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For Gracie Mellen, working in an
environment where the adrenaline runs
through your body on a daily basis is an
exciting experience. However, doing this
while setting someone else’s needs
before your own is a sacrifice few people
actually make.
Mellen, a former registered nurse
and now clinical instructor for The
University of Texas-Pan American’s
nursing program took on this “life of
sacrifice” for many years. She worked at
McAllen Medical Center starting in
1966, where she helped save hundreds of
lives.
“Being a nurse has made my life
rewarding,” Mellen, who left nursing in
2004, said. “Seeing how my skills made
a difference between life and death on a
patient is what makes all that sacrifice be
worth it, and I don’t regret a single day I
did not attend a social gathering to attend
an emergency at the hospital.”
However, despite the field’s
rewards, the American Hospital
Association reported in April that
approximately 118,000 registered nurses
are needed to fill vacant positions
nationwide. In addition, the Health
Resources and Services Administration
projects that the nursing shortage could
grow to more than one million by 2020.
At UTPA, the nursing program is
exploring ways to combat the growing
problem.
LACK OF SERVICETo Mellen, this shortage may even
call for desperate measures, as baccalau-
reate programs are turning applicants
away because of a shortage of faculty
and clinical training opportunities.
“I turned to teaching because I
found it time to give back to people that
are working to become nurses, and hope
to prepare the nurses we need to avoid
having to take in nurses from different
countries to cover the manpower – or
womanpower for that matter – that can
be covered by our people,” Mellen said.
Efforts to recruit foreign nurses to
fill job vacancies have resulted in 95,000
of the 2.7 million nurses in the United
States coming from outside the States.
According to the Joint Commission on
the Accreditation of Hospital
Organizations, they come primarily from
the Philippines, China and India.
This opens up an opportunity for
American candidates. Every year, UTPA
works to have more opportunities that
will help nursing students find the field
more compelling while they are in
school, to help ensure that they are in it
for the passion, Mellen said.
“I think that it is important to show
As the lights dimmed at the
Student Union Theater Tuesday night,
students, faculty, staff and community
members filled every corner of the
room. Every seat was taken and students
stood along the walls, sat on the floor,
even perched on the steps leading up to
the stage.
The attraction? The controversial
indigenous rights activist and Nobel
Peace Prize winner Rigoberta Menchu-
Tum.
“We have studied her works. We
have read her story. Now, we’ll hear her
speak,” said Iracema Silva, the president
of the University Program Board, who
introduced Menchu-Tum, the second
speaker in the 2006-2007 Distinguished
Speaker series.
To thunderous applause, Menchu-
Tum walked on stage waving the color-
ful fringed Guatemalan shawl that lay
around her shoulders. Opening her
Every semester the administration
at The University of Texas-Pan
American is faced with the difficult
decision of whether to cancel certain
classes, for various reasons. For many
students, a canceled class is more than
just a schedule change. It can have seri-
ous ramifications.
“As international students we have
to take 12 hours in order to remain in the
U.S. validly,” said Benjamin Nowak, a
senior computer science major who is an
exchange student from Lüneburg,
Germany.
Nowak and Felix Eckhardt, anoth-
er German exchange student, had their
computer networking classes canceled
this fall. For them, the problem was not
so much the cancellation, but how they
were notified about it.
“We needed letters from the inter-
national office for each of our professors
letting them know they have internation-
al students in their class,” said Nowak.
When Nowak arrived at the univer-
sity’s international office they gave him
four letters, but he had registered for five
classes.
“I asked about where the fifth letter
was and they said the networking class
had been canceled,” Nowak said.
To verify the notice, Nowak and
Eckhardt went to the office so Eckhardt
could receive his letters as well.
“They only gave me three letters,”
said Eckhardt, who was enrolled in four
classes.
The office informed them that their
networking class had been canceled and
at least Eckhardt would have to replace
it in order to fulfill the full-time course-
PAN AMERICAN
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Home court advantageexpands with addition ofband
Sports
THE
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 Te x a s - P a n A m e r i c a n N o v e m b e r 3 0 , 2 0 0 6
Guest speaker explainsreasons behind Oaxacateachers’ strike
Holiday EntertainmentGuide makes winter funeasy
SSeeee ppaaggee 77SSeeee ppaaggee 33
A&ENews
Nobel laureate proves crowd-pleaser
By JAVIER CAVAZOS
The Pan American
Students distraught over canceled classes
See CANCELED page 12
See MENCHU page 12 See NURSES page 12
By CLAUDETTE GONZALEZThe Pan American
Rafael Navarro Roux/The Pan AmericanCOLORFUL - An enthusiastic Rigoberta Menchu-Tum, a Nobel Peace Prize winner from Guatemala, spoke to a packedStudent Union Theater Tuesday night.
By EDWARD ELGUEZABELThe Pan American
Nursing program aimsto end shortage trend
The Pan American will be collecting new coats andtoys to give to needy children in the Valley. Pleasebring all donations to COAS170 before Dec. 14 andtake advantage of your chance to play Santa for a childthis holiday season
1201 West University, CAS 170
Edinburg, Texas 78539
(956) 381-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122
http://www.panam.edu/dept/panamerican
56th Year – No. 14
The Pan American gladly accepts letters fromstudents, staff and faculty regarding newspapercontent or current issues. The Pan Americanreserves the right to edit submissions forgrammar and length. Please limit submissionlength to 300 words. The Pan American cannotpublish anonymous letters, or submissionscontaining hate speech or gratuitous personalattacks. Letters are printed at the discretion ofthe editor and must include the writer’s name,classification/title and phone number.
N o v e m b e r 3 0 , 2 0 0 6
PAGE 2
News EditorSandra Gonzalezsandra_panamer-ican@yahoo.com
A&E EditorFrank Calvillo
hennero@msn.com
Design EditorErika Lopezlopez475@yahoo.com
THE
PAN AMERICAN
The Pan American is the official studentnewspaper of The University of Texas-PanAmerican. Views presented are those of thewriters and do not necessarily reflect thoseof the university.
READERFORUM
Designers
SecretaryAnita Casares
Roy Bazancrazy_restless@yahoo.com
Laura C.Gomez
lm.gomez@yahoo.com
Gregorio Garzathe_nataku@yahoo.com
Brian Carr
Javier Cavazos
Leslie Estrada
Patrick KennedyAna Ley
Kristyna Mancias
Maria Mazariegos
Angela Salazar
Trey Serna
Reporters and Photographers
Advertising informationspubs@panam.edu
DeliveryThursday at Noon
AdviserDr. Greg Selber
Ad ManagerCarolina Sanchez
Asst. Ad ManagerLillian Villarreal
Sports EditorLuke Koonglkoong2004
@yahoo.com
Photo EditorOnydia Garzanorth14star@aol.com
EditorClaudette Gonzalez
ThePanAmerican@gmail.com
Letter to the editorTo the editor:
My name is Robert Sanchez,
currently a graduating M.B.A. stu-
dent. I came across the Oct. 26 issue
of The Pan American, article,
'”Students gather to hunt ghosts, spir-
its” by Luke Koong. The article con-
tained references to the Alton bus
crash site and alleged paranormal
activity according to the co-founder
of a new ghost hunters club.
With Halloween still fresh in
our systems, the writers of The Pan
American deemed it appropriate to
run this article. As a former Mission
resident, I can still vividly recall the
incidents of that day. In fact, passen-
gers in the bus were siblings of my
friends. It was an extremely tragic day
for the entire community and neigh-
boring cities. It is my right as an indi-
vidual to voice my opinions against
the publication of the said article.
I believe the editors of the paper
committed an unethical crime that
rendered on extremely disrespectful
and even tasteless. Those unselfish
acts committed by the editors may
have directly affected and even
mocked the entire incident that caused
tragedy to so many lives.
Allowing such an article to be
released for “entertainment purposes”
reflects a cold, heartless and unprofes-
sional business.
The Alton bus crash site is a
memorial site in place for those who
tragically lost their lives and not for
entertainment purposes. It is not there
for equipment, nor to be studied by
educated professionals or even unedu-
cated non-professionals for that matter.
The corner of 5 mile and Bryan
is for paying respects to those who
lost their lives, for those who sur-
vived, and for their grieving families.
It is not to be exploited by the paper or
any other club in order to disrespect
the dead in any way shape or form.
Articles such as those published
in your “respectable” paper contribute
to ignorance and unethical practices
exercised in most communities that I
refuse to be a part of.
The community of Mission
deserves a sincere apology from your
“professional” publication, as do the
families involved.
Robert Sanchez
M.B.A. graduate student
Photo Submissions By: Daniel Flores, a senior communication major
BOSTON - “Where the bay meets the city, Boston Harbor Hotel boasts anumber of impressive structures such as this one.”
SUBWAY TALES - “Like most big cities, Boston is lined with tunnels, trainsand singing crazy people.”
TIME OF GIVING
As students sat waiting in the
Library Media Theater Nov. 17 for guest
Telesforo Santiago, a teacher from the
state of Oaxaca scheduled to speak at
The University of Texas-Pan American,
they received some unexpected news.
The guest they awaited, who was going
to inform them about the status of the
strike taking place in that Mexican
locale, was told at the last minute he
would not be allowed to travel to the
university.
According to Pete Farruggio, a
UTPA assistant professor of the depart-
ment of curriculum and instruction in the
College of Education, Santiago was
denied his right of freedom of speech.
Santiago is temporarily in Los Angeles
on a student visa, saying he is here to
learn about the U.S. government and
political situation, as well as education.
Farruggio informed the people that
attended the “Granito de Arena” event
that one day before his flight, Santiago
was told by his program director that he
would not be allowed to leave Los
Angeles to come speak to students and
faculty at UTPA. Santiago was chosen as
representative of the political movement
group APPO (Popular Assembly of the
Peoples of Oaxaca).
This movement is the result of the
strike by teachers in Oaxaca who are
demanding the resignation of Gov. Ulises
Ruiz. The protestors are fighting for
higher salaries, against privatization of
schools, for medicine for hospitals, better
school construction and repairs, and
respect for people’s rights as workers.
The unrest in Mexico has gone on
for the past five months and has virtual-
ly shut down that city’s business and
tourism industry. Strikers are calling for
the removal of the governor of the state
and there have been violent outbreaks
recently. One, which took place on
Saturday, left 43 people injured and gov-
ernment buildings and several vehicles
destroyed by fires set by protestors.
According to Farruggio, Santiago
did not come to UTPA because some
people feared for his safety, acknowl-
edging the fact that UTPA is close to the
border and they thought he could be in
danger of getting kidnapped. Supporters
also said they were not informed of this
visit with enough time to plan for it.
However, Santiago sent in a prepared
statement to be read to the audience that
attended this event, including his
thoughts in regard to the difficult situa-
Three months ago, Victor Alvarez
was on his way to Houston when his
van’s engine began to overheat, a con-
stant problem during longer trips.
Obtaining funds for a new vehicle can be
a daunting process for any student.
However, for Alvarez the difficulty is
compounded, as he has to raise $35,000
for a handicap-accessible van.
Alvarez, a freshman history major
at The University of Texas-Pan
American, has suffered from spinal mus-
cular atrophy, a disease that weakens the
muscles due to atrophy of nerve cells in
the spinal cord, since birth. As a result,
he needs a vehicle equipped to accom-
modate his disability
To get him a new one, a network of
people and organizations are working
together to raise the funds.
Elvira Sanchez, manager of the
youth award program for the Hispanic
Heritage Foundation, says the organiza-
tion has decided to assist Alvarez because
despite his disability, his ambition has
made him an outstanding scholar.
HHF has been helping Alvarez,
who is a recipient of the HHF Youth
Awards Gold honor, by forwarding his
petition for funds via e-mail to the
donors the organization works with.
“Out of more than 13,000 applica-
tions, he was selected by our committee
to receive the award,” Sanchez said. “We
have kept in touch with him since then,
and since we know we can contact
donors for him, why not help guarantee
the future of such a dedicated student?”
In his spare time, Alvarez, origi-
nally from San Luis Potosí, Mexico,
volunteers, creates art and attends com-
munity events such as Relay for Life, all
while maintaining an A/B average at
UTPA. In addition, the student has a
regular column in The Monitor called
“Victor’s Voice.”
By KRISTEN VILLEGASThe Pan American
See VAN page 13
UTPA Radio will be airing its firstnewsmagazine broadcast Dec. 1 at12:05 p.m. on KMBH FM 88.1.
News in brief:NEWSStudent needs funds for handicap-accessible van
NEED A LIFT? - Victor Alvarez, a freshman history major who suffers from spinal muscular atrophy, is raising funds to buya new handicap-equipped van because the one he has, a 1992 Ford Econoline, is no longer in working order.
See OAXACA page 13
Activist speaks to students on Oaxaca teachers’ strike
Sidney Meadows/ The Pan American
By ANA LEYThe Pan American
Anne Toal has always been pas-
sionate about technology. It is one of the
things she likes to explore in her free
time. Now, her innate love for all things
tech is part of a new job.
Toal, a native of Edinburg, will not
oversee the computer labs or Help Desk
anymore, as she did under her previous
title. Instead, The University of Texas-
Pan American’s new technology assess-
ment officer will be in charge of advanc-
ing technology offered on campus.
She will thus be able to focus full-
time on what she loves.
“I work with it all day at work and
the idea of being able to be free enough
to just focus on this area that I feel so
passionately about is a dream,” Toal
said.
According to Bob Lim, who took
over the role of executive vice president
of information systems in November, the
creation of the new position is a big step
toward reaching the goals set for the IT
division.
“I want Information Technology to
be leaders in the delivery of technology
solutions resulting in the customer’s
ability to do things they couldn’t do
before,” said Lim.
The university has never had a
position solely based on looking at tech-
nology and how to improve it. Toal, who
has been at her new post since Nov. 1,
said her job will allow the university to
react to hazardous technology situations
before they begin.
“We spent a lot of time reacting to
situations that were thrust on us like
viruses that attacked campus,” Toal said.
“This is more of a proactive position,
trying to get in front of technology and
bringing things to the campus.”
One of Toal’s main responsibilities
See POSITIONS page 13
Personnel changes to benefit ITBy LUKE KOONGThe Pan American
The University of Texas-Pan
American is honoring students who par-
ticipate in volunteer activity with the
President’s Volunteer Service Award.
The award is given to those that
complete the necessary hours within 12
months, from April 1 to March 31. The
awards ceremony is held in April for all
participants. Recipients can qualify for
new awards each year.
The recognition is part of the UT
Service and Civic Participation initia-
tive, launched by System Chancellor
Mark Yudof in early November, which
aims to highlight volunteering activities
by students, faculty and staff within the
UT System.
Awards are based on individual or
group volunteering hours, which deter-
mines whether the recognized party
receives the Bronze, Silver or Gold award.
There is also a special award called
the President’s Call to Service Award,
given to an individual who has complet-
By SIDNEY MEADOWSThe Pan American
See INITATIVE page 13
UTPA joins initative torecognize volunteers
Page 4 NEWS November 30, 2006
Studying hard, working hard and
dedicating time to becoming a profes-
sional are everyday parts of a student’s
life. Every failed midterm or research
paper covered in red ink can encourage
or discourage students to work harder.
The big question, however, is, does hard
work pay off in the end?
While conventional wisdom says
that it does, “Bonjour Laziness: Why
Hard Work Doesn’t Pay,” a book by
Corinne Maier, explores just this ques-
tion from the opposite point of view.
The book focuses on how business-
es are run and whether or not it is in a
young person’s interest to put full effort
into work.
According to Maier, when trying to
get a job it is important to not only know
what the business is marketing or sell-
ing, but also how to market and sell
yourself to the company.
“To keep from being unemployed,
you have to cultivate your ‘employabili-
ty,’ Maier writes. “The wage earner
needs this ill-defined yet indispensable
quality these days, at a time when even a
product as ordinary as sliced bread
vaunts its ‘toastability’, its ‘butterabili-
ty’ and why not? - even its ‘marmalad-
ability,’ in order to seduce consumers
who never knew that this is what they
wanted.”
This theory not only holds true in
the business world, but in any aspect of
professional life. In order to succeed in a
highly competitive job market, one must
know how to self-promote in order to
convince employers that you are what
they have been waiting for.
It is Maier’s theory that “new is
always right,” so young, new workers
can liven up and refresh businesses
because they can appeal to their own
demographic who “live life to the max.”
For this young group of up and
comers, Maier has another piece of
advice in her book: “Never under any
circumstances accept a position of
responsibility.” It is her belief that the
less responsibility someone has with
their job, the more they can gain an
advantage over the company. The phrase
she uses to describe this is “active disen-
gagement.”
While Maier’s strategies may work
for someone trying to remain at the level
they are already at, those looking for
advancement, challenge and progress may
do better by not applying these concepts.
“That is ridiculous,” said Erica
Mendiola, a finance graduate of The
University of Texas-Pan American, “If
you do not give 100 percent, then your
supervisors will notice. In the world of
business there are deadlines to meet and
goals to accomplish. If you do not
accomplish these things, then I think you
are as good as gone.”
Another main point in the book is
that an employee is not being judged on
how well he or she can perform in the
workplace, but on their ability to con-
form to the business’ environment.
At the university, students in the
College of Business Administration are
learning skills to help them adapt and
stand out in the business world, accord-
ing to Jane LeMaster, the associate dean
for the college.
“What we offer is a broad-based
degree in business administration,”
LeMaster said. “Every student in the
College of Business gets a foundation in
business – accounting, marketing,
finance, economics, So, the students
who get their degrees have a good
understanding about a business and that
can be any kind of business.”
In addition, Sheetal Stolani, an
MBA student, says unlike Maier, she
sees the benefits of hard work.
“Business opens the door to many
possibilities,” Stolani said. “Business
teaches you hard work, organization,
communication skills and persistence.”
Moreoever, learning every aspect
of a business is an advantage for stu-
dents, according to LeMaster. Instead of
concentrating specifically on one facet,
students can gain an all-around knowl-
edge that can help them once they leave
the halls of the university.
In addition, UTPA students have a
slight benefit in that many have learned
to manage time better in order to balance
both work and school.
Balancing both can be hard work,
but Stolani says, despite what Maier
may say, it will pay off.
“Learning from books is one thing
and working hands-on is something
totally different,” said Stolani. “No mat-
ter what educational background you
have, you need to have work experience
to be efficient. In my situation I have
worked prior to finishing college and I
think I was well prepared to work in the
real world.”
November 30, 2006 NEWS Page 5
Book asks: Does hard work really pay off?By ANGELA SALAZARThe Pan American
The Law Offices of Daniel S. López, P.C.
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Page 6 NEWS November 30, 2006
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There used to be a time when
Christmas meant getting together with
loved ones and appreciating everything
and everyone a person had in their lives.
Somewhere down the road, it is unclear
where, Christmas became an item, a
product with a barcode that people
bought and sold without a thought.
No one is certain who is to blame
for the commercialization of the
Christian world’s most beloved holiday,
but for some, such as Brian Warren, a
theater lecturer at The University of
Texas-PanAmerican, the true meaning of
Christmas is still clear.
Tonight, Warren will invite the
public to UTPA’s Jeffers Theatre to see
“The Golden Cobwebs,” a new
Christmas children’s play he has co-
written and will co-direct.
The play tells the story of a young
boy named Billy who, through various
incidents, has somehow lost the meaning
of Christmas and seeks to regain his hol-
iday spirit through magical ways involv-
ing fairies and evil spiders.
Warren said that more than any-
thing, he hopes children will identify
with the play.
“What possessed me with this proj-
ect was that I really wanted to relate the
Christmas message to kids in hopes that
they would see themselves in Billy,” he
said.
Although “Cobwebs” possesses
similarities to beloved Christmas clas-
sics such as “A Christmas Carol,” or
“The Nutcracker,” Warren feels his play
is different.
“It’s an old theme in a new mes-
sage and we are presenting it in a new
and interesting way I think,” he said.
The process of creating the
Christmas tale began this past summer
when Marleen Galvan, a student in one
of Warren’s classes, came up with the
idea and went to the seasoned
writer/director for some input.
“I co-wrote the play with Brian. He
really liked my idea and wanted to con-
tribute more to it and make it a little
more farcical,” said the English major.
Warren says that although seeped
with fun and laughter, the show will res-
onate with both younger and older audi-
ence members.
“Many of my students have told me
of the time they found out that Santa
Claus wasn’t real,” he said. “For many,
hopefully this play will help them recap-
ture what Christmas once was for them
and should be still.”
Cast member Leya Hernandez,
who plays “Gizmo” in the production,
feels the story’s message is indeed an
important one.
“This play is about showing people
that there is more to this holiday than
just presents. It’s actually about cherish-
ing Christmas,” said the theater perform-
ance major.
Despite the play’s message, Warren
insists that “The Golden Cobwebs” is
not meant to influence people’s minds.
“We are not trying to renew a belief
in Santa Claus or anything like that, but
instead renew a lost faith in whatever
you used to believe in,” said Warren. “It
will be paralleled by the magical effect
Christmas has on people.”
“The Golden Cobwebs” will run
through Dec. 2 at 8 p.m. with an addi-
tional performance Sunday, Dec. 3 at 2
p.m. For more information, contact the
University Box Office at (956) 381-
3583.
The Valley Symphony Orchestra
and Chorale (VSO) is preparing for its
annual holiday concert taking place at
the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan
del Valle-National Shrine tonight.
Having the holiday concert at this
location has become a tradition for the
orchestra.
“Several years ago we were look-
ing for a location for our concert and
the McAllen Civic Center was not
available,” said Monica Folk, admin-
istrator for the orchestra. “The
Basilica opened its doors for us and it
has become a tradition to have our
holiday concert there.”
Alicia Estrada, a sophomore
business major at The University of
Texas-Pan American, has had the
chance to attend past concerts at the
Basilica and has enjoyed the experi-
ence.
“The location is great for a con-
cert of this type,” Estrada said. “It
gives you a feeling of warmth and you
really feel that Christmas is just
around the corner.”
The concert will last roughly two
hours and the VSO will perform
pieces including Honegger’s “Une
Cantate de Noel,” Caccini/Mercurio’s
“Ave Maria,” Bass’ “A Feast of
Carols,” Vivaldi’s “Gloria in D
Major” and Bass’ “Glad Things.”
“We are preparing pieces that are
familiar to mostly everybody,” said
Folk. “They may not know them by
reading the title, but when they hear
them, they’ll recognize the pieces
immediately.”
As usual, The Valley Symphony
Orchestra and Chorale will have two
special guests at this concert, lending
a special touch to the performance.
Mazias de Oliveira, a Brazilian
tenor, will sing the “Ave Maria” as the
orchestra plays. Joe A. Morales, the
vice president/general manager for
Univision Radio, will be in charge of
narrating the Christmas story.
According to Folk, people should
not miss this concert since it is one of
a kind and marks the beginning of the
holiday season.
“The orchestra will be perform-
ing contemporary holiday music,” she
said. “Anybody who is familiar with
Christmas music will recognize it.”
She added that people should be
looking forward to it, since it is an
opportunity for a fun night out.
“It is a great opportunity for peo-
ple to dress up a little bit and go out to
enjoy themselves,” said Folk.
People like Valley native Jorge
Garza agree with her.
“I already purchased my ticket
for the concert,” said Garza. “I’ve
never had the chance to attend one of
the symphony’s concerts, and I think I
chose just the right one to watch them
perform.”
Even though there will not be a
dress rehearsal for students, Folk
would like to invite everyone to come
and watch the orchestra perform.
“Music is the language of our
souls,” Folk said. “Even though not
everyone is used to listening to sym-
phonic music, a lot of people are
familiar with it more than they think
about.”
Reserved seats are $25 to $40.
For tickets call the VSO office at
(956) 393-2293, visit the Basilica Gift
Shop or log on to www.valleyorches-
tra.org.
VSO performs annual holiday concert at local shrineBy LESLIE ESTRADAThe Pan American
UTPA Christmas play shows true holiday spiritBy FRANK CALVILLOThe Pan American
SEASONAL MUSIC - The Valley Symphony Orchestra will perform its annualholiday concert tonight at 8 p.m.
THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS - Brian Warren and Marleen Galvan’s new children’s play “The Golden Cobwebs”shows its audience what Christmas once was and should be.
Marion Monta
Genesis Moreno/The Pan American
November 30, 2006 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 9Page 8 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT November 30, 2006
he holiday season is
about more than cooler
temperatures and chaotic
shopping malls. It’s also a
time for holiday classics, which are
making their way into McAllen.
“The Nutcracker” has become the most popularballet performed around the year-end season. Its storyhas been reproduced in many forms with a plotrevolving around a blonde German girl named ClaraStahlbaum. The names change slightly throughoutdifferent versions, but the premise remains the same.According to Nutcrackerballet.net, the ballet is basedon the story of “The Nutcracker and the King ofMice,” written by E.T.A. Hoffman, a young Germangirl who dreams of a Nutcracker Prince and a fiercebattle against a Mouse King with seven heads.
Gary Mounce, a political science professor at TheUniversity of Texas-Pan American, is heavily involvedin a local production of “The Nutcracker” and hasmade it a family affair. Malena Mounce, his wife anda sociology professor at UTPA, is also featured in theballet.
“We love the arts but neither one of us imaginedwe’d add performance art to our resumes,” theMounces said.
Their children, Joey Mounce, 19, and NenaMounce, 18, both freshmen at UTPA, will be perform-ing in the ballet as well.
“On the first night, Joey will be the Prince andNena will be the Sugar Plum Fairy,” Gary Mouncesaid. “At least for fifteen minutes the siblings will pre-tend they love one another,” he joked.
On other nights, the brother and sister duo willshare roles with other cast members.
The ballet will be performedDec. 1 and 2 at 7:30p.m. and Dec.3 at 1:30p . m .a t
Story By: Trey Serna Designed By: Roy Bazan Tthe McAllen Civic Center. It is presented bythe McAllen Association of Performing Artsand tickets are $10.
“Where else can one see live world-classballet for only $10?” asked Malena Mounce.
They have been working hard sinceAugust and Malena Mounce admitted thatthe classes and discipline are demanding, butmaintains the rewards of artistic develop-ment and stronger bodies are great.
If some are not able to make itout to the earlier dates of “TheNutcracker,” another versionof the ballet will be showingat the McAllen CivicCenter, done by adifferent company.The Deborah CaseDance Academy is thehome of the Rio GrandeValley Ballet, whichwill be performing“ T h eN u t c r a c k e r ”Dec. 9 and 10.
“This isthe 34th yearand it’st h elongestr u n -n i n g
show at the McAllen Civic Center,” said Case.Maggie Lowery, 17, a Nikki Rowe High School
senior, has been dancing ballet since she was twoyears old and performing “The Nutcracker” since
she was five. She looks forward to this year’s per-formance for a special reason.
“This will be my last performance of ‘TheNutcracker,’ as I am a senior in high school and
will not be in the Valley next year,” said Lowery.“I have performed in ‘The Nutcracker’ since
first grade. After this year’s show, I will haveperformed every female part in the ballet,
including Clara, the Snow Queen andthe Sugar Plum Fairy. This year, I
am a parent, a snowflake, andmy soloist parts areArabian and Dew Drop.”
Case encourageseveryone to come out and
enjoy a holiday tradition. Ticketsfor the ballet are $10-$15 for
reserved seating,depending on seat-
ing area.“It’s the
most famousballet in
America,” Casesaid. “‘TheNutcracker’ is a
family affair anda holiday clas-
sic so peoples h o u l d
c o m eout.”
November 30, 2006 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 9Page 8 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT November 30, 2006
he holiday season is
about more than cooler
temperatures and chaotic
shopping malls. It’s also a
time for holiday classics, which are
making their way into McAllen.
“The Nutcracker” has become the most popularballet performed around the year-end season. Its storyhas been reproduced in many forms with a plotrevolving around a blonde German girl named ClaraStahlbaum. The names change slightly throughoutdifferent versions, but the premise remains the same.According to Nutcrackerballet.net, the ballet is basedon the story of “The Nutcracker and the King ofMice,” written by E.T.A. Hoffman, a young Germangirl who dreams of a Nutcracker Prince and a fiercebattle against a Mouse King with seven heads.
Gary Mounce, a political science professor at TheUniversity of Texas-Pan American, is heavily involvedin a local production of “The Nutcracker” and hasmade it a family affair. Malena Mounce, his wife anda sociology professor at UTPA, is also featured in theballet.
“We love the arts but neither one of us imaginedwe’d add performance art to our resumes,” theMounces said.
Their children, Joey Mounce, 19, and NenaMounce, 18, both freshmen at UTPA, will be perform-ing in the ballet as well.
“On the first night, Joey will be the Prince andNena will be the Sugar Plum Fairy,” Gary Mouncesaid. “At least for fifteen minutes the siblings will pre-tend they love one another,” he joked.
On other nights, the brother and sister duo willshare roles with other cast members.
The ballet will be performedDec. 1 and 2 at 7:30p.m. and Dec.3 at 1:30p . m .a t
Story By: Trey Serna Designed By: Roy Bazan Tthe McAllen Civic Center. It is presented bythe McAllen Association of Performing Artsand tickets are $10.
“Where else can one see live world-classballet for only $10?” asked Malena Mounce.
They have been working hard sinceAugust and Malena Mounce admitted thatthe classes and discipline are demanding, butmaintains the rewards of artistic develop-ment and stronger bodies are great.
If some are not able to make itout to the earlier dates of “TheNutcracker,” another versionof the ballet will be showingat the McAllen CivicCenter, done by adifferent company.The Deborah CaseDance Academy is thehome of the Rio GrandeValley Ballet, whichwill be performing“ T h eN u t c r a c k e r ”Dec. 9 and 10.
“This isthe 34th yearand it’st h elongestr u n -n i n g
show at the McAllen Civic Center,” said Case.Maggie Lowery, 17, a Nikki Rowe High School
senior, has been dancing ballet since she was twoyears old and performing “The Nutcracker” since
she was five. She looks forward to this year’s per-formance for a special reason.
“This will be my last performance of ‘TheNutcracker,’ as I am a senior in high school and
will not be in the Valley next year,” said Lowery.“I have performed in ‘The Nutcracker’ since
first grade. After this year’s show, I will haveperformed every female part in the ballet,
including Clara, the Snow Queen andthe Sugar Plum Fairy. This year, I
am a parent, a snowflake, andmy soloist parts areArabian and Dew Drop.”
Case encourageseveryone to come out and
enjoy a holiday tradition. Ticketsfor the ballet are $10-$15 for
reserved seating,depending on seat-
ing area.“It’s the
most famousballet in
America,” Casesaid. “‘TheNutcracker’ is a
family affair anda holiday clas-
sic so peoples h o u l d
c o m eout.”
Page 10 A & E November 30, 2006
It’s a good thing that “Deck the
Halls” was released during the
Thanksgiving holiday since that’s the
time for turkeys.
One of a
handful of hol-
iday-themed
films for the winter season, “Deck the
Halls” is a film that boasts well-known
actors, physical comedy and a soundtrack
that’s bursting with Christmas songs.
The plot is simple. Local
optometrist Steve Finch (Matthew
Broderick) is a family man so obsessed
with Christmas that he has his loved ones
on a Christmas schedule. Steve is so in
love with the holiday, he even goes as far
as telling his kids to submit all Christmas
caroling requests in writing.
Meanwhile Buddy Hall (Danny
DeVito) is a car salesman who has
recently moved himself and his family
into town, becoming the Finches’ new
neighbors. Buddy is disappointed with
the way his life has turned out and wants
to do something that people will remem-
ber him for. As a result, he decorates the
outside of his house to the hilt with tons
of Christmas lights in the hopes they will
be seen from space.
This doesn’t bode well with Steve,
the self-proclaimed “Christmas guy”
who makes it his mission to thwart
Buddy’s plan. It isn’t long before the two
men are battling it out in an effort to out-
Christmas each other.
It’s pretty much a sure-fire bet that
every year around this time there will be
a few movies full of holiday cheer and
sentimentality for families to choose
from. However the problem with films
such as these is that they only fall into
one of two categories: naughty or nice.
Very few films have earned the
right to be on the naughty list quite like
“Deck the Halls.”
To begin with, the story is sketchy
at best. If you ask any person on the street
what the film was about simply from see-
ing the trailers, they would more than
likely be unable to provide you with any
type of clear answer. This is a comedy,
but without any solid or novel jokes to
support it. Instead, the film relies too
heavily on tired sight gags and an over-
abundance of physical comedy to force
laughs from its generous audience.
Perhaps what hurts the film the
most are the two main characters. Steve
is upset because he must endure his new
neighbor’s many annoying actions at the
expense of his property and family so he
sets out to literally wreck Buddy’s
Christmas. Buddy wants to feel special
for once by doing something he will
always be remembered for which means
sabotaging Steve’s Christmas.
Who is the hero? Who is the vil-
lain? Who should be applauded and who
should be booed off the screen? In the
end, who really cares? Both characters
are so petty, childish and mean-spirited
that neither one really deserves any sym-
pathy from the audience, let alone a
merry Christmas.
Star power is about the only thing
this lame holiday comedy has going for
it. As the two neighbors, Devito and
Broderick bring as much as they can to
their underwritten roles (especially
Devito, who supplies plenty of that trade-
mark humor movie audiences love him
for.)
However the chemistry between the
two leads is all but non-existent. In fact
their scenes are so bad, you feel as if they
received the script a mere five minutes
prior to shooting.
These are both very gifted and well-
loved actors. Surely there must be some
film vehicles out there that are more
deserving of their talents.
Films of this genre can be tricky.
Some are excruciatingly awful like Ben
Affleck’s 2004 fiasco “Surviving
Christmas,” and some are heart-tugging
like last year’s hit “The Family Stone.” If
there’s anything to be said for “Deck the
Halls,” it’s that at least it’s nowhere near
as horrendous as “The Santa Clause 3.”
However, if this film fails to satisfy, I
suggest you wait for the upcoming
release of the horror-film remake “Black
Christmas.” At least it can offer more
cheer.
By FRANK CALVILLOThe Pan American
Now in its 60th year, the
Harlingen Jaycees’ annual Christmas
parade will hit the pavement promptly
at 7 pm tomorrow, come rain or shine,
and will last roughly three to four hours.
However, the Jaycees have been plan-
ning since the minute last year’s parade
ended.
“At the end of every parade, that
same day the Harlingen Jaycees all
gather at someone’s house for a celebra-
tion dinner for a job well done,” said
Harlingen native Andres Gonzalez, who
was a member of the organization for
four years. “We then each come up with
a theme for next year and we vote.”
Themes for previous parades
include cartoon Christmas, Christmas at
the movies and Christmas around the
world. This year’s theme is Mardi Gras
Christmas. While parade organizer
Patricia Avila doesn’t know exactly how
participants will execute the theme, she
does know it’ll be a great show.
“The folks are pretty creative and I
am excited to see how they incorporate
the theme into their parade entry,” Avila
said.
Avila feels that all the hard work
that goes into the parade on the part of
the organizers and the participants is
worth it.
“We strive to put out a good
parade and we get positive feedback,”
Avila said. “This is a family oriented
event and we know that the community,
especially the kids, look forward to see-
ing the parade…I mean, Santa.”
Avila is still accepting entries for
the parade but she estimates that there
will be about 90 to 100 entries partici-
pating in Friday’s parade. In addition to
many floats, both Harlingen high school
bands and several middle school bands
will march and play music.
For the bands, the parade is a
chance to play some fun music. This
year, the Harlingen High School
Cardinal Band will play “Frosty the
Snowman.” While the details are still in
the works, Cardinal head band director
Ronnie Rios said the band’s attire and
choreography will go along with the
Mardi Gras Christmas theme.
Other participants will include
local businesses and organizations such
as The Salvation Army, Fun & Sun and
several church groups.
According to Avila and Gonzalez,
people of all ages from Harlingen and
neighboring cities such as San Benito,
Rio Hondo, Combes and La Feria come
out to see the parade.
“Everyone is invited to our
parade,” Avila said. “I know that we
have winter Texans participate in the
parade and are also spectators. As I
mentioned, this is geared toward family
and I hope that our Christmas parade
brings fond memories for families.”
The parade will take place on
Jackson Street, starting at 4th Street and
continuing past A Street. Participants
will be judged, with trophies and cash
prizes going to 1st and 2nd place win-
ners.
In addition to the annual
Christmas parade, the Jaycees organize
several other Harlingen events includ-
ing the 4th of July parade, Blues on the
Hill, Rio Fest and the Easter Egg hunt.
However, the Christmas parade is the
biggest fundraiser for the community
service organization composed solely of
21- to 41-year-olds.
For information about participat-
ing in the parade as a vendor or for
information about joining the Jaycees,
contact Avila at (956) 245-5005 or by e-
mail at harlingenjaycees@hotmail.com.
To volunteer at the parade, stop by the
registration table tomorrow for an
assignment.
By CLAUDETTE GONZALEZThe Pan American
New holiday comedylacks cheer, laughs
BATTLING FOR CHRISTMAS - Steve Finch (Matthew Broderick, left) andBuddy Hall (Danny Devito, right) play dueling neighbors in the “Deck the Halls.”
Mardi gras-themedparade hits Harlingen
www.macleans.com
NEW ORLEANS THEME - Christmas parade aims to blend Mardi Gras flair with Christmas traditions.
Students from the opera workshop
at The University of Texas-Pan
American’s music department will per-
form the folk opera “Down in the
Valley” Dec. 3 at 7:30 pm in the Studio
Theater.
Like all operas and musicals,
“Down in the Valley” tells a story, pri-
marily through song and dance, using
music to describe some of the charac-
ters’ most private thoughts or feelings.
“‘Down in the Valley’ is the tragic
love story of Jennie Parsons and Brack
Weaver, set in rural Alabama around the
beginning of the 20th century”, said
Ruth Crews, an assistant professor in the
music department. “The opera uses a
narrator and dramatic flash black as its
major techniques to explain the circum-
stances that have led to the conviction
and hanging of Brack for the death of
Thomas Bouche,” she added.
In the past few decades the line
between musicals and operas has been
blurred, leaving some to question what
genre “Valley” falls into.
“Since it has spoken dialogue, it
could possibly be considered a musical,”
said Crews. “Yet all of the spoken dia-
logue is delivered over music and the
singing style required is more classical
than just belting or popular.”
Dancing also plays a key role in
telling the story. There are scenes that
require a little bit of square dancing,
which brings out the setting and time
period.
This is the second time this opera
will be performed at UTPA. The last was
in 1975, and bringing it back is some-
thing that has been in the wings for quite
some time. This piece is normally per-
formed by workshops such as the opera
workshop or community workshops.
The atmosphere that will be set by
the scenery is simple. By using lighting
changes and a few subtle props the tran-
sitions from Jennie’s house to Brack’s
jail cell is simple and dramatic.
Students are also becoming
acquainted with this new style.
“All of the students in this produc-
tion are new to this style of music and
performance,” Crews said. “Much of the
music is difficult harmonically and
rhythmically and they have risen to the
challenge.”
Even the performers within the
show see the progress that has been
made through the show.
“I think we’ve come a long way. A
lot of our students are first year students
who don’t read music and I think it will
be a good show,” said Geronimo J.C.
Ruedas.
“Down in the Valley” was written
by Kurt Weill and its first performance
was actually for radio in August 1948.
The real break for this production came
in 1950 when it became one of the first
musical theater works to be broadcast on
television.
The characters of Jennie Parsons
and Brack Weaver are being played by
Anastacia Ortiz and Ruedas.
“My character is named Brack
Weaver,” said Ruedas, “he is a poor
country boy who lives in the rural val-
ley, like an Oklahoma setting, but on a
smaller scale.”
Brack is one of the main leads of
the opera.
“I fall in love with the character
Jennie Parsons,” said Ruedas about his
character Brack, “and I plan on telling
her I love her.”
It is the classic tale of a love that
can never be.
&RTSNTERTAINMENT
Editor’s Pick: Must-read book
Gambling has come a long way
since the days of riverboat casinos and
Old West saloons.
The popularity of the World Series
of Poker has led to an ESPN contract and
a befuddling misconception that the
game is a sport and a pastime, its legiti-
macy nearly unchecked by puritanical
condemnation.
At the turn of the 20th century,
games of chance for the sake of mone-
tary gain were widely condemned,
though widely pursued. But 21st-century
technology has alleviated ridicule, and
lent accessibility to the pursuit through
virtual gaming sites and simulated poker
videogames.
Long gone is the notion that gam-
bling requires a trip to Las Vegas. The
nearly unregulated world of online casi-
nos allows Sin City to come to you.
Of course, in the virtual world, the
risk is still the same. But thankfully the
videogame industry has created primer
games to teach skills while also provid-
ing endless hours of entertainment.
Herschel Greenberg of Whittier,
Ca., is a top reviewer for Amazon.com.
In his review of “Poker Academy V2,”
Amazon’s highest selling poker video
game, he sums up the aim of the simula-
tion.
“The best thing I can say about this
poker training tool (I think of it more of
a tool than a game),” Greenberg wrote,
“is how well I have done at a real Texas
Hold ‘Em table…with the knowledge I
have gained.”
However, for Keith White, execu-
tive director of the National Council on
Problem Gambling, the acceptance of
games like “Poker Academy V2” as a
training ground for actual gambling is a
big concern.
“What we have found is that many
sites and games don’t have true odds,”
White said. “They tend to favor the
player.”
White argues that these skewed
odds lead to over-confidence in gam-
blers. And while quick to acknowledge
that most games will not lead to gam-
bling addictions, he feels it is necessary
for would-be gamblers to understand the
real-world risks of wagering.
“We see the games as a neutral,”
White said. “But we definitely feel that
gambling should be addressed in the
same way that parents have the sex,
drugs and rock and roll talk with their
kids.”
Other games, such as “World
Series of Poker: Tournament of
Champions,” take less educational
approaches to the world of sport gam-
bling. In that particular title players
assume an avatar and work through a
career mode that brings about encounters
with real-life poker greats such as 2005
World Series winner Joseph Hachem.
The gripe most players have with
this game is that the computer comes out
with a lot of big hands on the flop, and
gets a ridiculous number of flushes and
straights. In that regard it is a great tool
for gamblers as it teaches the cardinal
rule of the casino industry: The house
always wins.
Video poker craze sweeps nation, raises concernsBy BRIAN CARRThe Pan American
Music department to perform 1940s operaBy ANGELA SALAZARThe Pan American
“The Homecoming,”the new book from
best-selling sci-fi authorRay BradburyE A
CAN YOU BLUFF ONLINE? - Online video poker has taken the place of tradi-tional pastimes for many Americans.
http://www.pokerking.com
Anglea Salazar/The Pan AmericanTRAGIC LOVE - Anastacia Ortiz (left) and Geronimo Ruedas (right) star in “Down in the Valley,” an old-time opera beingperformed by UTPA’s music department for only the second time in its history.
CANCELED continued from page 1
load required of international students.
“What angered us most was that
they acted like it was no big deal,” said
Eckhardt. “They know we have to take
twelve hours, but they didn’t contact us
as fast as they should have.”
While the experience Eckhardt and
Nowak had is rare, sometimes students
are caught completely unaware of can-
celed classes until the semester is about
to begin or has already begun.
The decision of whether to cancel a
class or not is mainly left to department
heads. A variety of factors go into the
decision-making process but the goal is
generally to try and salvage the class in
question.
“We don’t like to cancel a class.
Usually it comes down to whether or not
the teaching position can be filled,” said
Mohammed Farooqui, biology depart-
ment chair. “We try to help the students.
As soon as we’re sure a class is going to
be canceled we notify the admissions
office so they can contact students.”
He also added that the department
generally knows about a month before
classes start whether they’ll be canceled
or not - usually based on low enrollment
- and that sometimes the rules about the
number of students in a class can be
waived if it is a class the university has-
n’t previously offered.
The search for new faculty and
other circumstances are also factored
into a decision for cancellation.
“If there is low enrollment or we
can’t find an instructor, we try to switch
the class or let students know of other
options they can enroll in,” said
Lokenath Debnath, chair of the mathe-
matics department.
Classes are only canceled under
extenuating circumstances, and this fall
only two or three classes were canceled,
according to Debnath.
“Many times we just combine
classes if the enrollment numbers in one
or both are too low, but we don’t want
students suffering so we make sure to
take care of all this within the first week
of classes, if not sooner,” he added.
The university does have some
restrictions on class size, with under-
graduate classes requiring at the very
least between 10 and 15 students and
graduate classes needing a minimum of
five students.
“If our classes look like they won’t
be big enough, we try to make a predic-
tion of whether to cancel or not,” said
Guang-Zhen Wang, sociology depart-
ment chair. “Sometimes it’s a risky pre-
diction, but we can usually judge which
classes will not be able to make and
which will.”
Since students register at different
times, many of them at the last minute,
Wang said officials often have to wait
until right before the semester starts to
make a decision
“Regardless of what the decision is
we always try to make sure that students
are helped and not harmed by the depart-
ment’s choice,” Wang added.
MENCHU continued from page 1speech in her native language, Maya
Quiche, Menchu-Tum welcomed the
“multicultural, multi-ethnic” audience
that sat wide-eyed, staring up at her. The
rest of her speech was in Spanish, with
subtitles in English appearing on a large
screen at the other end of the stage.
Menchu-Tum is the author of sev-
eral books, including four children’s
books, but she has received the most
attention for her first book, the autobiog-
raphy titled “I, Rigoberta Menchu: An
Indian Woman in Guatemala,” which
she co-wrote with Elisabeth Burgos.
The autobiography tells of the
struggles and tragedies she encountered
growing up in Guatemala during the
country’s long civil war, and is taught in
many schools nationwide.
“We are co-authors of a book that
went on to be a history of Guatemala,
that went on to be a jewel for me and for
Guatemala, that reveals what I felt, what
I thought, my suffering and my pain,”
Menchu-Tum said.
After writing this book, Menchu-
Tum was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
in 1992. However, soon after, anthropol-
ogist David Stoll and New York Times
reporter Larry Rohter revealed that cer-
tain details in the book were not true,
including the death by malnutrition of a
brother whom the reporters found to be
alive and well on a farm in Guatemala
with his family.
While the book may be more accu-
rately called a portrayal of the plight of
Guatemala’s indigenous population than
an autobiography, it is clear that
Menchu-Tum’s life has not been easy.
Menchu-Tum was only two years
old when the 36-year-long civil war
began in Guatemala. At the core of the
conflict was a struggle between the
indigenous population and the European
governing class.
“We were constantly hearing about
kidnappings, torturings, disappearances,
and it also touched my family,” Menchu-
Tum said.
During this conflict, Menchu says
that her father was burned alive at the
Spanish embassy in Guatemala in 1980,
and her mother was kidnapped and tor-
tured soon after.
Although Menchu-Tum says there
has been much progress in the integra-
tion of the indigenous people into the
local and national governments, she still
sees room for improvement.
“I think there are more indigenous
people who are involved in public
administration, but that doesn’t change
the fact that the system is racist,”
Menchu-Tum said. “We’re going to have
a lot of work over the next few years to
eradicate racism and discrimination, and
Guatemala can be a model for intercul-
tural, multicultural, multilingual living
in Latin America.”
Rosalina Ruiz, who works in the
GEAR UP office on campus, says she
identifies with Menchu-Tum’s stories
because she sees similar struggles in her
native Mexico. She also admires the
humility that Menchu-Tum shows
despite her success.
“Her stories are amazing,” Ruiz
said. “Given the popularity she has
received, she still keeps herself so hum-
ble. She continues to be one of them.
She’s still very involved with her own
people.”
And Menchu-Tum agreed that it is
important to support la gente, or the peo-
ple.
“If I can help, I have to help.
There’s no better way than to hear the
person, hear their problems, be on the
side of the people,” Menchu-Tum said.
“I’m always on the side of the people.”
But Menchu-Tum knows that she
isn’t the only one working for
Guatemalans’ civil rights.
“I’m not the only fighter in
Guatemala, nor the most important one,”
Menchu-Tum said. “I’m just one more
person.”
Roberto Rivera, a senior anthropol-
ogy major from Honduras, spent the
summer of 2005 in Guatemala doing
ethnographic studies. Because of his
experience in the country and his own
Latin American heritage, Rivera was
excited to be able to get to know the
Nobel laureate.
“I’m honored to get to hear her speak
because she’s from Guatemala,” Rivera
said. “Our countries are neighbors.”
Page 12 NEWS November 30, 2006
NURSES continued from page 1
students what they will get into,” Mellen
said. “I understand the need of more
nurses, but we also need to consider that
as educators, we have the obligation of
producing the competent nurses, no mat-
ter the number that amounts to.
WHY A SHORTAGE?The JCAHO produced a study
showing that many nurses left their jobs
because of poor administrative support
and tension due to lack of autonomy,
inflexible work schedules, indifferent
and inadequate personnel, and uncom-
petitive salaries and benefits.
To Carlos Grajeda, a licensed voca-
tional nurse in Rio Grande City, leaving
a nursing job for such reasons can also
illustrate a lack of vocational passion.
“I am a nurse to draw attention to the
full range of human experiences and
responses to health and illness,” Grajeda
explained. “The fact that my actions can
make a difference is what drives my love
for the profession. Yes there are long days,
and yes there are times where you feel that
you have no life, but the life you give each
patient just feeds on to my own.”
In addition, Melissa Medina, a
UTPA nursing student, says the chal-
lenges associated with becoming a nurse
can be daunting.
“Studying to be a nurse is not like
getting a degree in accounting or history
where you have to complete the 48-hour
deal, then certain hours in your field,”
Medina said. “We have to take more
hours that help us know things here and
there; everything that we might run into
at the work place.”
Prospective nursing students are
required to take more than just the 48
hours core curriculum, which in normal
cases includes the two semesters of sci-
ence and math among other classes.
Before applying to the program,
students must have at least 45 hours of
the BSN’s core classes complete, which
includes nutrition, clinical microbiology,
psychology and chemistry. If accepted,
the student must have a total of 70 hours
of the nursing program’s core classes in
order to officially begin.
According to Carolina Huerta,
nursing department chair, getting into
the program is the first checkpoint that
decides if students are meant for the
vocation or not.
“Students are well aware that the
nursing program is highly competitive,”
Huerta explained. “Acceptance to this
program is based on academic perform-
ance so students must show that dedica-
tion they are expected to have in the
field since the beginning of their college
education.”
Overall, Mellen says the selective
process is done in the name of the
patient care.
“What matters in this field is the
patients’ safety and needs,” Mellen said.
“I would rather have a limited number of
nurses on the floor, as long as they are
competent to take on the potential situa-
tions that can occur on that floor.”
Sidney Meadows/The Pan AmericanQ&A - Daisy Perez, a business administration graduate student, asks RigobertaMenchu-Tum a question during the open forum part of her speech.
tion with the strike in Oaxaca.
“They call us violent for defending
our public education,” Santiago said in
the statement. “What we want is a real
government to represent the population
of Oaxaca in all its diversity,” he added.
As part of his American experience,
Santiago was charged by his group with
coming to see how education in America
is and how the government stands. Their
main concern is to get the word out about
the situation in Mexico and get as much
help as possible to fight for better educa-
tion there; they are after better benefits
for educators as well.
Those assembled expressed their
disappointment at the cancellation.
“I would have been glad and hon-
ored to meet him,” said Efrain Barron, a
junior Spanish major from Lyford.
The word is that his visit has been
postponed until April. Even though the
students were not able to talk to Santiago
on a one-on-one basis, he was allowed to
have a teleconference in which students
and professors were able to participate
and ask questions. During that address,
Santiago further explained the group’s
grievances with the authorities.
“The state government attacks our
traditions, commercializes our culture in
a way that mocks and insults the people,
and intervenes openly in the towns and
communities that haven't conceded to its
demands,” he said.
A film was also shown to demon-
strate the political movement in Oaxaca,
illustrating the struggle the members of
the protest have undertaken to illustrate
the refusal of the government to hear the
people and satisfy their human rights.
They say the government has taken no
action other than violence to help their
cause against privatization of schools
and better education for the students.
“They have no respect for human
rights and dignity,” said Farruggio, who
also criticized the U.S. education plan,
“No Child Left Behind,” which he said is
“a worldwide attack against quality edu-
cation for poor and minority children.”
The film showed how materials in
schools are extremely scarce and, as a
result, teachers have to buy most school
supplies. Salaries are extremely low for
teachers in Oaxaca so they have trouble
meeting living expenses; some have up
to three jobs and even then, it is still not
enough.
Though education is the focus of the
fight, the overarching problem in Oaxaca,
say the strikers, is the governor, a man
whom they describe as very “old school.”
“Ulises Ruiz was elected governor
because of electoral fraud,” Santiago
claimed.
The film also attempted to demon-
strate the cruelty and violence in
Oaxaca, which strikers say is perpetrated
by police against people fighting for
their human rights. The people are also
afraid that Ruiz will misuse taxpayer
money he has been given.
“People are dying because of
police violence, curable disease and mal-
nutrition,” Santiago said. “He (Ruiz)
refuses to do anything about this concern
toward the demand for better education
so therefore the people of Oaxaca want
his immediate resignation of which he
clearly does not want to do; he continues
to promote violence rather than to come
up with solutions.”
Santiago has asked for student par-
ticipation to help resolve this difficult
situation, encouraging people to write
letters to President Vicente Fox before
he steps down from the presidency Dec.
1, and to Felipe Calderon, who will
replace Fox. Santiago said the letters
should inform the high-level politicians
of concerns that U.S. students have
about the fiasco in Oaxaca, and express
interest in the resignation of Ruiz.
Those interested in taking part in
the protest are encouraged to get more
information from Virginia Gause, UTPA
systems librarian, who will handle peti-
tions and send the letters.
November 30, 2006 NEWS Page 13
“They call us violent fordefending our public educa-tion. What we want is a realgovernment to represent thepopulation of Oaxaca in all itsdiversity.”
- Telesforo Santiago,teacher from Oaxaca
OAXACA continued from page 3
Students like Chris Ramirez, a
sophomore art major, are doing their
part to help Alvarez by asking local mer-
chants and donors for contributions, in
addition to e-mailing other students to
do the same.
“I met Victor in my honors class
and had read his columns in The
Monitor,” he said. “I respected him
greatly and felt that his vitality for life
deserved attention from others, and I
always enjoy helping others.”
Irazema Reyes, a sophomore inter-
disciplinary studies major, followed
Ramirez’s lead after receiving e-mails
sent to the Student Leadership Program.
“When Chris e-mailed me about
Victor, it really touched me,” said
Reyes, a member of SLP. “I do not know
Victor and have never seen him, but I
know he is going through a tough situa-
tion and I want to help him.”
Elizabeth Gearhart, Alvarez’s care-
giver, says two of the main reasons the
student needs a new vehicle is because
their current van, a 1992 Ford
Econoline, has an engine that overheats
and a ramp that often gets stuck as
Alvarez is moved in and out of it.
“I have learned a lot by being
around Victor,” she said. “One of the
things I’ve learned is that we all have
areas that we are strong in and areas that
we are weak in. Nobody is completely
independent, and we all have to make up
for each others’ weaknesses.”
Spinal Muscular Atrophy Support,
a non-profit organization that provides
support and information to family,
friends and caregivers of individuals
with the disability, is receiving and hold-
ing donations and will eventually pur-
chase the van.
“We’re helping Victor because we
know how difficult it is to travel with
this disability,” said Laura Stantz,
founder of SMAS. “While we do have a
close relationship with Victor, the reason
we are helping him is because he asked
for help, and that’s what we do.”
The vehicle Alvarez currently
owns was donated to him by the Texas
Elks Children Services, a nonprofit
organization sponsored by the Elks
Club. The Elks Club is a 138-year-old
fraternal organization commonly associ-
ated with charitable works.
“I think people should consider
donating for this cause because they are
making an investment in helping me
have this basic necessity,” said Alvarez.
“I have always tried to return the gen-
erosity of organizations that help me,
and if they help me, their money will be
put to very good use.”
VAN continued from page 3
is to converse with the student body for
ideas. She said the more input she
receives, the more she can tailor the uni-
versity’s technology to serve their needs.
“[Receiving input] is a sign of
pent-up demands that students may
have for something that may or may not
have gotten on our radar yet,” she said.
The former director of academic
computing has worked at the university
22 years and has passed down her previ-
ous duty of maintaining computer sup-
port to Janie Palacios, the director of
academic services.
Palacios said the Computer
Support department has made a smooth
transition and is continuing to make
improvements to better their services to
the university.
The job of maintaining the Help
Desk has been given to Jon Pena, com-
puter user services specialist.
Currently, Toal is working on
improving the Oracle system for new
employees, streamlining processes to
get them assimilated into the university
faster. She is exploring the possibility of
adding a Web-based financial aid calcu-
lator, giving students the ability to cre-
ate Web pages, and starting a MySpace-
type service.
Additionally, Toal is working with
the Center for Learning, Teaching and
Technology to get iTunes U ready for
launch.
ed more than 4,000 volunteer service
hours. Recipients receive an official
President’s Volunteer Service Award pin,
a personalized certificate of achieve-
ment, a note of congratulations from the
president of the United States, and a let-
ter from the President’s Council on
Service and Civic Participation.
However, for all levels of recogni-
tion, no scholarships or cash prizes are
awarded. According to Jeanette
Broshears, director of student life, this
decision was made with good reason.
“We don’t want people to join
because they are getting anything. We
want them to understand that they are
doing something great on their own,”
Broshears said.
For groups who organize events for
service projects, such as Kappa Sigma -
which has taken part in events like Bike
to the Coast and the basketball tourna-
ment Boarded in the past - the recogni-
tion just adds to the already present sat-
isfaction of giving back.
“These things are our duty to our
university, our responsibility,” said
Travis Butler, a kinesiology major and
Kappa Sigma member.
UTPA President Blandina Cardenas
said she is glad that students who volun-
teer will get the acclaim they deserve.
“We are honored to kick off this
new tradition,” Cardenas said. “They
deserve to be recognized for the gener-
ous giving of their time and service to
help improve life for the people here and
across the border.”
The program was started several
years ago by the president of the United
States to motivate people toward com-
munity service and has been adopted by
UTPA this year; 176 participants are cur-
rently registered for the program with
110 students.
“This is a win-win for everybody,”
Broshears said. “The places we volun-
teer receive some much-needed works
that they otherwise might not be able to
afford, and the participants learn to focus
on others, and you learn about yourself.”
Large scheduled events are not the
only available choices for helping with
community service. Events like a park or
highway cleanup also count for commu-
nity service hours. The most common
ways are to volunteer at hospitals, com-
munity agencies and churches.
“This award is really to recognize
the students who are already committed
to the community, and to influence oth-
ers,” Broshears said.
Yudof believes the rising populari-
ty of volunteering among young people
is a good sign for the country.
“The increase in civic engagement
on college campuses bodes well for
America’s ability to overcome a wide
variety of social challenges,” Yudof said.
Cardenas added that she is pleased
with the active role the UTPA communi-
ty plays in local advancement.
“I’m proud of the many students
and employees doing extraordinary work
for this community,” said Cardenas.
POSITIONS continued from page 3
INITATIVE continued from page 3
PROJECTED - Telesforo Santiago speaks via satellite about the Oaxaca teach-ers’ struggle Nov. 17 in the Library Media Theater.
Sidney Meadows/ The Pan American
Page 14 SPORTS November 30, 2006
Women’s BasketballSat. Nov. 25
Texas-Pan American vs Louisiana-Monroe (Strahan Coliseum, San Marcos)
Texas-Pan American (3-3)Daniel 5-8 0-0 0-3 10, Grigsby 6-15 2-3 3-6 17, Jones 2-3 0-0 0-2 4, Vaughn 4-10 1-2 2-2
11, Jean 0-4 0-0 0-0 0, Wilson 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Gray 1-2 0-0 0-0 2, Freeman 0-3 0-2 0-0 0,Winfrey 0-2 0-1 0-2 0, Garrett 1-4 0-0 1-2 3, Woodard 2-6 0-0 0-0 4.
Louisiana-Monroe (5-1)Winston 2-7 0-0 0-0 4, Lloyd 3-5 0-0 1-2 7, O'Neal 4-8 2-5 3-3 13, Howard 1-10 0-6 2-2
4, Aldredge 1-3 0-2 0-0 2, Jackson 0-2 0-0 5-6 5, Williams 5-9 1-3 1-1 12, Carrier 0-2 0-2 0-00, Wallis 0-10-0 1-2 1, Davis 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Hogg 0-2 0-10-0 0, Adriaansz 1-2 0-0 1-2 3,Williams 2-5 0-0 0-0 4.
Upcoming ScheduleDec. 1 @ Western Michigan (Air Force Academy Tournament) 7:30 p.m.Dec. 2 TBA (Air Force Academy Tournament) TBADec. 6 @ Texas 7:00 p.m.
Men’s BasketballTues. Nov. 21
Texas-Pan American vs Texas-Arlington (Texas Hall, Arlington)
Texas-Pan American (4-1)Allgood 5-9 0-1 2-2 12, Lien 3-7 0-0 3-3 9, Stoll 1-3 0-2 1-1 3, Burrell 6-16 5-12 4-4 21,
Shankle 4-6 3-4 0-0 11, Edwards 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Chatman 0-2 0-2 0-0 0, Sheppard 0-2 0-0 0-00, Robinson 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Trader 5-7 0-0 3-4 13.
Texas-Arlington (3-3)Vereen 6-8 0-0 4-4 16, Posey 4-7 0-0 1-2 9, Griffin 9-11 0-0 3-5 21, Guignard 2-6 0-3 0-0
4, Epps 2-9 0-5 6-8 10, Henry 1-1 0-0 1-3 3, Hunter 4-4 0-0 0-0 8, Read 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Long2-6 1-3 0-0 5, Moffitt 0-3 0-0 0-0 0.
Upcoming ScheduleDec. 1 @ Iowa (Hawkeye Classic Tournament) 8:00 p.m.Dec. 2 @ LaSalle or Coppin State (Hawkeye Classic Tournament) TBADec. 6 @ Air Force Academy 7:00 p.m.
Tampa Bay Devil Rays sign major league pitching coachFormer Bronc, Houston Astro Hickey joins new club
Former Houston Astros pitching coach Jim Hickey signed on with the Tampa Bay Devil
Rays as their new pitching coach Nov. 18.
“Jim helped build a tradition of pitching excellence in Houston at both the minor and major
league level and we are excited to add him to the major league coaching staff,” said Andrew
Friedman, Tampa Bay’s executive vice president of baseball operations.
Hickey was part of the coaching staff that guided Houston to the World Series in 2005.
The pitching staff was among the best in the league, with three players in the top seven for
earned run average, fewest runs and fewest walks.
Hickey is a former pitcher with The University of Texas-Pan American. During his colle-
giate tenure, he was selected as a first team All-American in 1983. He helped the team set a
record for wins (64) and advance to the NCAA Central Regional Tournament.
The Pan American
The University of Texas-Pan
American men’s basketball team is off to
its best start in recent years. On Nov. 18
the Broncs improved to 4-0 on the year
at the expense of Southland Conference
foe Texas State University at Sam
William’s Court.
The Bobcat’s full court press and
aggressive inside play gave them an
early 12-6 lead over UTPA with just over
15 minutes left to play.
“Any time you play a pressing
team they are going to speed you up and
try to take you out of the things you want
to do,” head coach Tom Schuberth said.
With 13:55 showing on the clock
Brian Burrell drove to the baseline and
made good on a pull-up jumper.
Burrell’s hot hand netted him a cool 31
points on 12-of-21 shooting, including
6-of-12 from downtown.
“Just shooting, I don’t really think
about it. I just concentrate on the back of
the rim,” Burrell said.
The Broncs were up 38-33 at the
half after Burrell got loose and connect-
ed from the field.
The second half saw the Green and
Orange attack the Bobcat full court press
by sending players to the middle for out-
let passes. After breaking the Bobcat
press the Bronc’s passing found Zach
Trader alone in the low block for an easy
two leaving the score at 45-42 with
14:02 remaining.
The Broncs went to Trader for a
good portion of the second half. Trader’s
aggressiveness was rewarded with 18
trips to the free throw line where he con-
nected 14 attempts. The hard-nosed for-
ward added four rebounds to go along
with 16 points.
Texas State would not go down
without a fight. The Bobcats cut the
Bronc lead to three, 61-58, with 4:05
left to play. The next Bronc posses-
sions saw Trader sink four free throws
and Lien add two on a fast break for a
67-58 lead.
“Our guys focused. We said let’s do
what we can do well and that’s half court
defense. We focused on their shoot-
ers...we just made them earn everything.
It was a good team defensive win,”
Schuberth said.
The Broncs never looked back after
taking the lead and finished off the
Bobcats with a final score of 77-64.
On Nov. 22 the men tasted defeat
with a 76-69 road loss to The University
of Texas-Arlington Mavericks.
Against the Mavericks UTPA held
a 32-31 halftime lead but were unable to
finish off the Mavericks in the second
half.
The Broncs, who boast the top
ranked offense among Division I
Independents, had four players reach
double-digits in scoring. Burrell led the
Bronc attack with 21 points, Trader tal-
lied 13, Julius Allgood scored 12 and
Dexter Shankle chipped in with 11.
The Mavericks shot 54 percent from
the field connecting on 30-of-55 attempts
while UTPA made 46 percent of it’s field
goal attempts on 24-of-54 shots.
Jermaine Griffin led UTA with 21
points while Anthony Vereen added 16.
The Broncs pulled off a victory in
their re-match over UTA, 74-73, on
Monday at home and improved to 5-1.
The Broncs trailed all game and
were down by as many as 11 points with
10:16 remaining in the game. However
the Broncs stuck to their defensive plan
and continued to run their offense which
was led by Burrell’s 26 points.
“To be honest I don’t really know
how many points I’m scoring. I don’t
keep track,” Burrell said of his hot
hand.
With 2:03 left to play in the game
Lien recorded his ninth defensive
rebound of the night. The rebound led to
a quick bucket on the other end when
Trader kept the game open as he nailed a
sweet bank shot to tie the game at 73-73.
Lien ended the game with 10 points and
nine rebounds, one rebound shy of his
third double-double of the season.
Shankle took a charge with 42 sec-
onds left giving the Broncs momentum
and the ball with a chance to win, but
Trader got called for traveling when he
lifted his pivot foot under the hoop.
With 13 seconds left and time
winding down the Mavericks had a
chance to win the game but Jermain
Griffin missed for the Mavericks and
after a mad scramble Trader pulled the
rebound but a Maverick player reached
over his back with 0.1 seconds left.
Trader shot two for a chance to win the
game.
“Everybody just boxed out and we
didn’t let them get a second shot in,”
Trader said of the game’s last seconds.
The 1,116 people in attendance
were brought to their feet as Trader
made his way to the line. He calmly
sank the first, missed the second on
purpose and gave the Bronc basketball
band reason to play even louder.
The Thanksgiving break was no
gravy for The University of Texas-Pan
American Lady Broncs as they dropped
two straight games Friday and Saturday at
the CenturyTel Bobcat Classic in San
Marcos.
The Lady Broncs matched up against
the Bobcats from Texas State in the first
round of tournament play, falling short 62-
59. UTPA had several chances to take the
lead after a three-pointer by Hadley
Freeman put the Lady Broncs within one
but that was the closest they would get.
With 10 seconds left in regulation,
free throws were what edged the Bobcats
over UTPA. Texas State shot a dismal 26.1
percent from the field but free throws were
the determining factor in the loss, as the
Bobcats went 15 for 26 from the charity
stripe versus the Lady Broncs’ 6-of-13.
UTPA was led by newcomer
LeKeisha Gray, who finished with 15
points, eight rebounds and five steals.
Sophomore Robin Garrett added seven
points on 3-of-3 shooting.
Saturday the Lady Broncs were
unable to pull out a close victory against
Louisiana-Monroe, dropping the second
tournament game to the Warhawks, 55-51.
UTPA started off strong taking the
lead 7-5 in the opening minutes but
Louisiana-Monroe’s high-powered offense
put the Warhawks up 30-19 heading into
the locker room. The Lady Broncs fought
their way back in the second half but ULM
took advantage in the final minutes of reg-
ulation.
The Lady Broncs were sparked by
freshman Aleeya Grigsby but her efforts
would not be enough; she finished with a
game-high 17 points. The six-foot forward
was selected to the CenturyTel Bobcat
Classic All-Tournament Team. Senior for-
ward MaHogany Daniel notched her sec-
ond double-double of the season with 10
points and 10 rebounds.
On a side note, Grigsby became the
second player selected as the
Independent Newcomer of the Week on
Wednesday. Against Texas State, she
connected on nine of 23 shot attempts,
including two of three from behind the
arc and made five of nine free throws.
Grigsby is averaging 9.0 points and 4.7
rebounds per game in seven starts.
Guard Tamara Vaughn became the first
player in UTPA women’s basketball his-
tory to be selected as Independent Player
of the Week earlier in the year.
The Lady Broncs now 3-4 on the
season will try to break their three-game
skid on the road at the Air Force Academy
Tournament (Dec. 1-2). UTPA will be
back at the Field House on Dec. 10 for a
rematch against Texas State at 2 p.m.
Onydia Garza/The Pan American
Design By DA XIE
November 30, 2006 SPORTS Page 15
By KRISTYNA MANCIASThe Pan American
Lady Broncs hit rough waters over break
Broncs come up with victory at endBy ERICK QUINTEROThe Pan American
WALKING THE LINE - Foward Zach Trader won the game Tuesday night againstUniv. of Texas-Arlington with the score of 73-74. Zach made the deciding pointwith a free throw. His stats for free throws for the game was 4-5.
SPORTS Editor’s Pick: Game to Watch
Cowboys
Time: Noon
Giants
When: Dec. 3
Where: Giants StadiumGame will be aired on FOX
The gym is filled with electricity but
it’s not all coming from the court. Instead,
the stands are alive with the sound of
music. The University of Texas-Pan
American’s Bronc Basketball Band sits at
the center of the source.
“The purpose of the group is to sup-
port the basketball teams, encourage the
students and crowd to be involved in the
game, and play music,” said Pedro
Martinez, professor of music who is in
charge of the band.
Currently armed with 25 students,
Martinez hopes to expand the band
ensemble to 45-50 students, including a
drum line.
More players would mean more
noise. And noise is something the opposi-
tion does not want to hear during the
game. In the team’s recent one-point win
over UT-Arlington the band harassed the
Maverick bench constantly and enter-
tained the home crowd in the process.
“They’re our sixth man,” said men’s
basketball head coach Tom Schuberth of
the band members. “They give us an
opportunity to have an advantage when
we play in the arena and our guys have
adopted them as our sixth man.”
Senior center Colin Lien said the
band helps fuel the tempo and atmos-
phere in the Field House.
“The band gives us a lot of motiva-
tion. They’re real loud and obnoxious to
the other team. It brings out a better
atmosphere and makes more people want
to come,” said the 6-foot-11 Lien.
Schuberth and his players have been
very grateful toward the band.
“After each game, we go up and
acknowledge them and thank them for
spending their time and effort. They’re
very entertaining and the crowd really
gets into them,” he said.
The UTPA band plays the standard
yet popular tunes that can be heard at
football games, such as the school fight
song or alma mater. However, anyone is
invited to write or arrange any piece of
music for performance, as long as it is
approved by Martinez.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for
music students,” said junior psychology
Tom Cagle.
Cagle, who minors in music, said
being able to provide pieces for the band
helps to showcase the university’s music
department.
“This can give them a chance to
show off their skills and show what they
have learned in class,” Cagle said. “Not
only is this a great opportunity, but it is a
way to get fresh new talent into the com-
munity, as well as boost your university
lifestyle and status in ways that matter.”
Martinez and the band want their
efforts to make home games more enjoy-
able and encourage the basketball teams
in their play. The next women’s game at
the Field House is Dec. 10 while the next
men’s home game is Dec. 18.
“We would like to impact the cam-
pus, student body, and the community by
providing a more exciting atmosphere in
which to attend the games all while sup-
porting our basketball teams,” Martinez
said.
Anyone with questions, comments
or interest in joining the UTPA Bronc
Basketball Band can contact Pedro
Martinez at the music department at (956)
316-7134 or by e-mail at
martinezp@utpa.edu. Experience with an
instrument is preferred.
By SAVANNAH MARTINEZThe Pan American
Pep band brings spiritto home games
Ony
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