani to theuniversity, and hopes that it cancontinue to bring such speakers tocampus in the future. Last yearDesert Storm commander NormanSchwartzkopf gave an address atthe school.
“We are very honored to havehim here,” said Nevarez ofGiuliani. “He is Time’s Person ofthe Year, I don’t think we could’veasked for a better individual.”
Although the mass media willnot be able to attend the privatedinner, the foundation will hold apress conference Friday at whichthe media will be able to meetbriefly with Giuliani.
Giuliani and his consulting firmhave been hired by Mexico Cityofficials to cut down on crime,after he was instrumental inlowering the crime rate in NewYork City by 65 percent, cleaningup the city streets, and takingcharge during the terrorist attackson the World Trade Center.According to an article in the SanAntonio Express News, Giuliani,who will be paid $4.3 million, isoptimistic that his zero tolerancepolicy can work in Mexico City, amassive city of 18 million residentswhere corruption and crime arerampant. He visited there thisweek, even amid rumors of apossible kindapping plot byColombian rebels. This might bejust the beginning of his troubles,according to some observers.
Juanita Garza, a historyprofessor at UTPA, says Giulianimay have a difficult time cleaningup Mexico City because of his lackof knowledge about the people,
culture and the politics.“If he is going to try to clean up
Mexico City, he should knowabout the people,” said Garza.“We may have similar laws, butthe way that they play them outmay be different in Mexico.”
According to Sylvia Aldape,director of Stewardship AnnualGiving at the UniversityDevelopment Office at UTPA, andcoordinator for the event, themoney that is raised will go toscholarships for students. Generoussupporters of the event will makesuch fundraising possible.
“In the past we have had high-level speakers come to campus,”said Aldape. “We are thankfulbecause we have had a lot ofsupport from the community.”
Aldape says such supportersdonate anywhere from $5,000 to$15,000. The supporters arelabeled by the foundation as FiveStar Sponsors down to Two StarSponsors, depending on theirdonation. All sponsors will haverecognition in a specialadvertisement to appear in theSunday edition of The Monitor,Valley Morning Star, and theBrownsville Herald.
Although not many students willbe able to attend the dinner, Aldapesays that some student groups fromUTPA will have the opportunity tosee the man who rallied a nationafter Sept. 11. One such group isthe UTPA Student Ambassadors.
“We do have three studentgroups involved in the event,” saidAldape. “The groups are helpingus with the event.”
However, Garza says thatstudents should be granted theopportunity to see Giuliani becausethey should get to hear his ideas.If students are able to hear Giulianispeak, she noted, they will have thechance to compare his ideas fromthe others and make a choice out ofit.
“That is what higher educationis,” said Garza. “It’s about makingchoices, and how are you going tomake choices if you don’t get avariety of ideas?”
Around campus this week, manystudents have wondered why theyare not going to get a chance tolearn from one of the country’s
Giuliani visitsFormer mayor to speak at Fieldhouse
tonightBy JENNIFER TAPIAThe Pan American
Because of the shortage of scientists alocal laboratory will be opening its doorsto offer clinical rotations for studentswho are in the University of Texas Pan-American Clinical Laboratory Scienceprogram.
A spokesperson for the MicrobiologySpecialty Lab in Edinburg says that theywill now be able to offer clinicalrotations for the students because theywill be moving into a new office on Jan.27.
A clinical rotation is when the studentis sent to a laboratory and is placed ineach department for six weeks at a time.The departments in which they do thererotations are hematology(the study ofblood), chemistry (serum chemicalanalytes), coagulation, (blood clots),urinalysis (urine), immunology(antibodies), and microbiology(microorganisms).
While making the architectural plansfor the new lab, MSL said the aim was tomake special accommodations for the
students to have a classroom-likeatmosphere.
“We are now going to have room tohave the students come here and achievehands-on experience,” said Celia Munozco-owner of MSL and a clinicallaboratory scientist. “I love to teach andthat is one of my favorite things to do. “
According to Teresa Savoie another co-owner and scientist, MSL is a laboratorythat draws blood from patients referredby area doctors, receiving specimenssent by local doctors’ offices. MSLperforms the various tests ordered by thedoctor on the specimens and they areanalyzed by high-technology machinesand by scientists on staff. MSL thenreports the results to the doctor’s officesso they can inform to the patient of theresults.
“MSL opened four years ago and hasgrown a lot,” Munoz said. “It isimportant to me that these tests areperformed right because it is a patient’sresult and our reputation that is at stake.”
After experiencing the work
Major changes instore for microbiologyBy HILDA BARRIENTESThe Pan American
See LAB page 4 See GUILIANI page 4
The UTPA Lady Broncs notched their secondvictory of the season by rolling over the Prairie ViewA&M Lady Panthers 64-48 Jan 14, led by AmandaCarlow who picked up a career-high 21 points. Thewin is their second in four games, and marks adrastic momentum change for the Lady Broncswho opened the season with 11 straight losses.
UTPA began the turnaround at the beginning ofthe month after an abysmal start to the season byupsetting highly-touted Nebraska, 61-58. Theteam hopes that its recent performances are asign of things to come.
"We're going to be in every game from hereon out and that's going to make us tough downthe stretch," interim head coach TracyAnderson said.
The women’s hoopsters pressured PrairieView throughout the first half by playing anaggressive, fast-paced style of basketball thatforced several turnovers. The Lady Broncscashed in those turnovers.
UTPA charged to a 19-2 lead midwaythrough the first half and went into theintermission with a lofty 36-13 advantagethanks to Carlow's 16-point first halfcontribution. In the early minutes of thesecond half, the Lady Broncs mounted animpressive 32-point lead over Prairie View, 47-15.
But the Lady Panthers upped their intensity andlevel of play in order to chip away at the UTPAlead. The fast-paced offense of the first halfhad apparently taken its toll on the LadyBroncs, who slowed down and began to turnover the ball. Prairie View took advantage ofthe Lady Bronc fatigue and used a 16-0 run to
cuttheleadto 10pointswith3:18left ingame.
TheLadyBroncs
eventually composed themselves, adding 10insurance points in the process to improve to 2-13on the season.
"It was a good win for us,” Anderson said. "Wedon't tend to handle athletic teams very well and weneeded a win here at home because we've beenstruggling to do that.”
Carlow, UTPA's leading scorer, credited the teamfor her season-high performance. "My teammates setme up real good so I've got to give credit to them,”Carlow said.
With the victory over Prairie View, the team has won two of theirlast four games and appear to be on their way to turning aroundtheir sub-par season.
UTPA began to turn the tide Jan. 5 by upsetting Nebraska inLincoln, Neb. Alex Gravel scored 22 points while hitting 14 of 14free throws to lead the upset.
"That's one of those wins as a coach that I'll never ever forget,”Anderson said. "We played flawless basketball on both ends.
It was just a huge monkey off the kids' back.”On Jan. 9, the momentum from the victory over Nebraska
carried the team to a 12-point lead over Air Force, but theyfailed to hold on and eventually lost the game, 64-61, atthe Field House. On the upside, Naima Williams led theteam in scoring for the fifth time, notching 17 points.
"We made some really poor decisions down the stretchand didn't shoot free throws well," explained Anderson
about the heartbreaking loss to Air Force.On Jan. 11, the orange and green nearly came back to
defeat Lipscomb at Allen Arena. UTPA's rally in the secondhalf came up short as they fell 57-49. Junior Mary DeCock
stepped up and led the team in scoring with 15 points."If we can just play the whole 40 minutes instead of playing
just 36 minutes. I think we can turn the whole season aroundand get some more wins. I see a very positive finish on theseason," commented Carlow on the team's outlook for theremainder of the season.
"We're working a lot better now as a whole than we werebefore," Gravel said.
"Offensively, we're pretty solid. Defensively, we've got somework to do. I think we're still giving up too many easy baskets,”Anderson said.
"We have a tough stretch coming up with New Mexico Stateand the two trips to Arkansas so, we're going to have to cover
shooters better and continue to finish in the paint,” Andersonsaid.
The Lady Broncs are on the road from Jan. 18-23 againstNew Mexico State, Arkansas State and Arkansas-Little Rock.Their next home game will be on Jan. 25 against TexasA&M-Corpus Christi at 7 p.m.
■ Gravel Feature . ......... .15
■ Hoops Review . . . . . . .14
■ Sports Clipboard... . . . 13
PAGE 16
SPORTS
Cowboys reservedefensive backDwayne Goodrich wasreleased from jailWednesday after post-ing a $50,000 bond.Goodrich was beingheld on two charges offelony manslaughterfollowing a hit-and-runin Dallas. The hit-and-run claimed the livesof two Plano residentswho were trying torescue a man from theaftermath of a previ-ous accident. Thepenalty for eachmanslaughter chargeis a sentence of two to20 years and fines upto $10,000. Policewere still consideringother charges uponGoodrich’s release.
Mariucci Out
After six seasonswith winning recordsSteve Mariucci haslost his job as 49’ershead coach. OwnerJohn York hasexpressed dissatisfi-cation with Mariucci’sinability to bring achampionship to SanFrancisco. Mariucci’sdismissal comes lessthan one week afterthe 49’ers 31-6 lossto Tampa Bay, whichended their hopes ofadvancing to theSuper Bowl. York isexpected to choosefrom a short list ofavailable candidatesincluding defensivecoordinator Jim Mora,and other assistantsfrom Mariucci’sremaining staff.
Drive-by Cowboy
Lady Broncs down Prairie View A&MUTPA Women Edge Second Victory of the Season;
Momentum Changing for Lady Broncs
We’re going tobe in every gamefrom here on out,and that’s going tomake us toughdown the stretch
“
“
- Tracy Anderson, Lady Bronc head coach
By ED CHRNKOThe Pan American
Women’s basketballSchedule
Date Opponent Site
Jan. 18 NM State Las Cruces
Jan. 21 Arkansas State State Univ.
Jan. 23 ARK.-Little Rock Little Rock
Jan. 25 TAMUCC Fieldhouse
Jan. 28 Oral Roberts Tulsa
Feb. 1 Centenary Shreveport
Feb. 3 LA-Lafayette Fieldhouse
Feb. 8 TAMUCC Corpus Christi
Feb. 13 IPFW Fort WayneNaimaWilliams
