September 14, 2006

It’s early September in South

Texas, but students at The University of

Texas-Pan American are carrying around

heavy sweaters to combat the chilling

temperatures around campus.

Students have complained about

the temperature drop in several

buildings, and university officials are

plagued with figuring out what is top

priority: student comfort or energy

conservation.

David Ortega, cooling plant

manager and energy conservation

engineer at UTPA, says before air is

filtered to the buildings, it must pass

through a heating system. By warming

the air less, we conserve energy.

Consequently, colder rooms actually

means less money spent on the air-

conditioning system.

Ortega added that the university is

not intentionally keeping the building

cold during peak hours.

“It must be understood that the

energy conservation practice is intended

for after hours and may only apply to

selected buildings,” Ortega said. “Our

practice is to maintain 72 degrees while

the buildings are occupied.”

Juan C. Gonzalez, assistant vice

Most of the students taking classes in

the Business Administration Building

were not even born when it was first built.

The 30-year-old building on the

north side of campus houses the College

of Business Administration and has been

slated as one of the next edifices to

receive a facelift.

Age and outdated design have

finally caught up with the building.

Many classes and faculty members have

been dispersed across campus because

the college has outgrown its projected

population. The computer information

systems and quantitative methods

department, located in the Math and

General Classrooms Building, is the only

department not currently located in the

BA building.

“There are too many of us, so we

end up having to take a hike across

campus,” said John Emery, dean of the

college, who added that renovation of

current facilities and construction of the

annex building would help make school

convenient for students.

In addition to adding more space,

PAN AMERICAN

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Senior volleyballplayer reaches careermilestone

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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 S e p t e m b e r 1 4 , 2 0 0 6

Concern over risingcigarette nicotine levelsmounts

New musical phenome-non begins sweepingnation

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A&ENews

Juvenilefacilitytopic ofhearings

By LUKE KOONGThe Pan American

UTPA reactsto upcomingconstruction

projectsBy JAVIER CAVAZOSThe Pan American

See CONSTRUCTION page 11

The numbers are in, and The

University of Texas Pan American holds

a current enrollment rate of 17,330

students. This is an increase of 281

students compared to last year’s figure

of 17,049.

“We are satisfied with this

number,” said Dennis McMillan,

associate vice president for Enrollment

and Student Services. “What is difficult

to achieve is that we have two goals that

actually work against each other.”

These two counteracting goals are

to get students to graduate in four years

or less and at the same time increase

enrollment. When one student graduates

another one has to come in and replace

that one student in order to maintain the

same enrollment figure.

“We have to replace the graduates

just to break even. We have to work

very hard to recruit top notch students

and increase enrollment,” said

McMillan.

UTPA works together with GEAR

UP, a program with middle school and

high school students, to motivate and

create a mindset of attending college;

this program helps the university enroll

recent high school graduates.

“I was in the GEAR UP program

and they really do motivate us to go to

college, but now when I come to UTPA

By MARIA A. MAZARIEGOSThe Pan American

See ENROLLMENT page 11

Allegations of force,

overcrowding, abuse and federal

investigations sound more like

occurrences at Gitmo than at a juvenile

detention center in Edinburg. But the

Evins Regional Juvenile Justice Center

(ERJJC) is undergoing a federal

investigation over claims of violence

against inmates and other safety issues.

At a state senate committee hearing

held in late August in McAllen,

witnesses including parents, inmates and

employees spoke about conditions and

practices at the Evins facility.

Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, who

sits on the Texas Senate Commission on

Criminal Justice, was pleased the Texas

Youth Commission (TYC) held a

meeting on the current conditions.

“Given the serious allegations

against the Evins facility, I want the

committee overseeing the Texas Youth

Commission to hear testimony from

parents and community leaders who are

familiar with how the Evins facility is

managed,” Hinojosa said, in a press

release regarding the facility’s

See EVINS page 11

UTPA official: enrollment increased, retention ‘phenomenal’See TEMPERATURE page 11

By CELINA GILPATRICKThe Pan American

Blowing Money?

1201 West University, CAS 170

Edinburg, Texas 78539

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

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

56th Year – No. 4

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.

S e p t e m b e r 1 4 , 2 0 0 6

PAGE 2

News EditorSandra Gonzalezsandra_panamerican

@yahoo.com

A&E EditorFrank Calvillo

[email protected]

IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF

THE PAN AMERICAN

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.

Available Sept. 21

Hidden talents- Take a look at what some UTPAemployees do after class getsout.

READERFORUM

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Reporters and Photographers

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Submission Request

Eat Chili’s for children- Find out how one restuarant isdoing its part to help St. Jude’sChildren’s hospital.

Ernesto Villarreal had the chance of

a lifetime. Only halfway through course

work for his master’s degree in business

administration, the Monterrey, Mexico

native was interviewing for a position at

a Fortune 500 company alongside Ivy

League graduates.

Villarreal had the opportunity to

meet senior-level management execu-

tives from Ford Motor Company at last

year’s Hispanic Engineering, Science

and Technology (HESTEC) week when

he volunteered to be a company liaison.

Impressed by his talent and person-

ality, the executives invited Villarreal to

consider Ford after completing his mas-

ter’s degree. Furthermore, just two

weeks after HESTEC, he began receiv-

ing calls for phone interviews and final-

ly an invitation to visit company head-

quarters to interview for a spot in the

highly competitive Ford Marketing

Leadership program.

“They sent me a plane ticket, flew

me in first class and had a driver pick me

up,” Villarreal said. “I had a reception

that night with the VP of marketing for

Ford Motor Company and also Elena

Ford, cousin of Bill Ford. All the other

candidates were from top universities in

the nation – Princeton, Duke, Harvard,

Northwestern.”

Although Villarreal will have to

wait until he receives his master’s degree

in May to be officially eligible for the

program, he has made valuable contacts.

In his opinion, if it weren’t for HESTEC

he may never have had this opportunity.

“If you go to a career fair anywhere

The University of Texas-Pan

American has been bird watching for the

past few weeks, but not for fun. In fact,

the university has come to a consensus

about the abundance of birds, specifical-

ly grackles, and their droppings around

campus: the situation stinks.

Richard Ostello, director of envi-

ronmental health and safety, says while

the university has dealt with annual bird

flocking for several years, recently the

problem has gotten out of control.

“We have managed it in the past by

having the physical plant going out and

cleaning the walkways with the pressure

washers,” Ostello said. “This year, how-

ever, it appears we’ve had a large vol-

ume of birds, so the smell issues have

forced us to try and address it in a differ-

ent manner.”

Ostello said the university has

resorted to scare tactics in an attempt to

fend off the growing bird population.

Her surgeon advises otherwise, but

Yabnel Alvarado smokes on a regular

basis. Two weeks ago, she underwent

surgery, from which she is still recover-

ing. Part of the healing process is kick-

ing the habit, a task millions of

Americans struggle with every day.

According to a new study by the

Massachusetts Department of Public

Health, it is growing increasingly diffi-

cult to quit, for various reasons. The

report states that in the past six years,

average cigarette nicotine levels have

risen 10 percent, according to an article

released Aug. 30 by the Associated

Press.

“Studies like this one [MDPH

report] are always saying stuff about

how they’re bad for me, but it’s very

difficult for me to stop,” Alvarado said

before taking a drag off her cigarette.


American sophomore, said that while

she understands that smoking immedi-

ately following surgery is detrimental to

her health, quitting is close to impossi-

ble in her case.

“Maybe two years ago I would

have been able to quit, but not now,”

she admitted.

The study also revealed that the

three most popular brands among

young smokers, Marlboro, Newport,

and Camel, now deliver significantly

more nicotine than they did six years

ago.

Using data dating back to 1988,

the study measured nicotine levels

based on the way people smoke ciga-

rettes, such as blocking ventilation

holes and taking harder puffs, which

ranges in intensity. MDPH researchers

believe traditional testing, which uses

machines to test for nicotine levels,

does not take this into account and often

reports a lower number.

Phillip Morris, the largest cigarette

producer in the world and owner of

Marlboro, posted a response to the

MDPH Report on Nicotine Yield on its

Web site, stating that nicotine yields

reported in traditional testing are not

intended to inform consumers about the

precise amount of nicotine inhaled by

individual smokers, but to compare

nicotine yields to other brands.

Phillip Morris, who announced

Monday they are in the process of dis-

‘Fowl-smelling’ problem

See NICOTINE page 12

An Application for Graduation Formmust be filed by tomorrow with theOffice of the Registrar for students plan-ning to receive degrees in May 2007.Please call 381-2206 for more informa-tion.

News in brief:N E W S

See BIRDS page 12

Nicotine level in cigarettes steadily on rise

See HESTEC page 12

A fresh semester and a growing stu-

dent population are not the only new

things at the university. The Student

Union has made some adjustments and

additions to their menu.

According to recent surveys by the

Student Union Advisory Board and the

Advertising Club, customers at the

Student Union enjoyed the convenience

but wanted a variety of fresher, healthier

foods on the menu.

“With a healthier menu available at

the Student Union, I can eat healthier and

not waste any time trying to find a park-

ing spot afterward,” said Meagan

Hofstetter, a sophomore communication

major. “It’s so convenient to have a place

with such a variety of foods on campus.”

Students wanted more options but

at a reasonable price.

“Students were getting bored with

the choices in the menu” said Sam

Smith, director of the Student Union.

“The concept of barbeque and Sub-

Connection were getting old.”

Smith added the Student Union is

constantly exploring ways to serve the

Lunch menu evolves

By CLAUDETTE GONZALEZThe Pan American

See LUNCH page 12

By ANA LEYThe Pan American

By SANDRA GONZALEZThe Pan American

By LEZETTE VILLARREALThe Pan American

HESTEC provides UTPA studentsnetworking, scholarship funds

Page 4 News September 14, 2006

In memory of Dustin:Lisa Sekula remembers coming

home on Sept. 11, 2001 after a long day

of work and seeing her family sitting

around the television watching news

coverage.

She didn’t know it at the time, but

the terror attacks would have a larger

impact on her life than she ever thought

possible.

Five years later, a single plastic

light-up star hangs outside the Sekula

family’s Edinburg home, shining in the

rainy evening. It is not only in

remembrance of the nearly 3,000 people

who lost their lives in the terror attacks,

but also of Lisa Sekula’s own son, Dustin

Michael, who lost his life as a U.S. Marine

in the war in Iraq April 1, 2004.

“Until something hits you like this

personally, then it hits home. Now, I’m

more aware of people’s pain and

suffering,” she said. “Frankly, you

always think about these things as far

away.”

However, from the moment she

saw her son watching the television on

that September day, she knew he could

not sit and watch much longer.

“I remember I saw this spark in

his eye. That’s where the desire came

about to defend his country,” she said.

“From that moment on, I remember

Dustin was animated about what it

meant to be an American and what you

had to do to keep it (9-11) from

happening again.”

Almost two and a half years after

her son’s death, Lisa Sekula says her

support for the war in Iraq has never

wavered. She said people like Cindy

Sheehan, a mom best known for

denouncing the Iraq war after her son

died in battle, need to stop and think.

“Because of those young men and

women that have given their lives, we

can do that. We can to go to a ranch and

be vocal with our opinions,” she said. “I

think it’s very important to never lose

sight of that. If we do, I’m afraid in the

future we could have those privileges

taken away from us.”

Dustin’s sister, Danielle, a senior

management and biology double major

at The University of Texas-Pan

American, added that when she sees the

anti-war activist Sheehan, she does not

feel angry, but sad.

“My heart goes out to her because

you can tell she’s in a lot of pain. I guess

that’s just her way of dealing with it,”

she said.

Danielle Sekula says her brother -

who was 17 when he enlisted with his

mother’s assistance - had full

understanding of the risks he was facing.

“There were so many documents,

he knew what he was getting into,” she

said. “To be saying that the war in Iraq is

a mistake is like saying they made a

mistake, and they didn’t.”

She added that she is proud of her

mother for continuing on through the

grief.

“I know how much she loved

Dusty. But somehow she’s still kept

being there for me and Derek [Danielle’s

15-year-old brother],” Danielle Sekula

said. “But when Dusty died, a part of

mom died.”

CARRYING ONOne of the ways Lisa Sekula is

helping to keep alive the memory of her

son is by working closely with the City

of Edinburg in planning the $3 million

Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial

Library, which broke ground in February.

“When I was informed by the City

of Edinburg that they were going to name

the library in honor of Dustin, I decided

that whatever capacity they needed me

and whatever I could do to help, I would

do it,” she said. “From the moment they

told me that, it captured my heart.”

Lisa Sekula says the honor is

fitting, as her son and she often bonded

over books.

“Of the three kids…Dusty and I

shared that, especially in the early

years,” she said. “Dustin and I shared

Western books. He also learned how to

rope from a book.”

Dustin’s love for all things cowboy

was no secret to his family and friends.

“He’d go to Whataburger in his

spurs and all the girls would turn and go

‘ooh,’” Danielle Sekula said, smiling. “It

was funny.”

Lisa will be donating his riding

saddle, antique spurs and boots to make

sure a piece of Dustin will be reflected in

the new library’s décor.

“I’d like for people to see the desires

of his heart,” she explained. “A lot of

people only want to focus on Dustin the

Marine, but Dustin had a life before he

was a Marine and he was a cowboy.”

As Lisa and her family remember

and honor Dustin every day of their

lives, they hope the library will have the

same effect on visitors.

“I think he would have been

focusing on making sure that there were

things for unprivileged children to

utilize. He would have wanted kids from

everywhere to go to the library,” she

said. “Overall, I think he would have

been elated.”

By SANDRA GONZALEZThe Pan American

Lisa SekulaTHE FEW, THE PROUD - Dustin Sekula, second from left, was killed whileserving as a Marine in Iraq in 2004. Now, the City of Edinburg is building theDustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library in his honor.

mother, sister of fallen Valley soldierreflect on past, look to future

September 14, 2006 NNEEWWSS Page 5

A pesar de ser aconsejada por su

cirujano, Yabnel Alvarado fuma regu-

larmente. Hace dos semanas, se

sometió a una cirugía de la cual

todavía se esta recuperando. Parte del

proceso para sanar es dejar el hábito de

fumar, una tarea con la cual millones

de Americanos luchan todos los días.

Alvarado, estudiante de segundo

año en la Universidad de Texas-Pan

American, dice saber que fumar

inmediatamente después de una

cirugía es perjudicial para su salud,

pero en su caso dejarlo es casi imposi-

ble.

De acuerdo a un nuevo estudio

por el Departamento de Salud Publica

de Massachussets (MDPH), cada vez

es mas difícil dejar de fumar para

aquellos que lo intentan. El reporte

muestra que en los últimos seis años el

promedio de nicotina en los cigarrillos

ha aumentado un diez por ciento, esto

de acuerdo a un artículo de Associated

Press, lanzado el 30 de Agosto.

El estudio también revela que las

tres marcas de cigarrillos mas popu-

lares entre jóvenes, Marlboro,

Newport y Camel, tienen mucha mas

nicotina a comparación de hace seis

años.

Usando datos desde 1988, el estu-

dio marca una incrementación en los

niveles de nicotina basados en la man-

era en la que las personas fuman los

cigarrillos, tales como cerrando poros

de ventilación y fumando con mas

intensidad. Investigadores de MDPH

creen que los exámenes tradicionales

donde usan maquinas para examinar

los niveles de nicotina, no toman esto

en cuenta y casi siempre reportan

resultados mas bajos.

Phillip Morris, el mayor produc-

tor de cigarrillos en el mundo y dueño

de Marlboro, ha presentado una

respuesta al Reporte de Nicotina de

MDPH en su página de Internet,

diciendo que la nicotina reportada en

los exámenes tradicionales no tienen la

intención de mostrar a los consumi-

dores la cantidad precisa de nicotina

inhalada por cada individuo, pero el

comparar las proporciones de nicotina

con otras marcas.

Phillip Morris, que anuncio el

lunes que disputa el estudio, incluye lo

siguiente: “De hecho, en 1967 cuando

el FTC anuncio la terminación de las

pruebas del actual método, declaro que

‘no hay prueba que pueda precisa-

mente duplicar la condición actual de

las personas que fuman…’”

La compañía agrego que año con

año, variaciones en la nicotina y el

alquitrán ocurren como parte del pro-

ceso normal del crecimiento del tabaco

y la manufactura de cigarrillos.

Dora Del Toro, coordinadora

regional de Prevención y Control del

Tabaco, cree que mientras es difícil

poder decir por que los niveles de

nicotina están subiendo, agregar mas

nicotina sin duda hará mas difícil el

dejar de fumar.

“Toma un promedio de 5-7 veces

para una persona tratar de dejar de

fumar antes de que realmente lo

dejen,” ella dijo. “Solo puedo imaginar

que el agregar mas nicotina hara que

este numero suba y será demasiado

difícil el poder dejar de fumar.”

Del Toro cree que esto también

facilitara el que los nuevos fumadores

se hagan rápidamente adictos a los cig-

arrillos.

De acuerdo al Behavior Risk

Factor Surveillance System, Del Toro

dijo que aproximadamente el 20.5 por

ciento de la población de Texas fuma.

En Hidalgo County, 17.3 por

ciento de las personas adultas fuman.

Las mujeres ocupan una tercera parte.

Nivel de nicotina en cigarrillos aumenta Por ANA LEYTraducido Por MERCEDES CANTUThe Pan American

EN ESPAÑOLEstudiantes que planean graduarse en Mayo del2007 deben someter la forma de Aplicación paraGraduación en la oficina de registros paramañana. Favor de llamar al 381-2206 para másinformación.

Noticias en breve:

Wal-Mart Branch 1724 W. University Dr., Ste. BMon - Sat : 9am – 8pmSun: 12pm – 5pm

956-688-3680www.ibc.com

7-Day banking.Now at 14 area branches...you do the math.

To the student on the go that means convenience. And that’s important

when you’ve got things to do, places to be, and exams to cram for. That’s

why we offer full service banking every day of the week. And for a little

extra convenience we’re happy to throw in:

• FREE Checking with Overdraft Courtesy®*

• FREE Bank Online• FREE** Online Bill Pay• 23 Area Branches with 14 Seven Day Locations• Student Loans (800-562-6408)

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** Up to 15 items per month, $0.50 each thereafter.Lender code: 820718

&RTSNTERTAINMENT

Editor’s Pick: Must-read book

Club ’02, a committee of the

University Program Board (UPB),

brought comedian Tess Drake to The

University of Texas-Pan American

Sept. 7 for an evening filled with lots

of laughter.

Buzz had spread of Drake’s per-

formance, as students recalled seeing

her on shows such as “Last Comic

Standing” and “Comedy Central

Presents: Tess.”

Born and raised in Sandusky,

Ohio, Drake was the youngest of four

children. Drawing inspiration from the

talents of Jerry Lewis, Drake fell in

love with comedy during her high

school years. After a short marriage,

the aspiring comedienne began her

career performing on such hit pro-

grams as “The Jamie Foxx Show,” and

“Def Comedy Jam.”

Drake showed a little confusion

before starting her UTPA act, as she

told the audience she was unsure of

how graphic her material could be

since she wasn’t told before the show.

Little did the audience know she would

hold nothing back.

Her act was vulgar but still had a

positive message, with topics such as

abstinence, birth control, school and

more. She spoke of her personal life

and experiences, all while making the

audience laugh, uncontrollably at

times.

“I thought it was great…I had

heard of her before and saw her on

‘Last Comic Standing’ and I thought

she was really funny then too,” said

Victoria Garcia, a freshman theater

major.

Her stand-up act was not solely

based on herself. She incorporated

audience feedback by being extremely

interactive with the crowd, asking

questions about the campus, the Valley

and even getting a little personal with

certain individuals.

After the show, Drake stayed

around to sign autographs and take pic-

tures with students. She spoke with

many and offered advice to anyone try-

ing to follow a similar career path. She

said God was first and foremost and

that it all doesn’t come at an easy price.

“You have to remember that there

isn’t a lot of money at first. It’s just the

love of the craft,” Drake said. “You

have to practice and get yourself out

there and forget about needing an agent

or manager because when it’s time,

they’ll come to you.”

For the UPB, the show was a suc-

cess, breaking the attendance record

for a comedy event. While not a full

house, the audience turnout was still

good.

“We’ve never had that many

[people] for a comedy show,” said

Peter Ehimika, the Club ’02 comedy

committee chair. “There were 232

people.”

Ehimika says that Drake was cho-

sen by last year’s committee. Members

had seen her perform at the National

Association of Campus Events

(NACA) and booked her then. As for

this year, another comedian could be

heading this way in the near future.

“There will probably be another

comedian this semester. We just

haven’t booked it yet,” Ehimika said.

For more information on this or

any other upcoming UPB events,

please call the UPB office at (956)

316-7991.

Drake’s UTPA visit draws record-breaking crowdBy TREY SERNAThe Pan American

‘Hollywoodland’ exposes dark side of tinsel town

George Reeves is fondly remem-

bered by many as the original “man of

steel” from the hit 1950s television

series “The Adventures of Superman.”

But to some he is a conflicted individual

who struggled to find happiness both

professionally and personally. The new

film “Hollywoodland” delves into the

life of the troubled actor and succeeds in

taking things a step further.

The film begins at a house in the

Hollywood hills (introduced through a

rather impressive aerial shot) with

police officers examining the body of

actor Reeves (Ben Affleck) who died of

a gunshot wound to the head in his

upstairs bedroom. While many believe

his death to be suicide, down-and-out

private investigator Louis Simo (Adrien

Brody) believes otherwise, and decides

to conduct his own investigation to

uncover the truth.

Along the way Simo traces

Reeves’ longtime relationship with Toni

Mannix (Diane Lane,) a rich Hollywood

wife whose husband Eddie Mannix

(Bob Hoskins) happens to be the gener-

al manager of powerhouse studio MGM.

Simo also examines the volatile, yet

passionate relationship Reeves had with

his money-hungry fiancée, as well as the

actor’s own spiral into depression. With

an assortment of suspects and scenarios,

Simo tries to deduce what really hap-

pened in Reeves’ bedroom that night.

Although “Hollywoodland” scores

in every department, the film’s biggest

asset lies in the performances given by

its actors. Brody, who always delivers

solid performances, plays Simo in a par-

ticular way that on the surface he

appears as a typical hard-boiled detec-

tive, but with a vulnerable and humanis-

tic quality lurking underneath.

Meanwhile Lane has finally been

given a part that she can sink her teeth

into, which she does with much gusto

and energy, even going as far as to

change her voice for an unforgettable

role.

Likewise Hoskins’ movie exec is

just as meaty. Rather than ham it up,

Hoskins instead wisely chooses to make

the role his own, reminding the audi-

ences of his dependability as a good

actor.

However it is Affleck who has the

most challenging, not to mention most

demanding role in “Hollywoodland,”

and in turn, he gives the best perform-

ance of the group. As Reeves, Affleck

shows a side of himself not seen in his

more commercial ventures. with a per-

formance that boasts both range and

depth.

It should be noted that the events

depicted in the film are true but that the

possible theories concerning Reeves’s

deaths are merely suppositions. That

being said, one of the film’s attributes is

the fact that that “Hollywoodland” is

constructed more like an old-fashioned

film noir concocted by Raymond

Chandler as opposed to an actual crime

story This is done while still keeping

true to the events that transpired at

the time.

Another one of the film’s strong

points comes in the form of pacing and

more specifically, transitions between

the present day and the past. The film

opens in present day and continuously

alternates between the two, allowing the

detective and the audiences to put

together the puzzle at the same time as

the pieces become available

When “Hollywoodland” first went

into production, it went by the working

name “Truth, Justice and the American

Way.” It wasn’t until a few months prior

to release that the film was given its cur-

rent title. Many were perplexed by the

change and wondered why a picture

about the life of George Reeves would

be branded with such a clichéd name.

After one watches the film, the mystery

is gone.

Yes, the film is about the career of

George Reeves and the circumstances

surrounding his mysterious death; how-

ever to say that is all there is to the film

would be doing “Hollywoodland” an

injustice.

It is also an excellent expose on the

dark side of tinseltown. There are a vari-

ety of instances where the illusion of the

fantasy world known as Hollywood is

shattered, seen in the sequences involving

Reeves’career. From its wealthy and pow-

erful upper class to its seedy underbelly

(including an unnecessary, yet semi-inter-

esting sub-plot involving a pair of cheat-

ing spouses) and everything in between,

“Hollywoodland” succeeds in deglamour-

izing the glamorous.

By FRANK CALVILLOThe Pan American

“Rise and Shine,”the new novel by

Pulitzer Prize-winnerAnna Quindlen

BRING ON THE LAUGHS - Famed comedian Tess Drake brought some much-needed comic relief to students when sheperformed her act at UTPA last Thursday.

E A

SECRETS AND LIES - Louis Simo(Adrien Brody) searches to uncover thetruth in “Hollywoodland.”

Trey Serna/The Pan American

September 14, 2006 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 9Page 8 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT September 14, 2006

BY:BRIAN CARR

arlier this month a woman posing as apromoter in Hardeeville, S. C. scammedthousands of dollars from Daddy Yankeefans who were expecting to attend a con-cert given by the reggaeton star – DaddyYankee never showed up.

In the same week a Bergen County,N.J. concert venue was fooled in a similaryet separate heist, when their promoterpaid a false booking agency $100,000 for

Daddy Yankee to perform – the agency was in no way affili-ated with the musician.

According to that area’s local prosecutor, JohnMolinelli, there are three allegations of similar scams relatedto fake Daddy Yankee shows, each presumably perpetratedby the same individual. Molinelli has issued a warrant for thesuspect, but according to a spokesperson from his office theperson in question is believed to be hiding out in theDominican Republic.

Even as unbelievable as these presently perfect crimesappear, the demand for a Daddy Yankee performance is twiceas shocking.

The poster child of a music that was obscure a few yearsago, Daddy Yankee is a Puerto Rican musician who becamefamous with his hit song “Gasolina,” an adrenaline drivenreggeaton insta-classic that relies heavily on traditionalreggeaton beats. The song as well as the album it appearedon, “Barrio Fino,” launched Yankee into the MTV limelight,and pulled reggaeton into the commercial world.

Perhaps even more amazing than the recent reggaetonfrenzy is that “Gasolina,” Daddy Yankee and anyone whopledges allegiance to the reggaeton genre owe their success-es to a single beat, from a throw-away song, on a laughablealbum, recorded by a forgotten star.

Shabba Ranks was the first dancehall artist to garner aGrammy when he won the award for “Raw as Ever” in 1992.Prior to that his career had been jam packed with sexuallymotivated dancehall records that included “Flesh Axe,”“Hard and Stiff,” “Muscle Grip” and “Love Punany Bad.”

He even recorded the original version of “Mr. LoverMan” that would later be sampled for the Shaggy classic“Mr. Lover,” and the Jamaican toaster is widely consideredto be the precursor to that artist as well as Sean Paul.

Ranks got his start in Bob Marley’s hometown ofTrenchtown, Jamaica, spitting lyrics for legendary DJs JoseyWales and Yellowman. But it was his 1989signing with Digital B, a recordlabel owned and operat-ed by famed

dancehall producer Bobby “Digital” Dixon, that served as thefated union that would lead to the birth of reggaeton.

Together the two recorded a track in 1991 titled “DemBow,” which appeared on the album “Just Reality.”

The beat of that song, an infectious yet repetitiveone-four toe-tapper, is the basis of reggaeton. All songs thatfit into the genre are modeled around that track. The songs’title is the namesake of reggaeton’s beat – Dem Bow.

But it was probably El General’s Spanish-language coverof “Dem Bow,” titled “Son Bow” and produced that sameyear, which introduced the style to the Latin world.

Since then the song has become a reggaeton standardwith artists like Romeo, Berny Man, Melson & Joelo, andWisin & Yandel releasing their own versions of the now infa-mous song.

Though Shabba Ranks, Bobby “Digital” Dixon and ElGeneral were instrumental in the foundation of reggaeton,none were considered reggaeton artists. Shabba Ranks andBobby Dixon were dancehall. El General was reggae.

It is assumed that Jamaicans who worked on the con-struction of the Panama Canal brought reggae with them andintroduced the genre to the Central American culture in the1970s. This was the start of Spanish lyrics on top of dancehallbeats.

But the term reggaeton probably came out of Puerto Ricoin the mid 1990s, and the area is largely responsible for pro-ducing the most popular reggaeton acts of the day.Reggaeton’s two biggest stars, Daddy Yankee and Don Omar,both hail from the Carribean island nation. And their collec-tive productions have launched the genre into the main-stream.

According to Sean Ross, vice president of music and pro-gramming for Eddison Media research, reggeaton was the“most exciting new genre of music radio in 2005.”

Ross went on to say, in a statement on the Eddison MediaWeb site, that the recent reggaeton phenomenon is the “onlysignificant [music] based on a new body of music rather thana new way to program old music.”

But there are several outside influences that drive thesuccess of reggaeton. Latinos became the nation’s largestminority in 2001 and some suggest the recent squabble overthe immigration issue has had a unifying effect on LatinAmerican consumers.

Wild 104 disc jockey and on-air personality Johnny-Ohas a simple explanation for reggaeton’s recent popularity.

“Reggaeton’s gotten strong in the past couple of years,”Johnny-O said. “Hip hop artists incorporated Latin beats,sound and rhythms into music giving it that Spanish flavor,

and Spanish rhymes. Younger kids like 12- and 13-year-olds and even older peo-

ple like up to 32 to 34 enjoy hip hop, but they also want thatSpanish feel.”

Atlantic Records recording artist Fat Joe, though not cat-egorically reggaeton, has played a huge part in the popular-ization of hip-hop’s Latin counterpart. His appearance on the2004 N.O.R.E. track “Oye Mi Canto” lent rap credibility tothe budding industry.

MTV, reeling from terrorism fears in post 9/11 America,used the recent Latin explosion as an excuse to relocate theirVideo Music Award ceremonies to Miami from New York in2005, where Don Omar, Daddy Yankee and Tego Calderonall performed live.

The recent attention has peaked awareness in the music,both at radio stations and record stores across the nation.

In the Rio Grande Valley, where Spanish-speaking peo-ple are in the majority, reggaeton has become prominent interms of radio requests.

According to Johnny-O, the majority of callers ask tohear reggaeton songs. And the upcoming Don Omar show, atDodge Arena Nov. 3, has further motivated callers. The con-cert will be the first stop for the King of Kings tour, which isaptly titled after Don Omar’s 2006 LP of the same name. Theconcert has been aggressively promoted by Wild 104, whichalso promotes an all-reggaeton night every Friday atMetropolis, located at 2021 Orchid Ave. in McAllen.

Johnny-O said the King of Kings tour will be a stageproduction that deviates from the typical dance-party drivenconcerts associated with reggaeton. In a promotional posterfor the event Don Omar is seen clutching a scimitar andstanding over the ruins of a city. The concert is packaged asa three-act musical, and is supposedly drenched in drama.

“From what we get, the Don Omar production will havelike 75 actors,” Johnny-O said. “It will be like a theatre per-formance, with everything having to do with staging.”

The departure from typical reggaeton performance par-allels the efforts of Don Omar, who all but abandoned tradi-tional “Dem Bow” beats on his latest release. Currently“King of Kings” sits at the top of the Latin charts as report-ed by Billboard. And it is safe to assume that the fate of themusic is dependent upon the reception of slight variations ontraditional beats by the new genre.

The blues, punk rock and even rap started as pure, sim-ple and heavily structured forms of music. Artists’ ability toreinvent those forms, as well as consumers’ willingness toappreciate the creativity, has kept those genres alive andthriving in the music industry.

Ironically the future of reggaeton will be the death of“Dem Bow” in some way, shape or form.

DESIGN BY:ROY BAZAN

September 14, 2006 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 9Page 8 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT September 14, 2006

BY:BRIAN CARR

arlier this month a woman posing as apromoter in Hardeeville, S. C. scammedthousands of dollars from Daddy Yankeefans who were expecting to attend a con-cert given by the reggaeton star – DaddyYankee never showed up.

In the same week a Bergen County,N.J. concert venue was fooled in a similaryet separate heist, when their promoterpaid a false booking agency $100,000 for

Daddy Yankee to perform – the agency was in no way affili-ated with the musician.

According to that area’s local prosecutor, JohnMolinelli, there are three allegations of similar scams relatedto fake Daddy Yankee shows, each presumably perpetratedby the same individual. Molinelli has issued a warrant for thesuspect, but according to a spokesperson from his office theperson in question is believed to be hiding out in theDominican Republic.

Even as unbelievable as these presently perfect crimesappear, the demand for a Daddy Yankee performance is twiceas shocking.

The poster child of a music that was obscure a few yearsago, Daddy Yankee is a Puerto Rican musician who becamefamous with his hit song “Gasolina,” an adrenaline drivenreggeaton insta-classic that relies heavily on traditionalreggeaton beats. The song as well as the album it appearedon, “Barrio Fino,” launched Yankee into the MTV limelight,and pulled reggaeton into the commercial world.

Perhaps even more amazing than the recent reggaetonfrenzy is that “Gasolina,” Daddy Yankee and anyone whopledges allegiance to the reggaeton genre owe their success-es to a single beat, from a throw-away song, on a laughablealbum, recorded by a forgotten star.

Shabba Ranks was the first dancehall artist to garner aGrammy when he won the award for “Raw as Ever” in 1992.Prior to that his career had been jam packed with sexuallymotivated dancehall records that included “Flesh Axe,”“Hard and Stiff,” “Muscle Grip” and “Love Punany Bad.”

He even recorded the original version of “Mr. LoverMan” that would later be sampled for the Shaggy classic“Mr. Lover,” and the Jamaican toaster is widely consideredto be the precursor to that artist as well as Sean Paul.

Ranks got his start in Bob Marley’s hometown ofTrenchtown, Jamaica, spitting lyrics for legendary DJs JoseyWales and Yellowman. But it was his 1989signing with Digital B, a recordlabel owned and operat-ed by famed

dancehall producer Bobby “Digital” Dixon, that served as thefated union that would lead to the birth of reggaeton.

Together the two recorded a track in 1991 titled “DemBow,” which appeared on the album “Just Reality.”

The beat of that song, an infectious yet repetitiveone-four toe-tapper, is the basis of reggaeton. All songs thatfit into the genre are modeled around that track. The songs’title is the namesake of reggaeton’s beat – Dem Bow.

But it was probably El General’s Spanish-language coverof “Dem Bow,” titled “Son Bow” and produced that sameyear, which introduced the style to the Latin world.

Since then the song has become a reggaeton standardwith artists like Romeo, Berny Man, Melson & Joelo, andWisin & Yandel releasing their own versions of the now infa-mous song.

Though Shabba Ranks, Bobby “Digital” Dixon and ElGeneral were instrumental in the foundation of reggaeton,none were considered reggaeton artists. Shabba Ranks andBobby Dixon were dancehall. El General was reggae.

It is assumed that Jamaicans who worked on the con-struction of the Panama Canal brought reggae with them andintroduced the genre to the Central American culture in the1970s. This was the start of Spanish lyrics on top of dancehallbeats.

But the term reggaeton probably came out of Puerto Ricoin the mid 1990s, and the area is largely responsible for pro-ducing the most popular reggaeton acts of the day.Reggaeton’s two biggest stars, Daddy Yankee and Don Omar,both hail from the Carribean island nation. And their collec-tive productions have launched the genre into the main-stream.

According to Sean Ross, vice president of music and pro-gramming for Eddison Media research, reggeaton was the“most exciting new genre of music radio in 2005.”

Ross went on to say, in a statement on the Eddison MediaWeb site, that the recent reggaeton phenomenon is the “onlysignificant [music] based on a new body of music rather thana new way to program old music.”

But there are several outside influences that drive thesuccess of reggaeton. Latinos became the nation’s largestminority in 2001 and some suggest the recent squabble overthe immigration issue has had a unifying effect on LatinAmerican consumers.

Wild 104 disc jockey and on-air personality Johnny-Ohas a simple explanation for reggaeton’s recent popularity.

“Reggaeton’s gotten strong in the past couple of years,”Johnny-O said. “Hip hop artists incorporated Latin beats,sound and rhythms into music giving it that Spanish flavor,

and Spanish rhymes. Younger kids like 12- and 13-year-olds and even older peo-

ple like up to 32 to 34 enjoy hip hop, but they also want thatSpanish feel.”

Atlantic Records recording artist Fat Joe, though not cat-egorically reggaeton, has played a huge part in the popular-ization of hip-hop’s Latin counterpart. His appearance on the2004 N.O.R.E. track “Oye Mi Canto” lent rap credibility tothe budding industry.

MTV, reeling from terrorism fears in post 9/11 America,used the recent Latin explosion as an excuse to relocate theirVideo Music Award ceremonies to Miami from New York in2005, where Don Omar, Daddy Yankee and Tego Calderonall performed live.

The recent attention has peaked awareness in the music,both at radio stations and record stores across the nation.

In the Rio Grande Valley, where Spanish-speaking peo-ple are in the majority, reggaeton has become prominent interms of radio requests.

According to Johnny-O, the majority of callers ask tohear reggaeton songs. And the upcoming Don Omar show, atDodge Arena Nov. 3, has further motivated callers. The con-cert will be the first stop for the King of Kings tour, which isaptly titled after Don Omar’s 2006 LP of the same name. Theconcert has been aggressively promoted by Wild 104, whichalso promotes an all-reggaeton night every Friday atMetropolis, located at 2021 Orchid Ave. in McAllen.

Johnny-O said the King of Kings tour will be a stageproduction that deviates from the typical dance-party drivenconcerts associated with reggaeton. In a promotional posterfor the event Don Omar is seen clutching a scimitar andstanding over the ruins of a city. The concert is packaged asa three-act musical, and is supposedly drenched in drama.

“From what we get, the Don Omar production will havelike 75 actors,” Johnny-O said. “It will be like a theatre per-formance, with everything having to do with staging.”

The departure from typical reggaeton performance par-allels the efforts of Don Omar, who all but abandoned tradi-tional “Dem Bow” beats on his latest release. Currently“King of Kings” sits at the top of the Latin charts as report-ed by Billboard. And it is safe to assume that the fate of themusic is dependent upon the reception of slight variations ontraditional beats by the new genre.

The blues, punk rock and even rap started as pure, sim-ple and heavily structured forms of music. Artists’ ability toreinvent those forms, as well as consumers’ willingness toappreciate the creativity, has kept those genres alive andthriving in the music industry.

Ironically the future of reggaeton will be the death of“Dem Bow” in some way, shape or form.

DESIGN BY:ROY BAZAN

Page 10 A & E September 14, 2006

university officials want to reorganize

the current layout of the building,

enlarge several classrooms and improve

the air-conditioning system. There are

also many relics from the past, like

outdated infrastructure. Since in the past

there were more males than females in

the College of Business Administration,

the building design included more men’s

restroom space.

Emery added that one of the large

centerpieces he would like to have in the

new building is specialized classrooms,

which promote more communication

through better acoustics.

“A class that would have 40 to 45

students might feel like it had only 15 in

it. I think it would make for a better

learning environment,” Emery said.

Unfortunately, work has not been

able to begin because of still pending

funding from the state legislature.

However, Emery thinks the added time

will help in planning for the new building.

“I would rather do it slowly with as

little disruption, because it would be in

the best interest of our students or our

longer term goals,” he said.

The Fine Arts Events Center, which

has already been approved by the state,

is also experiencing a delay due to

funding, but excitement over what it

might hold has already begun. Current

productions normally take place in

Jeffers Theatre or University Theatre.

Jack Stanley, a professor in the

communication department, said the

new center may allow for a wider variety

of productions to be showcased.

“University Theatre has been a nice

size for what it is, but there are some

plays that we would love to do that you

can not do in that format,” Stanley said.

Stanley also said the current Fine

Arts Auditorium is occasionally used,

but due to the length of time needed for

a production, use of the building is not

very practical.

“To block off six weeks at the Fine

Arts, cuts out the symphony, the chorus,

and the dance department,” he said. “A lot

of other people that need to use it as well.”

Christopher Munn, music professor

and director of the University Choir, said

while the new Fine Arts Center will

undoubtedly have benefits, he is cautious

about what is still in the planning process.

He added that the most important idea to

keep in mind is the improvement of a

strong academic program.

“Our building is so dilapidated right

now, probably any new building will be

better than what we have,” Munn said.

Munn said he would like a new

facility in which the university would be

able to attract local high school students

to UTPA.

University officials will be visiting

several campuses this weekend to

review similar facilities and using those

ideas to begin planning UTPA’s Fine

Arts Events Center.

president for business affairs, said that

comfort is relative and the university

cannot meet everyone’s requests.

“With the issue of comfort and

energy savings, how can we

accommodate the comfort of the vast

majority of the students, faculty and staff

given the impossibility of being able to

accommodate every last person’s

comfort level?” Gonzalez said.

Ortega added that the plant was

aware that the buildings are cold, but

said it’s hard to find a happy medium.

“We have found that while one

person may feel cold, the person next to

him will complain that it is too hot,” he

said.

Nancy Flores, a senior criminal

justice major, feels it’s the university’s

responsibility to meet the students’

needs. She noted that because the

buildings are uncomfortably cold, her

experience in class is affected.

“I get very sleepy in class and can’t

concentrate because some rooms are

kept needlessly cold,” said Flores.

“Screw energy; I would rather be

comfortable, and the buildings are too

cold for that to be possible.”

The university has to manage its

resources and find out what is best for its

students, said Gonzalez.

“What students need to realize is

that there is a payback on these energy-

saving initiatives,” he said. “We could

enhance our utility systems or we could

spend a little more in scholarships or

assistantships for graduate students.”

The situation calls for a priority

check as university officials must

decide what is best for the university.

Yet, students like Flores feel their

needs as paying customers are being

neglected.

“The university is a business and in

order for it to be successful, it needs to

keep its customers happy,” Flores said.

“I am a paying customer, but I’m not

happy.”

The cooling plant staff is currently

trying to find a proper operating balance

and is working hard to ensure that

students receive the best education

possible, said Ortega.

“My suggestion to students is to

please bear with us as we are sincerely

trying to improve our service,” he

concluded.

investigation.

Sen. John Whitmire, chairman of

the Criminal Justice Commission, was

appalled at the conditions of the guards’

training programs, and what he

described as its failure to follow Texas

Department of Corrections policies.

“You cannot tell if someone is able

to be a corrections officer after only two

weeks of training,” Whitmire said.

While this is ERJJC’s first formal

investigation, the U.S. Department of

Justice (DOJ) can decide to pursue more

investigations in the future. In addition,

the DOJ has given the governor’s office

notice of an impending federal inquiry

into Evins’ practices.

However, Tim Savoy, public

information officer for TYC, said the

investigation currently under way is “not

due to any specific allegations or

improprieties.”

“But we will be examining the

abuse of any civil rights, confinement

and things of that nature,” Savoy added.

The justice center made headlines

in November 2004, when a riot occured.

That disturbance resulted in a $4.5

million federal lawsuit filed on behalf of

three mothers who say their children

were assaulted by guards.

However, Savoy said the riot was

“handled well. It was incidents

involving campus security guards and

special methods that were put in place

afterward that led to a bigger problem.”

DEVELOPING PROBLEM?Statistics from TYC show that

possible abuse situations have risen

steadily from 1999 to 2005. Last year,

there were 19 reports of incidents

involving guards and inmates that

required disciplinary action, according

to Savoy.

“Not all the reports were proven

true, but four juvenile correction officers

were fired and one was given a letter of

condemnation,” he said.

Ninety-seven percent of juvenile

criminals go through the county court

systems, according to Savoy. However,

he said Evins is given the top three

percent of juvenile criminals.

“This is incredibly costly, not only

to taxpayers and correctional facilities,

but to the victims of the crimes these

youths will go on to commit,” said

Savoy.

The DOJ made their visit to Evins

on Tuesday. Kristin Maldonado, a

sophomore biology major at The

University of Texas-Pan American, says

it’s about time.

“The government has been given

way too much authority over our prison

systems lately,” she said. “They should

at least make these correction systems

and their procedures more transparent.”

Prior to the visit, Savoy said Evins

was not worried.

“They bring experience; these are

federal correctional employees who see a

variety of types of facilities and

programs,” he said. “We would like the

sharing of information to find out what

they think or have seen that works and

what doesn’t.”

September 14, 2006 NEWS Page 11

TEMPERATURE continued from page 1 EVINS continued from page 1

CONSTRUCTION continued from page 1

ENROLLMENT continued from page 1

I don’t see all of the people who used to

be in that program with me,” said

Agustin Ramos, a freshman bilingual

studies major from Mercedes, “I

expected for more of us to be here.”

Although there was not a dramatic

increase in overall enrollment at the

university, UTPA’s freshman retention

rate is “commendable” according to

McMillian, as it increased 10.4 percent

from 2000.

“The increase is a phenomenal

achievement in terms of higher

education,” said McMillan. “Most

schools would probably be happy to

raise their retention rate by one percent

a year; we doubled that.”

UTPA shows an increase in

entering freshman rates as well. In the

Fall ‘05 semester there were 2,443

entering freshman, while this year there

are a total of 2,851; that is an increase of

16.7 percent.

“I came to [UTPA] because it

seemed to be a good environment and it

is,” said Stephanie Salinas, a freshman

psychology major from Pharr. “I am

definitely staying here for my degree.”

Fall transfer rates also showed an

increase. In last year’s fall semester

there were 746 transfer students; this

year there are 801. That is an increase of

7.37 percent.

McMillian said UTPA has done its

best to achieve these numbers.

“We just have to continue to work

very hard to make enrollment happen.

We need top notch students and are

raising the standards,” said McMillan,

“It is difficult to raise the bar and still

maintain or increase the number of

students.”

best quality food at an affordable price.

“We are working with a variety of

foods we can prepare and do well with,”

Smith said. “We are doing everything we

can to get the students served fast and

fresh.”

As a result, students now have an

assortment of low-cost foods to choose

from daily.

“I enjoy eating at the Student

Union because it’s cheap and conven-

ient,” said Roy Rodriguez, a freshman

art major. “If the food keeps getting bet-

ter and they give us more options, then I

will definitely continue to eat here.”

The Student Union offers different

types of soup, salad, sub, or wrap,

depending on what day of the week it is,

starting at $4.50.

However, some students were dis-

appointed because of the loss of some of

their favorite foods.

“I used to like the BBQ,” said

Sabrina Garza, a senior graphic design

major. “But because I eat here a lot, I

like the changes. There’s more of a vari-

ety of foods and I can eat something dif-

ferent everyday.”

Overall, students say the changes

are a good step toward accommodating a

health-conscious student population.

“It offers students who are con-

cerned with being healthier an option

that was not there before,” said Tony

Matamoros, a junior political science

major. “It’s nice to know we’re taking

steps to be a healthier community.”

NICOTINE continued from page 3

Page 12 NEWS September 14, 2006

puting the study, included the following

account: “Indeed, in 1967 when the

FTC announced the completion of its

trial tests of the current method, it stat-

ed that ‘no test can precisely duplicate

conditions of actual human smok-

ing…’”

The company added that year-to-

year variations in tar and nicotine occur

as part of the normal process of grow-

ing tobacco and manufacturing ciga-

rettes.

Reynolds American, manufacturer

of Kools and Camels, has thus far dis-

closed no comment on the study.

Dora Del Toro, regional coordina-

tor of Tobacco Prevention and Control,

housed under the Department of State

Health Services, believes that while it is

difficult to say why nicotine levels are

rising, added nicotine will certainly

make it more challenging for smokers

to quit.

“It takes an average of five to

seven times for a person to try to quit

before they finally do,” she said. “I can

only imagine that adding more nicotine

will increase that number and make it

very tough to quit cold turkey.”

Del Toro thinks that this will also

make it easier for new smokers to get

addicted.

According to the Behavior Risk

Factor Surveillance System, Del Toro

said, approximately 20.5 percent of the

Texan population smokes. Annually,

24,899 people die from tobacco use, the

number one preventable cause of death

in the state. Nationally, this number is

440,000, yielding an estimated 1,200

daily deaths.

In Hidalgo County, 17.3 percent of

the adult population smokes. Female

smokers make up roughly one third of

the county’s smoking population.

Patricia Koo, a physician assistant

at Student Health Services, agrees that

the worst effect of adding more nicotine

to cigarettes is a more severe addiction.

“I would like to think that tobacco

companies are not doing this intentional-

ly…it would not be a very humanistic

approach, and honestly it wouldn’t be very

smart,” she said. “Something like that

would eventually harm the company.”

However, Christopher Dungan, a

freshman psychology student who

smokes three packs a week, said he

thinks the increased levels will have no

effect on the level of addiction.

“[Raising nicotine levels] won’t

really do much, because smoking is

more social and psychological than

physical,” Dungan said, adding he

believes this to be true since it’s easier

for him to cut back when he isn’t

around his smoker friends.

Current smokers, however, say

they just wish the tobacco companies

were more honest with them. Tiffany

Saxton, a freshman anthropology stu-

dent who goes through a pack every

couple of days, said she is bothered by

tobacco companies raising nicotine lev-

els because they are not being straight-

forward about product modification.

“If tobacco companies told the

public about what they’re doing to their

cigarettes, I would smoke anyway,” she

said “But I think they should have a

more honest policy.”

She said studies don’t make her

want to quit more than she already does,

but it puts quitting into perspective.

Jesse Rodriguez, a senior English

major, believes that although the find-

ing makes him second-guess lighting

up, he probably won’t be quitting any

time soon.

“Tobacco companies are obvious-

ly doing this on purpose, probably to

win clientele back because so many

anti-smoking campaigns have been

launched recently,” he said. “But I don’t

think that adding more nicotine to their

product is really going to encourage

new smokers or anything. A person’s

character has a lot to do with whether or

not they want to smoke.”

Rodriguez feels that rather than

boosting sales, increasing nicotine lev-

els will probably make people want to

smoke even less due to negative media

coverage.

EATING RIGHT - Orlando Hinojosa, a senior business major, orders from thenew and improved menu at the Student Union.

Onydia Garza/The Pan American

Specifically, they have enlisted the help

of propane cannons, whose cylinder-

shaped chambers make a loud noise

when ignited.

“Other institutions have used it in

the past. UT-Austin used it back in 1992

and a lot of farmers do it too,” he said.

The physical plant is focusing

efforts on clearing the walkways around

the Engineering Building, as it is histor-

ically the hardest hit area.

However, with the cannons being

ignited between 6:45 a.m and 7 a.m. and

between 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. every 25

seconds, some classes and sleeping

dorm residents will likely be disturbed.

Quique Montemayor, a sophomore

undeclared major, said he first heard the

blasts on Sept. 11 while at the tennis

courts. While he says it didn’t disturb

him at the time, he said it is likely oth-

ers will find them inconvenient.

“If they find out that it is bothering

some students and they have other

options they should do them,” he said.

While other options are present,

Ostello said they are not fool proof.

Overall, he said while some may be dis-

turbed, it is a worthwhile tradeoff.

“We had one student complain

because it interrupted their studying,

but we hope they’ll bear with us,” he

said. “You can move and go study

somewhere else, but it’s difficult to go

somewhere in that area of campus

where a bird is not going to poop on

your head.”

The birds are expected to flock for

five months but the university is hoping

they will not have to do it the entire

time. So far, plans are to continue the

tactics intensely through the Hispanic

Engineering, Science and Technology

Education week to ensure no bird prob-

lems arise during the event.

If problems persist, the scare tac-

tics will have to take place on a routine

basis for the next six months, according

to Ostello, who mentioned they are cur-

rently exploring options for more per-

manent solutions.

Montemayor said he sees the

bright side of the possibly inconvenient

situation.

“I have 7:45 a.m. classes so it’s

hard to get up for them,” he said. “At

least [the early-morning blasts] are

something you can’t snooze.”

BIRDS continued from page 3LUNCH continued from page 3

HESTEC continued from page 3in the country, you’re competing with a

lot of students from Ivy League

Schools,” Villarreal said. “But during

HESTEC, they come here because they

want to recruit Hispanic students to their

company.”

This year, HESTEC will be taking

place Sept. 24 through Oct. 1. Although

not all University of Texas-Pan

American students will be volunteers at

the event, they can still meet leaders

from some of the nation’s largest compa-

nies just by attending.

“We can’t take all our students

when we go and visit Boeing, when we

go and visit Ford, when we go and visit

Texas Instruments. There’s just no way,”

said Yvette Padilla, HESTEC program

coordinator. “But by bringing the com-

panies down here, we’re able to show-

case the students.”

HESTEC, now in its fifth year, is

geared toward increasing student and

community interest in the science and

engineering fields. However, the event

has expanded to include other fields as

well. For instance, the event’s career

expo has opportunities for all.

“It’s not just for engineering stu-

dents,” said Sandra Quintanilla, director

of University Relations. “We’re having

all types of businesses represented there.

Even freshmen can take advantage of it.”

In fact, HESTEC coordinators

stress the importance of students attend-

ing all four years during their college

careers. According to Gilbert

Maldonado, director of corporate rela-

tions, recruiters remember students who

show up year after year to talk to them.

“Be very confident of yourself and

the education that you’re getting at

UTPA,” Maldonado said. “Don’t be

afraid of saying, ‘Choose me. This is

who I am and this is what I can do.’”

In addition to providing good net-

working opportunities, HESTEC helps

students by providing scholarship funds

through corporate donations.

“Corporate people donate money

throughout the week. Once we pay all

the expenses, then the rest goes into the

scholarships,” Quintanilla said. “Every

single penny goes to the University

Scholars program.”

According to Sylvia Aldape, asso-

ciate executive director for UTPA’s

Center for Entrepreneurship and

Economic Development, in addition to

corporate donations the university

applies for grants to help foot the tab.

“We submit grant proposals to gov-

ernment agencies like NASA,” Aldape

said. “We also collect registration fees

for some of the events held during the

week as well as exhibitor fees for the

Career Expo and Community Day.”

To date, HESTEC has generated a

total of nearly $1.3 million for scholar-

ships.

September 14, 2006 SPORTS Page 13

SPORTSCLIPBOARD

FOR THE RECORD

UTPA SPORTSVolleyball

Winner is in boldface

UTPA vs Univ. of Portland (Sept. 9 in Portland, Ore.)

GAME SCORES 1 2 3 4 TEAM RECORDS

Texas-Pan American 21 30 12 21 2-8Univ. of Portland 30 27 30 30 5-4

UTPA vs High Point (Sept. 9 in Portland, Ore.)

GAME SCORES 1 2 3 4 5 TEAM RECORDS

Texas-Pan American 22 30 26 30 15 2-7High Point 30 28 30 14 11 1-6

Cornell vs UTPA (Sept. 8 in Portland, Ore.)

GAME SCORES 1 2 3 4 5 TEAM RECORDS

Cornell 28 29 30 30 15 2-0Texas-Pan American 30 31 25 19 10 1-7



American men’s Soccer Club kicked off

the season last weekend playing at home

and in San Antonio. The first game was

held on Saturday with the Broncs playing

Texas A&M University-Kingsville. The

Broncs came away with the win 1-0.

“I thought we dominated against

Kingsville but should have scored more

goals with all the opportunities given,”

commented junior midfielder Victor

Gutierrez.

Gutierrez joined the Bronc Soccer

Club after playing on an intramural team

last year and is enjoying it. The fans also

got a kick out of the start of the club team’s

second season.

“They did great,” exclaimed Laura

Pedrazaz, a sophomore at UTPA and

Soccer Club rooter, “Kingsville didn’t even

come close to scoring a goal.”

The Broncs then headed to San

Antonio to face San Antonio College only

to show up to an empty field. They took a

win to run to 2-0, as SAC forfeited the

game.

In their second year, the club is off to

a good start and members are looking to

have a great season after last year’s prom-

ising beginning.

“Considering all the teams are the

same and we keep playing like we did this

past weekend, I hope we get back to the

state tournament,” Gutierrez said.

It will be a difficult road for the

Broncs because they are up against some

stiff competition, especially The University

of Texas-San Antonio, who replaced

University of Houston in the division.

“Last year we had two tough games

against UTSA that we came up short on, 2-

1 each time, so I expect them to be our

toughest competition,” said Gutierrez.

With the soccer club season under-

way, the team and fans hope to see great

things come from them, and also to focus

more attention on soccer at the university.

UTPA had a team for years but it bit the

dust in the late 1990s. In an area that is hot

for the game, the efforts of the team could

eventually cause the university to reinstate

the sport on the intercollegiate level.

“I think it will attract attention from a

different type of people,” commented

Gutierrez. “We had some new talent come in

fresh from the high schools this season dur-

ing tryouts so hopefully it becomes more

widespread and becomes a varsity sport.”

The next action for the men comes

Sept. 16 against UTSA on the road, while

the women get their season started with

games Sept. 16 at Rice and Sept. 17 at the

UTPA intramural field against Sam

Houston State at 1 p.m.

Men’s Golf

Final Results from Hawks InvitationalSept. 8-9 in Boston, Mass.

1. Campbell Univ. (856)2. Univ. of San Francisco (860)3. Johnson and Wales (875)4. UTPA (876)5. Univ. of Hartford (886)6. Villanova Univ. (892)7. Laval Univ. (896)8. Univ. of Connecticut (904)9. Seton Hall Univ. (922)10. Hartford (924)11. Quinnipiac Univ. (941)

Individual Results

2. Armen Kirakossian (210)16. Kyle Tudi (222)T-20. High Wongchindawest (223)T-31. Shane Pearce (226)T-33. Colin Norris (227)

ON THE PITCH - Yolanda Pena, a freshman business major fromEdinburg, is one of several new faces to join the Bronc Soccer Clubthis year.

Soccer club kicks off sophomore year on right footBy RACHEL REIDA

The Pan American

Enright signs on with Bronc basketballAddition completes coaching staff

The University of Texas-Pan American men’s basketball program rounded out its coaching

staff on Tuesday when head coach Tom Schuberth announced that Brad Enright has joined the

team as an assistant coach.

Enright comes to the Rio Grande Valley after spending the past two seasons at Paris Junior

College where he was a part of a coaching staff that captured the 2005 NJCAA National

Championship.

Enright served as the Recruiting Coordinator for Bill Foy’s coaching staff at Paris Junior

College where he recruited and coached three highly-touted perimeter players that earned All-

Texas Eastern Conference performers. He recruited and coached current UTPA guard Brian Burrell

to the Dragons’ program before to the beginning of the 2004-05 season.

Prior to joining Paris Junior College, Enright spent two seasons at the United States Naval

Academy in Annapolis, MD, where he served as an assistant coach under Don DeVoe. Enright was

primarily responsible for coaching the low post players for Navy, and he also assisted in the devel-

opment of offensive and defensive game plans for Patriot League and non-conference opponents

during his two seasons. He also served as the Head Coach of the Junior Varsity program for the

Midshipmen.

Before joining DeVoe’s staff at Navy, Enright spent two seasons as the top assistant coach at

California State University-Dominguez Hills for Larry Hauser’s program.

Enright spent one season as the director of basketball operations at Pepperdine University

during the 1999-00 season where he was part of a Waves’ program that captured the West Coast

Conference Championship en route to advancing to the NCAA Tournament.

Enright began his collegiate coaching career at his alma mater, California State University-

Northridge, where he served as the administrative assistant for the Matadors’ program.

UTPA Sports Information

Women’s Golf

UNT Lady Eagle InvitationalSept. 11-12 in Denton, Texas

Top Five Results

1. Univ. of North Texas (908)2. Calif. State Polytechic Univ. (917)3. Texas State (918)4. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (931)5. UTPA (934)

Individual Results

6. Rebecca De Leon (227)13. Elizabeth Rodriguez (233)T-17. Mariale Camey (234)T-27. My Bark (240)T-41. Bronwyn Sandberg (260)

Next tournament:Sept. 18-19 hosted by the Univ. of NebraskaCold Stone/Chip-N-Club Classic in Lincoln, Neb.

Page 14 SPORTS September 14, 2006

Newcomer Armen Kirakossian

headlined this weekend’s results for The

University of Texas-Pan American men’s

golf team as he finished with a score of

210 (71-68-71) at the Hawks Invitational

in Boston, Mass.

The Portland, Ore. native tied Craig

Berger’s result from last year’s Bearkat

Classic, the fourth lowest score in pro-

gram history.

Head coach Andrew Tredway said

Kirakossian’s performance in the sea-

son’s first action was excellent for a play-

er entering the collegiate level.

“I knew Armen was a great recruit,

but what I didn’t know was how mature

he was on the golf course,” Tredway said.

“This kid is mature beyond his years and

has an incredible attitude when things

don’t go his way.

“I think he’s going to make every-

one better, and if he keeps working hard,

he is going to have a bright future in col-

lege golf,” Tredway added.

The rest of the Broncs performed

well, but showed some rust from the off-

season. At the end of the tournament, the

Broncs finished with a team score of 876,

securing them a fourth-place finish to

start the season.

“We had four guys not play their

best and we still finished fourth, which

says a lot about where this team is head-

ed,” Tredway said.

The golfers finished ahead of seven

other universities, but Tredway thinks

they can do better.

“There are a lot of positives in this

tournament,” he said. “We didn’t quite

put it all together, but it’s going to happen

soon.”

Unlike most sports, golf involves

more than two teams. It is not uncommon

to have a field with as many as 15 other

teams. Tredway said that difference leads

to a whole new mentality to win.

“The key to winning a golf tourna-

ment is putting that out of your mind and

instead focusing on getting yourself in the

position to win on the back nine of the

tournament,” he said.

Additionally, teams lose tourna-

ments more than they win them. He

believes his group has that strong mindset

though, and is not too far off from win-

ning a big tournament.

“They know how to win, so it’s only

a matter of time,” Tredway said.

He wants to keep his team focused

and motivated, but also make sure they

still enjoy the game.

“My guys love competing as much

as I do. I’m going to mix up their practice

and make it fun, but I think they are going

to make my job very easy,” he said.


American women’s golf team is one of the

most successful programs at UTPA,

excelling not only in athletics, but academ-

ically as well.

This was apparent in the 2004 and

2005 seasons when they won three tourna-

ment championships and were still able to

handle their course load, setting the stan-

dard by maintaining a solid cumulative

grade-point average. This season, they

hope to continue the tradition of excel-

lence with the signing of new recruits and

high expectations.

Graduating three of their top players

including Stefanie Maynard, who was

selected last spring as the UTPA Female

Athlete of the Year, head coach Barb

Odale feels the Lady Broncs will still be a

strong team.

“We may have lost some key players,

but we have a good recruiting class that

came in, so I’m not worried,” she said.

The recruiting class includes three

incoming freshmen, Rebecca De Leon

from Mission, My Bark from Gothenburg,

Sweden, and Kelly Haime from Ontario,

Canada.

De Leon captured six individual

championships and finished in the top three

of all eight tournaments in her senior year

at Veterans High School. She has felt chal-

lenged by the difficult transition from high

school to college.

“The transition between high school

and college has been drastic,” she said.

Bark is another newcomer that the

team will be counting on to perform well.

As a senior in high school, the golfer

ranked 102nd in her native country.

Haime is an outstanding athlete

who came to UTPA after lettering in golf

as well as basketball. The Canadian is

also an outstanding student in the class-

room, graduating as valedictorian in her

class.

Odale hopes that the new recruits

will show promise and quick maturity, and

the veterans will be the ones to set the

example. Returning golfers, including

Elizabeth Rodriguez from Kingwood,

Melissa Uriegas from Edinburg and

Bronwyn Sandberg from St. Albert,

Canada, will have the responsibility of

keeping the team highly motivated,

according to Odale.

Rodriguez, who was recently elected

team captain, will be the main source of

inspiration.

“I expect a lot from Elizabeth. I look to

her for leadership on and off the golf course,

and expect her to step up,” Odale said.

In the spring of 2005, Rodriguez

placed ninth overall at the National

Minority College Golf Championships. It

was her second consecutive year finishing

in the top 10 at the event. As a personal

goal, Rodriguez hopes that history will

repeat itself.

The golfers have experienced suc-

cess on the course, but those accomplish-

ments cannot be mentioned alone; they

have also shown a high degree of merit

academically as well. For the third consec-

utive year, the Lady Broncs earned a team

GPA of 3.541, the highest of all UTPA ath-

letic programs.

Odale hopes to continue the academ-

ic tradition.

“The goal is set with the team. The

girls have set high marks for themselves

and hopefully we’ll get to the 3.6 mark for

the cumulative GPA,” she said.

Although the golf season will prove

to be a true test for the student athletes, the

Lady Broncs will have plenty of support

from Odale.

“As long as we get all the girls on the

same spiraling cylinder, heading towards

the same goal, this could be a fantastic

year,” she said.

NOTES: On Monday and Tuesday,

the Lady Broncs started their campaign

with a fifth-place finish in their first tour-

nament of the season at the University of

North Texas Lady Eagle Invitational.

Rebecca De Leon was the top per-

former for the team. The Mission native

finished with a 227, missing the top five

by a few strokes. Elizabeth Rodriguez fin-

ished 13th, Mariale Camey tied for 17th,

My Bark tied for 27th and Bronwyn

Sandberg tied for 41st. The women fin-

ished with a team score of 934 (314-304-

317).

September 14, 2006 SPORTS Page 15

By MARY NICHOLSThe Pan American


Broncs start off strong at Hawks Invitational

Lady golfers to build on academic, athletic accomplishments

GOOD APPROACH - Junior Kyle Tudi keeps track of his ball during play at the Hawks Invitational. The Broncs finished witha team tally of 876 (294-289-293) and obtained fourth place. They will be back in action Sept. 18 in Florence, S.C., for theRaines Development Group Intercollegiate hosted by Francis Marion University.

By RODERICK DORSEY

The Pan American

EAGLE EYES - Junior ElizabethRodriguez returns to the Lady Broncgolf team, as the group tries to main-tain its success on and off the green.


SPORTS

sk most people from Las Vegas

what the greatest sport in the

world is and they’ll probably

tell you, playing 25-cent slots. But ask

Heather Bravo, and she’ll say, “volleyball.”

Bravo is no ordinary girl from the

“City that Never Sleeps.” She is the The

University of Texas-Pan American volley-

ball captain who has had one mission since

arriving on campus: to play volleyball, and

to play it well.

She recently became the second player

in program history with 1,000 kills and 1,000

digs for a career.

“I wanted to play. I wanted to make an

impact from the beginning,” said the 5-foot-

11 senior outside hitter.

As a young girl, Bravo’s interests were

in sports such as softball. But as she moved

into junior high, her mother “persuaded” her

into trying out volleyball.

“My mother forced me to do it,” she

explained. Bravo’s mother, a former volley-

ball player herself, guided her daughter

through the sport on into high school, where

the younger Bravo quickly learned she had a

knack for it.

In high school, she improved under

wing of veteran coach Robert Kelly, who, in

2002 was appointed to the position of head

coach for the U.S. Women’s Junior National

Team. Playing for the Durango High School

Trailblazers, Bravo garnered a list of acco-

lades. She is third all-time in aces in a single

season, fourth in career aces and third in

digs. As captain of the team her junior and

senior year, Bravo helped her team to win

back-to-back Nevada State Volleyball

Championships.

In May 2003, at a tournament in

Austin, The University of Texas-Pan

American scouts noticed her play, and began

trying to recruit her.

UTPA coach Dave Thorn said that

Bravo is, “someone the team can look to and

that they can lean on.”

As a captain on this year’s team, Bravo

has been anointed with the responsibility of

leading the way as the Lady Broncs pursue

success against top-notch programs such as

Texas Christian University.

At last weekend’s tournament, the

team came out strong in its second match,

defeating High Point University in the

University of Portland Tournament. Earlier

they had fallen in a grueling five-set match

loss to Cornell

University. The

last match con-

cluded in a loss to

Uuiversity of

Portland, three sets to

one.

Over the weekend,

Bravo joined Jaclyn Muszynski

(2003 graduate) with 1,000 kills and

1,000 digs in a career. Muszynski also

holds the UTPA record for most kills and

most digs in a career.

With that record in sight, Bravo com-

mented, “I’m not interested in breaking

records, but in helping the team.”

She attributes her success as a volley-

ball player to the hard work of her coaches,

her fellow teammates, perseverance, and the

dedication of her family.

Bravo is a psychology major who

plans on “living the American dream, like

everyone else…but with a twist.” That twist

includes Bravo’s efforts to try to gain a spot

on one of Spain’s professional volleyball

teams, with the idea of possibly joining one

of the Association of Volleyball Professional

pro beach volleyball teams in California.

Her message to anyone who wants to

achieve their goals is distinct.

“Don’t give up. If you really try your

hardest, it is obtainable,” she said.

Commenting on this season, Bravo

concluded, “I am so proud of my team,

because we all work so hard. I think this

could be a great season.”

By PATRICK KENNEDY

The Pan American

Netters struggle to 2-8 beginning

They’ve been competitive, but have

still lost eight of 10 to start the season. Last

weekend, The University of Texas-Pan

American Lady Broncs lost two of three

matches at the University of Portland

Tournament.

On Friday the team got off to a good

start but then collapsed, losing to Cornell

University after winning the first two

games, 30-28 and 31-29. Cornell rallied

back to win the final three sets 30-25, 30-19

and 15-10.

The team will be back on the court in

Reno, Nev., for The University of Nevada

Tournament Friday and Saturday. The next

home game is Sept. 18 against Texas A&M-

Kingsville.

In the latest tournament, UTPA had its

chances to sweep Cornell but costly errors

seemed to follow them at the wrong time.

Once again Heather Bravo was a star

as she posted her fourth double-double of

the season with 20 kills and 18 digs. UTPA

had four players reach double-digits in kills

against Cornell.

The second day of tournament play

had a better outcome as the Lady Broncs

rolled past High Point University in five

sets (22-30, 30-28, 26-30, 30-14 and 15-

11).

UTPA fell in the first frame 30-22 but

fought back in the second to win a close one

30-28. The Lady Panthers picked up the

third set but the Lady Broncs took control of

the game in the final two frames to shut out

High Point 30-14 and 15-11.

UTPA competed throughout the tour-

nament, taking their opponents into five

sets. Coach Dave Thorn feels that just one

thing is keeping his team out of the win col-

umn.

“It’s a mental thing, you got to get

over that edge, that’s why I’m so glad we

beat High Point, especially in five. It just

gives us that confidence, that we can win in

five and in long games,” Thorn said. “It

reinforces all the things that we’ve been

teaching them. They will get the benefits of

being successful on the court as long as they

keep on doing what we ask them to do.”

In the nightcap, UTPA fell to Portland

University in a 3-1 decision. After losing the

second set, the Lady Pilots seemed to con-

trol the entire game, winning 30-12 and 30-

21.

For the third time this season, UTPA’s

Bravo received All-Tournament laurels.

“Heather is playing as a senior should

play. She’s stepping up for us, making plays

when we need her to. She’s just been big

since the first match on,” said Thorn. “To be

quite honest, it’s what I expected from her

this season.”

A

CAREER STATISTICS

Class: Senior

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nev.

High School: Durango HighSchool, Las Vegas, Nev.

Height: 5’11”

Position: Outside Hitter

Games Played: 352Kills: 1,067

Total Attacks: 3,198Assists: 75

Service Aces: 81Digs: 1,052

Total Blocks: 92

HHEAEATHERTHER BBRARAVOVO

INTENSITY - Outside hitter Kellie Phillips (left) returns the ball in a match againstTexas State University Sept. 1. The Lady Broncs have continued to struggle sincethen, sitting now at 2-8.


By KRISTYNA MANCIAS

The Pan American

“I’m not interestedin breaking records,but in helping theteam.”

- Senior Heather Bravo

Nevada native leads Bronc volleyball squad

Editor’s Pick: Game to Watch

Boston Red Sox

Time: 12:20 p.m.

New York Yankees

When: Saturday

Where: Yankee StadiumGame will be aired on FOX

Documents

September 14, 2006