The paisano volume 49 issue 15

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Top moments in the 2013 - 2014 UTSA athletic campaign page 10

page 7

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

{SINCE 1981}

Volume 49

Issue 15

May 22, 2014

{ WWW.PAISANO-ONLINE.COM}

summer issue UTSA The UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures will host the Texas Contemporary Artist Series through Oct. 26; this year will mark the sixth anniversary of the showcase.

Revised UTSA advising program will nurture student-advisor relationships

New statewide core curriculum catalog to be implemented this fall semester

UTSA

UTSA

Pavela Bambekova Contributing Writer

Rebecca Conejo Social Media Manager

news@paisano-online.com

news@paisano-online.com

Texas According to the Texas electric grid operator, renewable energy production in Texas grew by 12 percent in 2013; 97 percent of Texas renewable energy comes from wind turbine generation.

U.S. In response to a nationwide scarcity of lethal injection drugs, Tennessee has allowed for the use of the electric chair if drugs cannot be obtained for a scheduled execution.

Sports Roadrunner football’s season opener will be televised on ESPNU at 8 p.m. on Aug. 29.

Arts The McNay will host the exhibition, Paul Strand: The Mexican Portfolio, to Aug. 24.

The show features photographs taken on the artist’s 1993 trip through Mexico.

lege graduates in the world.

Since then we have dropped to 12,” said the first lady. She also discussed the president’s North Star education goal for the U.S. to again have the largest proportion of college graduates by 2020.

The event ties to the Mayor’s SA2020 plan, which aims to achieve similar education goals by increasing college enrollment rates to 80 percent and college attainment to 50 percent by 2020.

San Antonio’s attainment rate currently hovers around 35 percent, according to a recent study by the Lumina Foundation, a private foundation focused on higher education issues. The Texas Higher

Beginning this fall, UTSA and all other public institutes of higher education in Texas will be implementing new core curriculum catalogs.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) approved changes to the core curriculum for the first time since 1998.

These changes, approved in October 2011, will not only limit the number of hours necessary to complete the core, they will also change the amount of study the board believes is adequate for a thorough understanding of the class.

Previously, a degree plan could require between 42 and 45 core credit hours. Under the new requirements, all degree plans may only call for a maximum of 42 credit hours from the core curriculum.

These credit hours must come from courses covering the fundamental fields of study determined by THECB. Under the new core, these fields are communication, mathematics, the life and physical sciences, language, philosophy and culture, the creative arts, government and political science, social and behavioral sciences and a component area option. Notably, the board has emphasized throughout the development of the new curriculum that the six core objectives of the curriculum—critical thinking skills, communication

See INITIATIVE, Page 3

See CURRICULUM, Page 4

Marcus Connolly / The Paisano

The future of San Antonio’s politics has been shrouded in uncertainty after the Associated Press confirmed President Obama will be nominating Mayor Castro for the U.S. housing and urban development secretary.

Advisors Miranda Swain, Valerie Acosta and Jessica Williams (left to right) prepare for the changes in a temporary workspace.

more support and mentoring, enabling the student to develop a rapport with their academic advisor,” said Barbara Smith, executive director of advising.

Students will be assigned an advisor based on academic clusters created by the advising program. The clusters were finalized using an analysis of UTSA student data, as well as

the Academic Advising Restructuring Proposal.

Ms. Smith stated that each See ADVISING, Page 3

First lady launches education initiative at UTSA UTSA Sarah Gibbens Editor-in-Chief

editor@paisano-online.com

First lady Michelle Obama announced her new Reach Higher initiative at UTSA Friday, May 2. Reach Higher encourages students to take charge of their future by pursuing higher education.

Obama chose to speak in San Antonio after U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan highlighted San Antonio’s College Signing Day on his blog. San Antonio’s educational climate has had a significant turnaround, improving college enrollment by 49 percent since 2010, under Mayor Castro’s SA2020 initiative.

Rafael Gutierrrez / The Paisano

San Antonio

After several months of planning, the UTSA Academic Advising Program has completed the changes announced early last fall.

The program has changed its structure to a centralized administrative unit that will provide a more relational and less informational advising experience for UTSA students.

Changes were implemented May 2014; all current students will be assigned an academic advisor who will work with them until they graduate.

“This will allow for students to see the same advisor and enable the advisor to provide

The first lady speaks to a full house at the UTSA Convocation Center.

“We need more communities doing what you’re doing here in San Antonio,” said the First Lady. “You are what Reach Higher is all about.”

Over 2,000 high school seniors filled the Convocation Center to listen to the First Lady and to pledge to enroll

in and graduate from college.

College Signing Day was the highlight of College Week SA, a weeklong series of events held to encourage higher education among high school students.

“Years ago our nation had the highest percentage of col-

UT Board of Regents approve the Exercise your mind with these unique courses creation of UT Rio Grande Valley UTSA TEXAS Lorenzo Garcia News Editor

news@paisano-online.com On May 15, the UT System Board of Regents voted to merge the UT Brownsville and UT Pan American to create a new university, UT Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). The proposed university will span across the Valley, with campuses in Brownsville, Edinburg, Harlingen and McAllen.

Three important items were voted upon during the meeting: the degree programs to be offered at the new university, a process to hire tenure and tenure-track faculty from

UT Pan American and UT Brownsville and the creation of a fund of up to $5 million to assist communication efforts needed to launch the new university. UTRGV will receive its inaugural class of students in the fall of 2015. Its medical school will open in the fall of 2016. When the university opens, UTGRV is expected to become the second-largest Hispanic serving institution in the world.

The Board proposed a total of 137 baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral degrees to be offered at UTRGV, which will be sent to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board See CAMPUS, Page 4

Miriam C. Cabello Staff Writer

news@paisano-online.com For bold students interested in spicing up their fall semester schedules, UTSA offers a variety of interesting courses.

Unique in content, and available during the Fall 2014 semester, courses such as Walt Disney & Popular Culture (HUM 3703), Bible as Literature (HUM 3223), Dictator in Latin American Literature (SPN 4303) and Women and Literature: Crime & Modern Fiction (ENG 3133) invite UTSA students to examine the relationship between sociocultural milieu and creative works.

In addition to satisfying upper-division requirements, courses such as Geological Field Inves-

emphasis on the application and critical analysis of course materials.

As well as providing courses that strengthen critical thinking skills, UTSA offers introductory dance and courses in photography, drawing, ceramics, sculpting and painting for non-art majors that encourage creative ingenuity.

These class experiences—unique to UTSA— reflect the university’s professors and student community.

Walt Disney & Popular Culture (HUM 3703)

tigations (GEO 3112), Fundamentals of Robotics (ME 4773) and Honors Seminar: Neuroscience of the Human Voice (HON 3253) foster innovation through an

Professor Douglas Brode will teach Walt Disney & PopSee UNIQUE, Page 3

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Advising: identifying and adapting to the needs of today’s students From Page 1

“Students will be able to track their degree progress, connect with someone at the university who will know their academic strengths, weaknesses and other factors such as family and work commitments, enabling them to develop a plan to aid in student success and timely graduation”

their adv is o r at a

Marcus Connolly / The Paisano

downt o w n locat ion, while students pursuing a major in the sciences will be advised by a sep-

Barbara Smith

Executive Director of Advising

arate academic advisor at the Main Campus location.

“Setting up the advising centers this way enables a student who changes his or her major an average 80 percent chance of staying with the same assigned academic advisor from orientation to graduation,” explained Smith.

Prior to the changes, any advisor in the Colleges’ Freshman Advising Center (CFAC) was responsible for all declared students with less than 30 credit hours, while advisors in the Thomas Rivera Center (TRC) were responsible for all undeclared

students.

After completing 30 credit hours, the students would then be seen by advisors from the College Advising Center.

“If a student was one major and wanted to change to another major that wasn’t in that same college, they would have to go to another advising center and meet with a different advisor,” said Smith.

out

to

the

student

and

provide resources and options” that the student can use “to make an appropriate informed decision,” explained Smith.

The University Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. John Frederick, deemed the advising program changes a necessity. One of the major goals of changing the advising program’s structure is to improve graduation rates. Implementation task forces, the executive director of advising, advising directors, associate directors and others are responsible for implementing the changes and for “providing tools and resources for students to be self-sufficient and stay on-track for graduating in four years,” Smith affirmed.

Though the advisors will have to adapt to the changes in little time, “they look forward to having caseloads of assigned students,” said Smith.

“Students will be able to track their degree progress, connect with someone at the university who will know their academic strengths, weaknesses and other factors such as family and work commitments, enabling them to develop a plan to aid in student success and timely graduation,” Smith concluded.

Who is your advisor?

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Monica Glover

Joan Tsacalis

Social Sciences MS 4.01.50 458-4900

Olga San Miguel

Interdisciplinary Education BB 2.02.04 458-4424

Sylvia Mansour

Business Studies BB 2.01.04 458-4462

April Lawver

Engineering EB 3.04.04 458-5525

Lona George

Life & Health Sciences FLN 2.03.02 458-4045

Cynthia Rodriguez

Math & Physical Sciences FLN 2.03.02 458-4045

Patricia Gonzalez

Student Placement FLN 2.03.02 458-4045

Sabina Kapoor

If you are unsure which advisior you should go to, you can find out by calling any of the advising centers above.

Graphics by Lorenzo Garcia

Initiative: accessible education

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Education Coordinating Board reported enrollment rates to be slightly higher at 57 percent.

Notable attendees included San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, UTSA President Dr. Ricardo Romo and his wife, UTSA Professor Harriet Romo.

The first lady was introduced by future UTSA student Rocio Alvarado, who spoke about the struggles of committing to education as a Spanish-speaking immigrant. She was chosen to be a speaker after submitting an essay to Upward Bound, an organization aimed at strengthening the academic skills of high school seniors.

Alvarado learned English after moving to the U.S. as a child and quickly excelled from ESL to Advanced Placement classes.

“When I came to the U.S. from Mexico, my family lived in a rundown home. College seemed like an impossible dream,” said Alvarado. “In honor of my father who passed away a month ago, I am here to make a declaration that I will go to college, graduate and give back.”

In the fall, Alvarado plans to study criminal justice and minor in psychology while volunteering for any organization that will help her give back to the community. She stated UTSA was an ideal choice to pursue her education.

Out of the thousands of high school seniors in attendance, over 450 will be attending UTSA. In attendance at the event, Student Government Association President Zack Dunn said of the incoming freshmen, “I have no doubt that they will

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Along with changing the structure of personal advising, the Academic Advising Program is also implementing additional technological resources. By using the computer software Degree Works, the university will enable students to electronically map out their degree plans with the help of their advisor. Additionally, after creating a plan, students will be able to electronically submit plan revision requests for their advisor to review, approve and “lock” at any time.

Degree Works will allow the student “the ability to access (his or her) plan at any point and time,” said Smith. Along with increasing the efficiency of the communication process between the advisor and the student, each student will be able to audit his or her progress toward completing their degree.

The changes also involve the standardization of all forms for exemption and registration. The new Early Alert Retention Network (EARN) is a system that allows an instructor to alert advisors to student behavior such as repeatedly missing class or failing a midterm. Following the changes, the student’s advisor will be able to see these alerts and will “be able to reach

2/20/14 11:13 AM

be the next wave of leadership this university needs.”

According to Romo, UTSA was chosen to host the event over other universities in San Antonio as a result of its commitment to excellence.

“We’re very honored, the first lady has been incredibly gracious,” said Romo.

Unfortunately for students, the event was closed to the public. “It was a great day for UTSA, a great day for our students to know that Michelle Obama was on campus, even if a lot of them couldn’t come,” said Romo.

“Anything of this nature is going to be good for UTSA and San Antonio, in the future and beyond. You can’t have one of the most famous people in the world come to your campus and tell you they love you and it not impact a lot of people. We are on the map and recognized as a great place to be.”

According to Romo, it is estimated that a minimum of 70 percent of incoming freshman will be in the top quartile of their high school class.

Mayor Julian Castro supported Romo’s assertions. “San Antonio can’t become a brainpowered community without UTSA’s continued success,” said the mayor. “I’m glad to see UTSA producing more college graduates and contributing so much to San Antonio.”

The first lady’s speech ended with a pledge in which the high school seniors committed to enroll in and graduate from college for themselves, their family and the community.

Before leaving, Obama encouraged the college hopefuls to persevere through hardship.

“When you run into trouble, promise me that you’ll ask for

help. I’ll be watching y’all. And you cannot break a promise to the first lady.”

Rafael Guttierez / The Paisano

cluster was “developed based on the historical migration pattern of students among degree programs.”

According to Smith, pairing a student with the same personal academic advisor is intended to help students throughout their UTSA career. For exampe, all students who will be majoring in architecture, interior design, construction science management, criminal justice, public administration and Mexican-American studies will be meeting

4 Summer 2014

Facts for Freshmen The current president of UTSA is Ricardo Romo.

He has been the president of the university since 1999.

The UT Board of Regents is the ruling body of the UT System. Each regent is appointeed by the governor of Texas.

The UTSA football team was created in 2011.

Last year, the record of the roadrunner football team was 6 wins, 2 losses.

The JPL library is open 24/7 during the school year. The Starbucks in the cafeteria below it is open until 12:00 a.m.

Monday to Friday.

There are three UTSA campuses: Main campus, Downtown campus and the Hemisfair Park campus.

The University Center complex features a bookstore, technology store, hair salon, Frost bank, auditorium and food court.

The UT System allows for each student to drop a maximum of six classes. Dropped courses are listed as a W on your transcript.

Unique: classes to stimulate the mind Curriculum: UTSA research From Page 1

ular Culture (HUM 3703) on Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. at the Main Campus.

This special topics course analyzes Walt Disney’s influence on popular culture. To enroll in Walt Disney & Popular Culture, students must have completed the 2012-2014 core curriculum requirement in rhetoric.

Bible as Literature (HUM 3223)

Dr. James Adair will teach Bible as Literature (HUM 3223), a course that examines the Bible in a secular context, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. at the Main Campus. This course challenges its students to read beyond any emotional, personal and theological understandings of the Bible. The Bible as Literature acts not only as an experiment of religious empathy but also as an exercise in critical thinking and academic understanding of ancient literature and history.

Dictator in Latin American Literature (SPN 4303)

Dr. Santiago Daydi-Tolson will teach Dictator in Latin American Literature (SPN 4303) on Mondays from 6 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. at the Main Campus. This Spanish special topics course focuses on the rhetorical construction of the “dictator” by Latin American authors, considering possible social and political motivations or constraints that may have shaped an author’s portrayal of a dictator. As a rigorous study of Latino culture and Latin American literary themes, this course fulfills the

A bus loop on the northeast corner of campus allows students without cars to explore the city. The buses run from 5 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

Each student organization can be contacted through their RowdyLink page online, but most can be reached faster using social media.

During the school year, Student Activites regularly organizes a series of concerts, movie showings, festivals and speakers for students.

UTSA’s Student Government Association is one of the University’s oldest organizations. Each year they celebrate the best of UTSA with the University Life Awards.

The Paisano is a student publication writen and managed idependently from UTSA. It has been circulating since 1981 and has won numerous journalistic awards.

Women and Literature: Crime & Modern Fiction (ENG 3133)

Dr. Cailin Copan-Kelly will teach Women and Literature: Crime & Modern Fiction (ENG 3133) on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. at the Main Campus. Using critical literary and feminist theory, this new literature course will analyze the presentation of women in the crime and modern fiction genres. To enroll in this course, students must have completed the 2012-2014 core curriculum requirement in literature.

Honors Seminar: Neuroscience of the Human Voice (HON 3253)

Dr. Donald Robin will teach the Honors Seminar: Neuroscience of the Human Voice (HON 3253) on Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. at the Main Campus. This course explores the neurological and psychological facets of human vocalization, particularly research of sensory-motor control and voice disorders.

To enroll in this course, students must contact the UTSA Honors College. Students interested in Honors Seminar: Neuroscience of the Human Voice may ask their advisor if the course can be substituted for an upper-division elective in their major or minor.

Dr. Ethan Lake will teach Geological Field Investigations (GEO 3112) on Fridays from noon to 4 p.m. at the Main Campus. In this course, students learn geology field procedures, as well as identification and analyitical skills. Half-day and Saturday field trips are course requirements. To enroll in Geological Field Investigations, students must have completed either Introduction to Earth Systems Laboratory (GEO 1111) or Earth History Laboratory (GEO 1131).

Ballet I (DAN 1013)

Professor Megan Rulewicz will teach Ballet I (DAN 1013) on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. at the Main Campus. Ms. Rulewicz has a master’s degree in ballet in addition to experience in artistic and professional performance and ballet choreography. For students, no previous dance experience is required. This introductory course familiarizes students with basic ballet positions and terminology. UTSA offers Ballet II and Ballet III as well as modern and contemporary jazz dance. Courses are offered at both UTSA teaching campuses.

If you would like to season your fall semester with a critical thinking challenge or a creative endeavor, visit asap. utsa.edu for full course information and registration.

Graphic by Marcus Connolly

From Page 1

skills, empirical and quantitative skills, teamwork, social responsibility and personal responsibility—do not necessarily need to be tested in the context of each field for students to meet each objective.

For example, the social responsibility objective of the communication or math core will not be required but optional depending on a student’s degree plan. The only core objectives that will be required of all nine components are the critical thinking and communication skills.

With this change, the communication core will be reduced from nine to six hours, the math core will be reduced from six to three hours, the sciences core will be reduced from eight to six hours and the area option will be increased from three to six hours.

Current students have the option to either continue under the previous core, or adopt the revised core. Incoming freshman do not have this option, and must abide by the new core curriculum standards.

This change has been in the making since 2008, when the Undergraduate Education Advisory Committee (UEAC) suggested to the THECB in a January 2009 report that the general education core curriculum be reviewed and reconsidered. After further analysis and reports were made, revisions to the existing rules were proposed in August 2011. After suggestions and comments

were received from the public, the amended rules were approved in October 2011.

The timeline for implementing the new core curriculum began in November 2011, when institutions were instructed to have their faculty select courses for the 2014 catalog. For the next two years, institutions were able to change and develop a new catalog. By the end of November 2013, the revised core curriculums were due to the THECB pending their approval.

For its part, UTSA implemented the Freshman Experience Task Force. In 2011, the task force was charged with determining which classes were important to every student, regardless of major.

The task force found that freshman composition, mathematics and Quantitative Literacy Assessment Test (QLAT) courses were the most important. From their findings, the Academic Inquiry and Scholarship course was created and will be mandatory for all incoming freshmen this fall.

The Acadmic Inquiry and Scholarship was first introduced last year. The objective of the course is to grant new students an understanding of how questions are developed and investigated within collegiate academia. This is accomplished through the examination of the academic micro-cultures found within the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences.

Geological Field Investigations

Campus: university and medical school will come to the valley From Page 1

Study rooms at the JPL,AET library, downtown library and the UC can be rented for one or two hour periods using the UTSA library’s website.

College of Liberal and Fine Arts’ signature experience.

To enroll in Dictator in Latin American Literature, students must have either completed Advanced Reading (SPN 3043) or receive Dr. Daydi-Tolson’s consent.

helped determine new courses

(GEO 3112)

for scrutiny and approval. The proposed course catalogue covers 24 fields of study; education, health professions and business, management and marketing have the most degree plans.

More than 100 faculty members from both UT Brownsville and UT Pan American have been working together since October of last year to consolidate the universities’ academic programs into a single set of programs and courses. At the May 15 meeting, UT System Board of Regents Chairman Paul Foster commented that “the first day of classes for UT Rio Grande Valley is quickly approaching, and (the Regents) are pleased with the progress being made to transition to the new UTRGV as soon as possible” For the many faculty members under tenure or seeking tenure at UT Pan American and UT Brownsville, the Regents have laid out a hiring process. Under the current plan, all faculty appointments and tenures will be terminated when the two universities are abolished. All faculty seeking tenure will then have to seek recommendation and apply to the new institution. As usual, the Board of Regents will determine the passage of tenure applications.

In preparation for the massive organizational undertaking ahead, the Regents allocated up to $5 million form the Available University Fund.

This fund will help pay for student recruitment and enrollment, the creation of a website

for both the university and its medical school and to produce informative electronic, print and video materials to provide students, parents, faculty and staff with essential information.

“We are establishing a world-class university for South Texas, and there’s a tremendous amount of work to be done in the next 15 months and there’s not a moment to waste,” stated Board of Regents Chancellor Cigarroa at the May 15 meeting.

On May 20, the Regents officially selected finalist Guy Bailey to be the first president of UTRGV; Bailey assumed the position on June 15.

Bailey has extensive experience with university management, and will be returning to the workforce for the first time since he stepped down as president of the University of Alabama to focus on his now-deceased wife’s health problems.

Notably, he is a former UTSA provost in addition to serving as the president of both the University of Missouri – Kansas City and Texas Tech.

When asked how he felt about the appointment, Bailey expressed that he views the position “as the single most exciting educational opportunity in America today” and that he is “look(ing) forward to working with everyone as we launch the nation’s first major public university of the 21st century.”

Board of Regents Chancellor Cigarroa described Bailey as “a proven, progressive leader to be a part of this transformational mission in South Texas.”

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August 26, 2008 OPINION

The Paisano

Opinion

5 5

Summer 2014

{The Paisano} Editorial Editor-in-Chief: Sarah Gibbens

Managing Editor: Jakob Lopez

News Editor:

Lorenzo Garcia

Arts Editor:

Beth Marshall

Sports Editor: Jonathan Garza

Web Editor:

Michael Turnini

Special Issues Editor: Jade Cuevas

Business Manager: Lizzette Rocha

Photo Editor:

Marcus Connolly

Senior Copy Editor: Paul McIntier

External Affairs Manager: Hector Torres

Social Media Manager:

Are professors the key to collegiate success?

Many factors contribute to a successful college career. UTSA does its best to offer up-to-date technology, informative advising, student support groups and engaging extra-curriculars — but the most influential factor for academic success may be the professor.

In a survey published on May 6, a Gallup poll expectedly found that life in college had a significant effect on life after college. A survey of 30,000 college graduates asked what they felt was the strongest influence to their success; 63 percent attributed their academic success to a motivational professor who made them excited about learning — nearly double the amount that attributed success to an internship.

Similarly, 27 percent of graduates stated they had a professor who cared about them as a person, and 22 percent had an encouraging mentor. The results were consistent among private, public, small, large, selective and less selective col-

leges, indicating that university prestige had little influence over professor quality.

This collegiate success later translated to workplace engagement, which was found to be an indicator of overall well-being.

With so much depending on a good professor, it is absolutely essential that students consider a professor’s credibility when choosing classes. Websites such as ratemyprofessor.com allow students to view peer critiques of professors and provide scores based on a professor’s helpfulness, clarity and the easiness of a class. However, it is important to note that students who comment on such websites were typically either very unhappy or very satisfied with a professor’s performance.

Currently, UTSA’s professor score is relatively high, ranking 3.74 out of 5. While some professors received low marks for having a difficult class, many student grievances complained about a professor who was inattentive or unclear.

While there is no formula for a perfect professor, many of the best professors exhibit similar characteristics.

A 2011 report published by The Journal of Effective Teaching outlined qualities of a good professor. Going beyond the call of duty, knowing the material, teaching the material well and understanding the student were among the qualities of a good teacher, and an excellent teacher took interest in students, made personal connections and encouraged lifelong learning.

Associate Dean of the Honors College Dr. Ann Eisenberg serves as an advisor for many students. “It’s really important to pick a professor who has a reputation for taking time for students,” said Eisenberg. “Professors care about their students but not all professors can effectively communicate interest. A good professor would reach out and make students feel okay to talk and ask questions.”

Establishing a personal con-

nection with a student can be difficult in classes with over 300. Professors may not learn every student’s name, but they can still offer convenient office hours and work with students who request help. As UTSA grows into a larger and more traditional college, its professors should not forget that many students are nontraditional part-time students, working and rearing children.

Certainly not one professor is perfect for everyone. Different professors and students have different styles. When looking for accurate professor critiques, “You want to talk to people who are like you academically,” said Eisenberg.

For students with lives outside of school, avoiding a professor who is inflexible or doesn’t provide extra credit opportunities can be the difference between passing and failing a class.

“One important lesson that professors can help students to learn is that effort matters a lot

in achieving success,” said Professor Daniel Engster from the department of political science and geography.

He permits students who miss assignments to compensate by writing summaries of assigned reading. “I allow for this type of extra credit because it gives students a sense that they have control and ownership over their grade, which I hope makes it more meaningful for them,” said Engster.

A counterargument against flexible grading that many professors present argues that when students find jobs, their employer will not tolerate incompetency.

Undoubtedly, workers who do not meet deadlines are less likely to maintain employment, but college should be where students learn more than how to memorize facts. A good professor will inspire a passion for learning that will allow graduates to do far more than simply be good enough.

Rebecca Conejo

{Staff Writers}

Letters to the Editor

Alejandra Barazza, Taylor Bird, Patrick Martinez, Rafael Mendoza, Paulina Rivero-Borrell, Gibson Hull, Mohamed Ahmed

We would love to hear your feedback!

{Staff Photographers}

Letters must be less than 400 words and include the writer’s name, classification or title and email address.

The Paisano reserves the right to edit all submissions.

Matthew Trevino, Vicente Cardenas

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Send Letters to the Editor to: editor@paisano-online.com

{Contributing Photographers} Scott Cochran, Katherine Kish, Craig Garrison, Cynthia Hurtado

Commentary

{Ads Manager} Edidiong Adiakpan

The Rowdy statue — a tradition yet to come

{Advisor}

University tradition is a reflection of the student body at any given school.

Part of what makes university tradition so special is the belief among students that their school is exclusive, distinctive and exceptional.

UTSA is an emerging Tier One university and the largest in the San Antonio metropolitan region with over 30,000 students. The university, sprawling with cultural diversity, demands top-notch scholars and welcomes students from all over the world. The one thing that UTSA lacks, though — albeit because of the youth of the university — is tradition.

Throughout the state of Texas, various universities glow with campus tradition. At the University of Texas at Austin, students have their time-honored slogan “Hook Em’ Horns,” the UT Tower and their beloved mascot Bevo. At Texas A&M University, students have their Aggie Bonfire and Twelfth Man mantra.

But what does UTSA have to boast as its tradition?

UTSA developed its Rowdy Roadrunner hand sign in the ‘80s, with many students and faculty still uncertain as to how the sign itself came to be. As luck would have it, this personifies

Diane Abdo

{Advisory Board}

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the lack of importance given to tradition that is present at UTSA — where the only tradition present is entrenched with vague importance. Because of this, there is a clear lack of unity among students at the university. The students have nothing of their own to call exclusive, distinctive and exceptional. So what has the university done to compensate for this?

On Sep. 6, 2013, UTSA unveiled its Rowdy statue to boost spirit, moral and tradition among students. The statue cost the university $25,000 with the whole of the cost covered by donations. But the 6-foot tall, 11foot long, half-ton, iron statue still rests in the University Center, with its final resting place unknown.

The 2013 fall graduation came and went with the Rowdy statue present in the University Center, roped off and unable to be touched by students. The spring 2014 graduation correspondingly came and went, with the Rowdy statue still in its temporary place.

Possibilities for new tradition and university pride have since been put on hold, as the mysterious wait for the placement of the statue continues. Opportunities are endless for students, alumni, faculty and families to create new traditions with the statue, with graduates deserving more than just a walk in the Alamodome.

UTSA has been growing and expanding at an astronomical rate, becoming known for outstanding research, quality education and economic contribution to the region. With expansion coming at such a fast pace, the lack of tradition becomes ever so

Comic Comic Interest: Marcus Connolly

obvious.

Until the Rowdy Statue is moved, every day that passes at UTSA is another day without solid traditions. It only takes one student to create an idea that will remain with other students, and given the beauty and design

of the Rowdy statue, the future looks exciting for UTSA tradition.

Jakob Lopez Managing Editor

The Paisano

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Summer 2014

August 26, 2008

ARTS&LIFE 1

New Attraction in New Braunfels arts@paisano-online.com

Stand aside IMAX theaters — the drive-in movie theater is making a comeback!

Unlike sock hops and poodle skirts, this piece of 1950s Americana is alive and well thanks to the family-owned Stars and Stripes Drive-In Theater out of Lubbock, Texas.

After the success of his first drive-in, Ryan Smith and family are bringing their business to New Braunfels beginning this November.

In Lubbock, Stars and Stripes was the first drive-in theater in the world to run all-digital movies on multiple screens.

They are bringing that same technology to New Braunfels — but with a twist. The New Braunfels location will have the largest movie screens in Texas measuring in at 90 feet wide.

Another feature of the drivein that Stars and Stripes has updated, along with the 35-millimeter film footage, is the outdated sound system. Traditionally, sound was piped out through a speaker box outside the vehicles, but now moviegoers can tune their radios to a specific FM frequency and listen from their car stereo.

The New Braunfels location will have many of the same amenities that the Lubbock location offers. Moviegoers can either enjoy the film from the comfort of their car or watch outside in lawn chairs.

This location will offer a playground and patio areas for kids to play at while watching the movie.

Stars and Stripes will also be dog friendly, as long as the pets are kept inside the vehicle or on a leash outside.

Unlike at regular movie theaters, outside food will be allowed at the New Braunfels Stars and Stripes Drive-In. Guests will also have the option of buying treats from the “Rockin’ Eats 50’s Cafe,” which will offer pizza, burgers, milkshakes and, of course, popcorn.

Ticket prices have not been posted for the New Braunfels location just yet, but if they are anything like their Lubbock counterpart, they will be offered at a great deal for a twomovie feature.

The Lubbock location currently offers adult tickets for ages 12 and up at seven dollars per person, with child tickets for ages four to 11 at five dollars per person. Kids ages three and under are admitted for free.

Just like their Lubbock location, Stars and Stripes is hoping to bring theme nights to their New Braunfels location.

From showcasing classic cars to honoring military veterans, Stars and Stripes coordinates special events for showings of cult classic movies.

New Braunfels’ residents are not unfamiliar with driveins. The Tower Drive-in was a 250-car drive-in theater that opened in 1950 but closed as the demand for drive-in movie

theaters declined over the decades.

Once the gates open, Stars and Stripes New Braunfels will not be looking to close anytime soon. Stars and Stripes prides themselves on being open yearround—rain or shine — and every night during the summer and school holidays.

The Stars and Stripes New Braunfels drive-in theater will be located close to the intersection of FM 1101 and Kroesche Lane.

The theater is scheduled to open this summer. Although the official date hasn’t been set, stay on the lookout for updates. Watching a movie or two in this environment is perfect summer fun. Stay cool in the car if the Texas summer nights are too intense, or enjoy the warm breeze outside on milder nights.

Once they are open and operating, Stars and Stripes will post an up-to-date movie schedule every Tuesday night.

Currently, the New Braunfels location has only scheduled the 3rd installation of the The Hunger Games movie series, Mockingjay: Part 1 for Friday Nov. 21.

For more information and updates, check out the Stars and Stripes New Braunfels Facebook page at www. facebook .com/StarsandStripesNewBraunfels. To buy tickets and to check showtimes, visit driveinusa.com and click on the New Braunfels link.

Photo Courtesy of Stars and Stripes Drive-In Theatre

Rebecca Conejo Social Media Manager

Line up early to get a good parking spot at the New Braunfels Stars and Stripes Drive-In Movie Theater.

Chilly treats at SA Pops arts@paisano-online.com SA Pops, a frozen treats shop, invites customers to cool off with artisan, handcrafted treats and drinks sure to satisfy even the pickiest eater.

The creator behind the brightly colored paletas — Spanish for popsicles — which are quickly becoming popular, is San Antonio native Andrew Gutierrez.

His love of frozen treats prompted Gutierrez to open the shop after working at various culinary institutes and businesses and becoming experienced in the art of bringing joy to people through food. His parents, Marina and Silvester Guteirrez, help manage the front of the store.

Inside, SA Pops has a downto-earth and family-friendly atmosphere. Outside, vivid drawings paint the front windows alongside charming flower pots and tables for customers to sit and enjoy their treats.

The shop’s interior keeps true to its roots with bright colors, random objects and pieces of art that relate to Mexican or San Antonio culture. Mismatched tables and chairs take up most of the room, creating a quirky yet endearing place to visit.

Using local, seasonal, fresh ingredients, Gutierrez creates a variety of multi-colored paletas with flavors ranging from the simple — vanilla and mango — to the more exotic — tamarindo and rice pudding. All the paletas are crafted using an

authentic paleta machine imported from Mexico.

Prices start at $2 for a simple paleta. Other treats include New Orleans-style shaved ice, handmade ice cream sandwiches, milkshakes, soft-serve ice cream, Mexican sodas and sundaes.

For something simple, try the raspberry paleta. Made fresh from real raspberries, there is no hint of artificial flavoring or preservatives. Tart and sweet, the treat leaves lips a deep shade of red.

For something deliciously different, order the chocolate dipped pistachio paleta. Once the order is placed, the paleta is hand-dipped and then coated with crushed pistachios for a crunchy and nutty treat.

Shaved ice is also a good option for beating the heat. Sizes and prices vary. A small (8 oz.) costs $2 and the large (20 oz.) costs $4.

All the syrups are made instore and vary from horchata and wedding cake to dill pickle and chamoy. Go for the piña colada and add ice cream for $1 more — a delicious and satisfying combination.

Freshly made cookies create the handcrafted ice cream sandwiches. For $2, customers can get a good-sized sandwich with flavors ranging from chocolate chip to triple chocolate fudge. All sandwiches have a thick layer of one of many flavors of ice cream in the middle.

The owners make an effort to talk and connect with customers, adding to the friendly and cozy atmosphere of the shop that leaves guests feeling welcomed.

SA Pops is located at 3420 N. Saint Mary’s St. and is open every day from 2 p.m.- to 8 p.m.

Visit sapops.net for more information.

Tania Khan/ The Paisano

Tania Khan Intern

Choose from a wide variety of sweet treats and cool off with SA Pops.

ARTS&LIFE 2

Summer 2014 The Paisano

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August 26, 2008

The Paisano Summer 2014

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August 26, 2008

ARTS&LIFE 3

Summertime Bucket List

Six activities to do before the fall semester starts

arts@paisano-online.com First, if you haven’t already, take a 12-hour nap, stay in your pajamas for a day and binge watch your favorite show on Netflix. Then, regardless of work and summer school, make some time for these five fun things to do in and around San Antonio.

Big Bend National Park: Take a trip across Texas and spend a few nights under the stars. Big Bend National Park is something every Texan – native or not – should experience.

Living in the city, you can get used to seeing streetlights instead of stars, and Big Bend is the perfect remedy. To plan a trip go to visitbigbend.com for all your lodging, food and activity needs.

Crawdads: If you haven’t been to Crawdads Sports Bar and Grill (12333 West Ave) and are a fan of classic Cajun seafood, then a visit is a summertime must.

They’ve gained some notoriety for their Saturday crawfish boils. For some of the tastiest crawfish – complete with sausage, potatoes and corn on the cob – Crawdads is the place to go. For the full menu, go to crawdadspourhouse.com.

Dollar Movie Theater: Yes, summer fun sometimes involves spending some major cash. Luckily, San Antonio offers hand-picked flicks priced at $1 at the Cinemark Movies 16 theater (5063 NW Interstate Loop 410). It’s a fun place to go with some friends without breaking the bank. While the movies aren’t the most current blockbusters, Cinemark 16 screens great films, old and new. Check cinemark.com for movie listings and show times.

River and get off the grid.

New Braunfels has something for everyone, and getting away to a small town just for the day is always nice. For all things to do in New Braunfels, visit tripadvisor.com. Don’t forget to go back for Wurstfest in October.

Downtown: Spend a day exploring downtown San Antonio. Begin your adventure by parking at the UTSA Downtown Campus, and visit the shops and restaurants around the Pearl Brewery. Be a tourist and stroll up and down the Riverwalk. If you live near the UTSA Main Cam-

pus location, things may feel a little too suburbanized so dive into downtown. Who knows?

A downtown hole-in-the-wall cafĂŠ might become your favorite place in the city.

Summer is a time for lazy days, sunshine and fun.

Whether you’re the type of

person who climbs Enchanted Rock every weekend or the type of person who is on the hunt for the best coffee around, this list is for you. Try the activities that sound appealing to you first, and then give the others a chance. Most of all, have as much fun as you can before school takes over again.

River City Rock Fest: Check out the mega concert of the summer coming to the AT&T Center (1 AT&T Center Pkwy.) on May 24. River City Rock Fest will feature four stages with sets packed full of musicians. Big names include Seether, Deftones and Kid Rock. Openers include Shattered Sun, Lonely Horse, Texas and Black Stone Cherry.

For concert tickets and information, visit rivercityrockfest. com.

New Braunfels: Visit our neighbors to the northeast, and take your pick of fun activities. For thrill seekers, take a day trip and explore Schlitterbahn Waterpark. For music lovers, spend an evening at Gruene Hall. And for those who just need some time away from it all to relax for a few hours, drive over to the Comal

Marcus Connolly/ The Paisano

Beth Marshall Arts Editor

Basque in the warmth and freedom of summer by exploring new places and trying new things.

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SPORTS

Summer 2014

The Paisano’s top six picks of the 2013-2014 UTSA athletic season UTSA ATHLETICS

The Roadrunner softball team hit the ground running in Michelle Cheatham’s head coaching debut, sweeping the Lamar Cardinals and matching their fifth best season start in school

Jeff Huehn / UTSA Athletics

Rick Yeates/Conference USA

Fabiola Arriaga, the first Roadrunner to participate in four NCAA postseasons and earn four first-team all-conference certificates, captured the Conference USA Championship last April.

The Roadrunner men’s track & field captured the 2013 Conference USA Championship, scoring a program-record 172 points en route to a fifth outdoor crown in program annals.

After coming close in the past two seasons, the UTSA women’s cross country team captured the Conference USA Championship, its first crown since 1996, and its sixth in school history.

Jeff Huehn / UTSA Athletics

The Roadrunner football team capped their Conference USA debut with a winning season, finishing 7-5 with a decisive 30-10 victory in their final game against Louisiana Tech.

UTSA Athletics

Daryl Smith/The Paisano

Jeff Huehn / UTSA Athletics

The 2013-2014 Roadrunner athletic season is coming to a close, and as we look forward to next season, we stop to remember some of the memorable moments that shaped the 2013-2014 campaign. Congratulations UTSA Athletics, as well as the athletes and coaching staff that made everything possible.

The UTSA athletic program officially became members of Conference USA on July 1, 2013, its third league change in the past three years.

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