by Gilbert Sanchez
Managing Editor
The Texas A&M International University Student Ambassadors have elected a new president: Juan Jose González. González takes over one of the most active organizations on campus. Gonzalez says the Student Ambassadors have a tradition of accepting and overcoming challenges by teaching its members, " not to dwell on the mountain, but to figure out a way to scale it and reach new heights." Gonzalez feels this philosophy has put forth a group of motivated individual who invigorate the university with their energy by participating in such projects as commencement exercises, student orientations, and university scholarship fund raising.
González has a strong history of being a pioneer at TAMIU. Mr. González was the first freshman admitted to TAMIU, and he was the first student admitted to the Student Ambassadors. Gonzalez's involvement with the Student Ambassadors and with the university has been characterized by strong commitment and accomplishments. In the year of initiation for the Student Ambassadors, Gonzalez emerged as an indispensable leader of the organization. As a founding member of the Texas A&M International University Student Ambassadors, González participated in a fundraising committee that raised in excess of six thousand dollars. He helped implement the Ambassador Membership Committee, which sets participant standards. He also helped co-author the TAMIU StudentAmbassadors' Constitution.
Gonzalez was also active in recruiting high school students for TAMIU. During this hectic 1995/96 founding year he still found the time to be a mentor for high school students. Sandra Hernández, currently a freshman at TAMIU, expressed her appreciation of Gonzalez's effort's: "As my mentor he made my transition to university life a real success.''
González chaired the committee that created the Ricardo Ortegón Student Ambassador Scholarship. This scholarship was awarded for the first time in the Fall of 1996 to an incoming freshman, Sandra Hernández. Juan Jose González has been recognized as an exemplary leader at Texas A&M International University and with the Student Ambassadors. He capped off the founding year by receiving the Ambassador of the Year Award. Many members among the Student Ambassador organization felt that González will lead them to new successes.
by Hugh Elmore
News Editor
In what some participants described as a true spirit of benevolence, Sue and Radcliffe Killam further cemented their role as important benefactors of TAMIU by making yet another donation to this University.
The Killams' latest gift creates the O.W. Killam Endowed Scholarship fund and the O.W. Killam Oil and Gas Scholarship.
According to Radcliffe Killam, his family "...considers the contributions not as gifts, but as investments in this community..." Named after Radcliffe Killam's father, the gifts demonstrate the Killams' belief in the importance of education to attain higher goals.
"Laredo's preeminence in international trade and commerce, oil and gas exploration, and overall success in the global marketplace can only be secured by having available a continuous source of learned minds," said Radcliffe Killam.
TAMIU President J. Charles Jennett stated that scholarship needs here continue to outstrip available resources.
However, the Killam scholarships should be available to students beginning Fall 1997.
Students interested in applying for these scholarships should contact the Finacial Aid Office at (210) 326-2225.
By Elizabeth Huber
In the last issue of the Bridge, there was a letter to the Editor written by Dr. Malcolm Patterson regarding the feasibility of a child care center at TAMIU. After reading the letter, I wondered: on what planet was this supposed child care center to be built?? I am asking because this place must have such stringent standards (according to the letter) that no child care facility could remain open let alone the over 20 large child care centers operating in the Laredo area right now.
Almost any parent with a child enrolled at one of our local preschools can tell you that a child care center consists of more than "a few grandmotherly types, a few cribs, a little spot to play in, and lots of second hand toys and kid's books," as Dr Patterson stated in his letter. These comments suggest to me that Dr. Patterson was lacking even a basic knowledge of child care before he undertook this study. Now I don't have a doctorate attached to my name, but as the child care training coordinator servicing Webb, Jim Hogg, Zapata, and Starr county, I do know a thing or two about child care centers and child care in general. In response to Dr. Patterson's comments, this is what I can tell TAMIU students about the feasibility of operating a child care center:
1) Dr. Patterson states that "any child care effort is a huge undertaking with monstrous ... responsibilities." This is an exaggeration. If child care centers were in fact, that difficult to operate, no one would do it and child care wouldn't exist. It is NOT something one goes into with little or no knowledge in the subject but a university the size and scope of TAMlU should have enough resources for this not to be a problem.
2) Dr. Patterson also seems concerned about the size of this proposed facility and states that "most if not all the building (the Student Center) would have to be dedicated exclusively to child care." Well, according to the Minimum Standards for Day Care Centers, the guide all day care centers in the state have to follow (which by the way is about 80 pages, appendixes and all, of very large type with copy that rarely goes beyond the middle of the page and NOT "1000 pages thick") there must be 30 square feet of indoor floor space per child and 80 square feet of outside space per child. Doing some simple math calculations, a facility with at least 1,000 square feet of floor space (which I am told is a very small house) can house up to 33 children. What this means for TAMIU is that the proposed center can be as small or as large as the enrollment they set.
3) I am sure that most TAMIU students who are also parents agree with Dr. Patterson's statement that "such a program could hardly be free." I don't believe that is the issue because when it comes to the care and well-being of our children, I am sure that most parents would not settle for what is free if they did not think it was also safe.
I think important issues might have been left out when this feasibility study was done, such as the importance of quality child care for our children. If Dr. Patterson believes that Texas has "superstrict" standards, I am sure he would be surprised to know that Texas standards are regarded very poorly in studies done throughout the country on child care. It ranks very low among the states in both child-to-staff ratios and space requirements. Also, the Minimum Standards states that any employee must be 18 years of age and be a high school graduate or have completed their GED. This is hardly the degreed personnel that Dr. Patterson said the facility "must" have. It seems as if he is trying to place mountains where there are only obstacles.
Maybe he has failed to understand how important it is for a parent to feel that their child is.in a safe and secure learning environment. Maybe he feels that TAMIU parents and their children should be pushed to a lower priority. Furthermore, he seems to be balking at the $400,000.00 price tag that a state of the art facility might require. Well, all I have to say is: shame on you Dr. Patterson for trying to put a price on the most precious of our resources: our children!
It is true, we all need anonymity sometimes, especially in today's electronic world, where almost nothing is safe from prying eyes.
Yet, the idea of having a method to disguise oneself to the eyes of the Internet community would work OK only in an ideal world, where things would be used for their purpose, and nothing more. As we all know, this is hardly an ideal world we live in.
Sysops have the power to know who originated the anonymous message, and if required, in compliance with a court order or similar legal instrument, they can make that information available. Then, where is your anonymity?
One thing to consider, is the proper use of anonymous re-mailers. One appropriate use, for example, is to voice your opinions about a political candidate in a way that is not threatening to your health. Another one is to contribute to a newspaper article and remain unknown to the world. A definitely not correct use of an anonymous re-mailer is to send a message that is meant to insult, harass or otherwise disturb someone else's peace of mind.
Anonymous re-mailers are computer based, and as such, there are people behind the systems (the ever so popular sysops, none the less). Sysops have the power to know who originated the anonymous message, and if required, in compliance with a court order or similar legal instrument, they can make that information available. Then, where is your anonymity?
A harassing message, or a threatening message, can be viewed as unlawful, if it is originated from protected computer systems, such as those in a University setting (computers in a university are state property, and as such, unauthorized use or deliberate misuse can be considered illegal). In this case, the offense is punishable by law, under the 1985 Texas Computer Crimes Law. The law considers the severity of the issues, and these can be classified from a class A misdemeanor ( $4,000 fine and/or 1 year in jail), all the way to a third degree felony ($10,000 fine and/or 2-10 years in jail) .
So it's always a good idea to use the tools you have access to in a correct and dignified fashion. Anonymous e-mail is just as unsafe as regular e-mail. The real danger is, in a sense, beyond the control of the person who sends the e-mail. So why worry? Use regular e-mail, with your own ID, and the university has it as a service to all registered students, free of charge.
For more information, refer to the following Internet locations:
The anonymous mail FAQ
(Http://electron.rutgers.edu/~gambino/anon_servers/anonfaq
The Computer Crimes Law section in the University of Texas's policy manual
(Http://www.utexas.edu/policies/computercrimes.html)
Abelardo Garcia-Vizcaya, Jr.
Manager Student Computer Services
TAMIU
by Carlos Ferdin
One year after its maiden issue hit the campus hallways, new editors have been selected to run The Bridge. The student newspaper, the first such publication in the history of TAMIU, received the new faces in February.
Every editor is a currently enrolled student at TAMIU. The editors meet monthly to plan the Assignment Board, which lists the articles planned for each edition.
The Bridge's website is periodically maintained by Richard Rendon, a graduate student and certified HTML programmer. The Bridge is also negotiating with Jesse Hinojosa to revive the Dustbin cartoon strip featuring Hinojosa's original artwork and ideas.
Lara Mardiros is Features Editor. She reviews submissions for the Letters to the Editor, Opinion, Entertainment, Sports, and Fashion sections. Medeiros is a poetess whose writing explores the darker visage of human existence. "Working is more my hobby," she joked.
Hugh Elmore, formerly a roving reporter for the paper, now serves as News Editor. He checks all news articles of campus, city and national interest. Elmore is an avid traveler and fisherman who strives to emulate the path of his literary hero, author Ernest Hemingway. "Except the part about killing himself," Elmore asserted.
Jaime Garza plies his skills as Photography Editor, a new editorship established at The Bridge. He reviews the quality of photos considered for publication and plans the shoot schedule. Garza brings a wealth of expertise in photography from previous jobs.
Albert Chavez, a student employee, is Layout Editor. He smooths the rough edges of QuarkExpress desktop publishing design, and is also the jack-of-all-trades for The Bridge. He formerly worked on the student paper at Alexander High School.
Diana Arellano steps in as Copy Editor. Her role requires a thorough knowledge of English grammar and punctuation to ensure quality. Arellano brings experience from her job at Laredo Morning Times, where she paginates and copy-edits regularly for that paper.
Gilbert Sanchez occupies the post of Managing Editor. He maintains advertising revenue, oversees the general ledger, and analyzes circulation patterns. A Student Ambassadors ex-President, Sanchez brings a degree in accounting as well as organizational and business acumen to the paper.
Carlos Guardiola will helm the paper as Editor-in-Chief at the request of the previous Editor-In-Chief, Tim Kennedy. He approves final content and plans the overall direction of the paper. Guardiola, who ran the paper for eight months last year, plans to graduate in May and prepare for law school.
Guardiola lauded Kennedy's tenure. "Tim kept the whole thing together," he said. "He built up our budget and bought new equipment. He did a tough job, and he did it well. There was never, repeat, never any power struggle going on."
Kennedy, an MBA candidate and ex-Army captain, left the paper in February to concentrate on an internship with the Killams.
Enlarging on the paper's first year, Guardiola said, "We're happy with the response. The students know that we're here. Increasing circulation strength is our next goal."
Dr. Michael Angulo, the faculty advisor, expounded on the sometimes bitter road. "Sometimes I'm amazed that we're still in existence," Angulo stated. "But I'm very happy that we are."
Future plans for The Bridge include an appropriations program for printing equipment, computer software, and office furniture. The Bridge editorial staff will also draft grant proposals to corporations and foundations to expand the paper's funding base.
by Sheila Kirkendall
For persons who routinely park in reserved handicapped spaces at TAMIU, a new citation policy promises to curb the practice.
In an effort to reduce the number of students illegally parking in these spots, the University Police will issue citations to all students who park in handicap reserve spaces, whether or not they have the handicap permit displayed.
The state law specifies that any vehicle with a handicap permit is to be used to transport a person or persons with some type of handicap.
Only when the vehicle is actually transporting that person may they park in the reserved spots. The University citation policy went into effect in February.
Irma Castro, Police Records and Communications Coordinator, stated that the police have issued approximately thirty tickets during this time period.
All persons issued a citation for legally parking in these spaces will have an opportunity to have the tickets dismissed. The person cited must present the ticket with proof of registration of a handicap vehicle in the person's own name only.
Chief of Police Harry Stege stated that, to date, only twelve of the parking citations have been dismissed.
Fines for these tickets are ten dollars, including a five-dollar late fee assessed after seven days. If a person receives two tickets or more, it will be automatically remanded to the Justice of the Peace Precinct 4, where fines can reach fifty dollars plus court costs.
Non-payment of any ticket results in a hold on a student's grades and registration privileges.
Any student issued a ticket has a right to appeal if he or she felt justified in parking in handicap spaces. The appeals are heard by a committee made up of two staff members, one faculty member, and two students.
The duration of this policy is not known. Its main purpose is stated as eliminating abuse of handicap parking spaces. Stege added that persons who can legally park in handicap spaces have already been identified.
Stege said the policies of the University Police are created for the safety of the student body, and are geared to control the number of vehicles on campus without parking permits.
by Dr. Jeri Kraver
The Women's Studies Minor Program is sponsoring a series of events to celebrate Women's History Month this March.
All month long there will be displays in the Killam Library and Killam West Lobby honoring prominent women from all disciplines and across cultures.
In addition, the Women's Studies Minor Program is co-sponsoring, with Laredo women's organization Las Mujeres, the 1997 Primavera Conference on March 8 at TAMIU. The theme for the conference is Communities of Women/Comunidades de Mujeres. Among the speakers featured at this year's conference are authors Montserrat Fontes, who novels First Confession and Dreams of the Centaur have been published by W.W. Norton. Also appearing will be political activists Sissy Farenthold and Tecihtzin. Tecihtzin was born in San Antonio in 1919 and her artistic efforts often reflect her youth in South Texas.
On the evening preceding the conference, the traditional Brindis a la Mujer, a toast in honor of women from the U.S. and Mexico will be celebrated at 7:30 PM at the Laredo Center for the Arts.
March is also the kick-off of the second Women's Studies Speaker Series. This series features lunchtime presentations by members of the TAMIU faculty and staff. Among the presenters scheduled are Dr. Marjorie Coppock on "Women and Aging" (March 21); Dr. Susan Perry on "The Feminist Influence on Social Psychology" (March 27); Dr. Carol Waters on "The Human Body as Property" (April 2); Dr. Norma Cantu on "La Quinceanera" (April 7); Dr. Kati Pletsch de Garcia on "Gender and Language Differences" (April 14); Dr. Frances Rhodes on "Women in Children's Literature" (April 21); and TAMIU Police Chief Harry Stege on "Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment" (April 29).
For additional information, visit the Women's Studies homepage under College of Arts and Humanities on the TAMIUwebsite (http://www.tamiu.edu).
by Carlos A. Guardiola
Editor-In-Chief
At the SGA officers' swearing-in ceremony one year ago, Student Development Director David VerMilyea delivered an impassioned plea. "The most important thing for you now is to ask questions!" he told the new SGA inductees, surrounded by a crowd of mostly University employees who were ordered to observe the ceremony and clap when appropriate.
I recalled Mr. VerMilyea's words when I read an article in the Laredo Morning Times on Page 20A of its March 2 edition titled "Student government sets election filing deadline." The last line of that piece stated that TAMIU's Student Government Association "participates in the decision-making process affecting students."
The truth is that the SGA's University Court, the true arm of student justice, never got a chance to ask questions. Any hope for the concept of student government on this campus arrived stillborn, and scarcely a soul noticed or cared.
A year ago, running unopposed, I took the seat of Appellate Justice At Large in the SGA's Judicial Branch. Dr. M. Stephen Brown, Dean of Student Affairs, later made a very clear implication to me that he was running the Court, not the students. I never participated in their proceedings, if they had any, even though the SGA Constitution required my presence. And I don't know of a single case that was heard before the Court in its first term.
The SGA Constitution states that the first University Court, comprised of elected students, should have had both structure and formal guidelines in effect no more than thirty days after its members were elected. It should have met regularly, kept accurate minutes, and heard cases. Yet none of that happened.
The Court, in its infancy, didn't meet independently, either. Its meeting times were consolidated with those of the Student Senate and the Student Executive Branch at Dean Brown's desire. The inherent system of checks and balances apparently went out the window. I never understood how the Court could possibly have conducted its own business with two other SGA entities in the room.
And this month, on the eve of new general elections, I can put my role with the SGA University Court on my resume — but we didn't do a damned thing for the students. This still bothers me one year after the fact because students who have legitimate grievances against this University fear some form of retaliation. Many of them opt for self-censure.
Have students ever felt they were treated unfairly by a professor or administrator or an arbitrarily applied policy? If they spoke out, did they feel they would be punished? The University Court could have been the students' opportunity for genuine redress. The University's grip on student government, however, prevented that.
The University is distributing a new student handbook called The Source 1997, which mentions the filing of student grievances. And it is littered with mention of private meetings and conferences with officials. Justice dispensed behind closed doors is probably intended to dissuade and dispel any student grievances. It is easy to do when no one is looking.
What is wrong with having disputes openly aired in a public forum, the intended purpose of the University Court? They call it student government, but who really does the governing?
The role of the Dean of Student Affairs in the Court, as described in The Source, also expanded from its description in the SGA Constitution. From being an "ex-officio, non-voting member" of the Court to a "non-voting coordinator with the responsibility of ensuring the appropriate University rules and procedures are followed throughout the course of the hearing," the Dean indeed has a controlling presence at such hearings.
Students do not have the experience or specialized knowledge to dictate policies that affect the overall operations of the University. Those areas are best left to the men and women who are routinely paid to run things efficiently. But the SGA and its University Court should be watchdogs that ensure students' rights do not get trampled in the process.
After all, when students do not meet their obligations or abide by University policies, they are quickly corrected. They are dropped from unpaid classes, receive zeros for cheating, are threatened to be dropped from a course for excessive absences, and are ticketed for running stop signs and driving too fast on campus.
The SGA and the University Court are designed to make sure the University meets its obligations, too. These include hiring competent and mentally stable professors, spending monies prudently, not misplacing students' overload waivers, not raising tuition astronomically, and not changing the rules arbitrarily.
If student government is all lip service, it would be better to disband the entire SGA and terminate this illusory concept. Take the creature out back and just shoot it, because what has been put down on paper does not match reality. This is not about control; this is about accountability.
by Darlene Sanchez
Will English become the official language of the United States? Are we going to let congress strip away our rights and heritage by allowing them to make English the official language? We need to take a stand and urge our Congress representative, Henry Bonilla to vote against H.R. 123 because this bill is a threat to our Constitutional rights.
Any proposal to make English the official language of the United States conflicts with our constitutional rights. The H.R.123 proposal, if passed, will strip away constitutional amendments from non-speaking citizens. H.R. 123 is delayed in an educational committee due to the negative impact it will have on education, but nevertheless it will come to a vote in congress. These non-English speaking citizens will be deprived of their 15th, 19th and 26th Amendments, the right to vote. The right to vote is your voice in government that elects representatives.
In the mid 1960ís, some American Caucasian people, mostly Southerners, deprived African-Americans of their right to vote because of their race. The passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 put an end to this injustice. Now, citizens of the United States are not denied the right to vote because of race, color, previous conditions of servitude, or sex. These rights were granted by the 15th and 19th Amendments. Should we lose our right to vote because of the language we speak? Although every citizen has the right to vote, the H.R.123 will deprive non- English speakers the right to vote because bilingual literacy ballots will be abolished. English- First supporters want English as the primary language and argue that bilingual ballots are contradictory to citizenship laws, which require fluency in English. Therefore, if H.R. 123 is accepted, all bilingual federal and state documents will be abolished and non-English speaking citizens will be deprived of their right to vote. The H.R.123 will not only conflict with minority peopleís right to vote, but also conflict with their 14th Amendment. It will conflict with their unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Moreover, if the H.R.123 is passed, everything our founding fathers accomplished would be insignificant.
H.R.123 will abolish bilingual education in the United States. Bilingual education is the use of two languages for teaching. In Laredo, students from minority groups such as Hispanic Americans do not excel in school because their native language is not English. It is very difficult for them to succeed in school; therefore, bilingual education programs aid them. Bilingual programs enable our children to learn basic subjects and help them to progress in life.
To improve these programs, the Bilingual Education Act of 1968 provides federal aid for bilingual instruction. Since minorities have rights, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that public schools must provide specially designed programs for students who speak little or no English. For example, in Laredo many elementary school children have bilingual education programs because numerous toddlers grow up in Spanish speaking homes and know little or no English when they enter school. Therefore, they continue in this program until their English- speaking skills meet with Texas education standards. Bilingual education programs are established for positive results.
In addition, bilingual education enables our children to learn basic subjects partially in Spanish and partly in English. They will also study English as their second language. The bilingual teaching continues until the student knows enough English to succeed in English- speaking classes. For instance, Maria Euadalupe Velasquez, a Hispanic continued in bilingual education and graduated as Valedictorian from J.W. Nixon High School. Coudrtney Cazden, author of Language, Cognition and ESL Literacy states, ìStudents do prosper from these programs; the passing rate for secondary school students in bilingual education in some cities has increased from 76% to 96% on exit exams.î Bilingual education is essential and makes a difference for scholastic achievers. It is essential because many Laredoans whose native language is not English fall behind in their studies if instructions are only in English. Many educators believe bilingual education programs help such students get a good basic education while learning English. Without bilingual programs, a child lacks the skill needed to adjust successfully to life in our society.
H.R.123 will encourage racism and bigotry. It will encourage these hostile actions and minorities will be separated from the rest of society because their native language may differ from English. For instance, Carson also states,î it can deprive non-English speakers who are most likely to be the elderly, the poor, the less fortunate, or women access to English learning opportunities.î These residents are the ones who are going to suffer and be at a disadvantage.
With this bill, non-English speakers are sitting ducks!
English only supporters know and acknowledge that non-English speaking citizens, ìwill continue to be victimized and manipulated by people who pretend to be their friends and countrymenî states John Doolittle, an advocate of English First. So why are they trying to pass a bill if non-English speaking citizens will be victimized? Many minorities were victimize after the Official English Amendment passed in Florida in 1988. There were numerous reports that Spanish-speakers had been insulted, harassed, disregarded, and even physically harmed for speaking Spanish.
John T. Doolittle was right when he said, ìThose who cannot speak English are often unemployed and end up wasting their lives doing odd jobs or living on welfare, costing tax payers' millions every year." Why would Doolittle contradict himself by supporting H.R.123? The bill only demotes this country, making taxpayers squander their money on welfare and penitentiaries.
Although English is the common national language of the United States, it is not, nor has it ever been the exclusive language spoken in the country. This nation has a history of linguistic diversity and high tolerance of different languages and cultures. The U.S. has always been a melting pot. Part of what makes our country so unique is our multi-cultural society. President Clinton also stated at the presidential inauguration, ìIt is our diversity that makes our nation strong!î People should be encouraged to maintain their heritage. The H.R.123 conflicts with Constitutional Rights and privileges that are granted to every citizen of America. This amendment will only do more harm than good! Laredo, do not let Congress take your rights. Tu voto es tu voz!
By Tanya Patricia Golding
Does love on the Internet work? Can you find true happiness chatting on-line? I have several friends who say that finding true love on the Net is possible; I disagree.
My story begins in February, when I started chatting on the popular MIRC. One of my friends convinced me to try it. I was used to chatting only on L'Hotel Chat; I had been using this site for more than a year.
That first night on MIRC, I met a lot of people from all over the world, from Mexico to India. Meeting with so many different cultures excited me. I made ten new friends from Mexico and we exchanged E-mail addresses. In fact, we still keep in touch. On the second night, I met more friends from Spain and Italy.
Well, on that second night, I also met a nice man on the MIRC. We hit it off from the start; we had a lot in common. We chatted about three hours, and when I had to leave, he asked for my phone number.
I refused.
I refused because I was scared, frankly. All those stories of killers lurking on the Net, waiting to lure unsuspecting or naive victims, ran through my mind. I offered this nice man, who was still a complete stranger, my E-mail address instead, but he said he did not have E- mail. But he gave me his phone number so I could call him collect.
Well, I got home that night and my curiousity led me to make that call. Now, I know it was a mistake, but at the time, it was fun.
We talked for nearly four hours, and afterwards I gave him my phone number. He called me every night after that for about two weeks; each night we spoke for three hours or so. I learned a lot about this nice stranger.
Michael, as I will call him, was a senior agent for an insurance company. He had a gross salary of $90,000 and a Ph.D. He was 35 years old, 13 years older than I was. But I suppose I was fascinated with this person because he had achieved what I planned to strive for after my graduation. We got along great, until the day he told me he loved me.
When he first said those words, I was speechless; I said, "Okay."
Michael would tell me "I love you" every night after that. But I tended to be skeptical of these kinds of declarations. I thought Michael was harmless, though, and I agreed to exchange photographs.
When Valentine's Day neared, I decided to buy Mike a card and send it with my picture. On Valentine's Day, I arrived home from the University to find flowers. I was floating on air! Flowers from my Prince Charming!
He called me that night and read me a poem he had written just for me. The next day, I received his letter in the mail. I was so excited to finally put a face to the person I had been chatting with for a long time.
When I opened the letter, I looked at the pictures first. I was somewhat disappointed, actually, because my mental picture of this person was very different from what he actually looked like. But I told myself that looks weren't important. I liked this person for who he was. I knew him as a caring, considerate person.
That night, he didn't call me. I thought it strange. But I didn't let it bother me.
The following evening, I decided to call him. To my surprise, he said he was too old for me and, after seeing my picture, he told me he did not want to be selfish and take advantage of me. That was his explanation. It was so abrupt. I asked him why his feelings had suddenly changed, and why he lied to me. He said his feelings were the same, but he could not deal with the age difference. That is how my friendship with Michael ended.
I know that finding love on the Internet is possible; two of my friends are engaged to people they met on-line. But personally, I will be careful who I talk to in the future. Since most people on the Net are just telling you what you want to hear, they never disclose their true identities.
The Internet, that world all its own, is sometimes fictitious and never reliable. Watch out who you trust.
by Ramon Villafranca
Students often enter the classroom without paying attention to the background, character, and individual charm of their instructors. As a senior, I have often been guilty of this indifference. Recently, however, I interviewed Dr. Jeffrey Cass, an Associate Professor of English, and, as a result, I hope to change, in some measure, these attitudes.
I asked Dr. Cass where he had received his formal training. "Well, I received my B.A. from the University of Dallas where I completed a double major in English and German. It's a small, private, liberal arts school. Then I received my M.A. and Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the University of California, San Diego." Dr. Cass added that UCSD was a big change from the intellectual climate to which he had grown accustomed as an undergraduate.
Dr. Cass has always lived on the border, hailing from San Diego and speaking Spanish fluently. When asked what had sparked his interest in literature, he replied that my question was tough to answer. He said that throughout high school he had been interested in literature, and in college he had several good literature instructors. They moved his interest to a more professional level, supplementing his previous engagement with the classics and drama. Dr. Cass also attributes his interests in literature to his mother who introduced him to foreign works, in particular the novels of Dostoevsky.
Dr. Cass' first teaching position was in Laredo at Laredo Community College. He taught there for three years. After earning his Ph.D., he was hired at TAMIU. Knowing that he has taught many students, I asked him if there one particular area with which students in English classes must struggle. He said that Laredo students often struggled with grammar and usage although he did not believe that their difficulties were unique to Laredo, even if many of them spoke English as a second language. The best way to assist students with their difficulties lay in modeling the language, presenting the English language and literature in all their fullness, richness, and complexity. He also believed that instructors had to have high expectations of them, For the-most part, he felt that they did succeed.
Throughout the interview, Dr. Cass love for the English language and literature was apparent. I believe that it is a passion that is integral to the occupation of a teacher. Witty, Inventive, Intelligent, I believe he shares that passion with his students.
Another professorial responsibility of which students frequently remain unaware is publishing. I do not believe students understand how time consuming this is. Dr. Cass is currently working on an essay about Elizabeth Gaskell, the first biographer of Charlotte Bronte. Some of his previous works include an essay (which he co-wrote with Dr. Dion Dennis) on the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas and an essay on Mary Shelley. His scholarly pursuits also include Milton (his favorite author), as well as other projects in nineteenth-century women's fiction and popular culture. One can see that his tastes are eclectic.
Dr. Cass has many other non-academic interests. He has been an aerobics dance instructor, has a second-degree black belt in karate, and will act in an upcoming production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. He will play Sir Toby Pelch, a role that his father once played Off Broadway before Dr. Cass was even born.
Dr. Cass' involvement in the community includes Board membership for the Community Action Agency and the Regional Advisory Consortium for the Texas Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. Dr. Cass' dedication to the city of Laredo and its citizens is very much in evidence.
After our discussion, I walked away with a clearer understanding of what it takes to be a professor at TAMIU. But what was more refreshing was that I learned our instructors are well rounded, leading full lives outside the walls of our University.
by Cordelia Alvarado
On March 7-9, TAMIU will observe the 15th anniversary of the Primavera Conference celebrating Communities of Women for International Women's History Month and Women's History Week.
The annual conference will commence with the traditional "Brindis a La Mujer." Writers Montserrat Fontes, originally from Laredo, now from California, and Claire Joysmith, from Mexico City will offer the traditional toast on behalf of all the women in the U.S. And Mexico, respectively, in addition to participating in the conference. The will take place on March 7 at the Laredo Center for the Arts, at 7:30 p.m.
Texas A & M International University will host the actual conference on Saturday, March 8, from 8:30 am - 5:00 p.m., in Bullock Hall, room 101. The conference will feature writers, artists, scholars, and community activists from both the United States and Mexico. Dr. Alicia S. Sosa , an assistant professor of Early Childhood Education at the University of Texas at San Antonio, is amongst the various keynote speakers invited to attend. She will provide the "Opening Plenary" of the conference.. Dr. Sosa was the coordinator of the Valued Youth Partnership Program, a nationally recognized dropout prevention program. The program was featured in Tom Brokaw's American Agenda, The New York Times, and U.S. News and World Report, as well as in twenty-five other articles.
Other invited guests are Clara Lomas, editor of Laredoan's ", Leonor Villgos de Magnon's "The Rebel", Juanita Luna Lawhn, Beatriz de la Garza, or of' he Candy Vendor's Boy"; artists Enedina Vasquez and Patricia Ruiz Bayon; social activists, Tecihtzin and Sissy Farenthold. Maria, Beaiozabal will give the luncheon address. Closing the plenary will be Diana I. Marinez, Dean of Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi.
Performing a traditional dance will be El Grupo de Danza Coatlique from Brownsville, TX, to conclude the Primavera Conference. Rounding off the celebration is the "Tardeada in Nuevo Laredo" to be held on Sunday, March 9. This event will consist of literary readings and presentations of books in Nuevo Laredo at the Casa de la Cultura.
Conference fees are $10 for students. To pre-register for this conference, contact Dr. Jeri Kraver or Dr. Norma Cantu at (210 ) 326-2630.
by Jaime G. Garza
On July 23, 1995, two Americans, independently discovered an unusual bright comet outside of Jupiter's orbit. The two Americans were Alan Hale of New Mexico and Thomas Bopp of Arizona. The new comet, designated C/1995 01, is the farthest comet ever discovered by amateurs and appeared 1000 times brighter than Comet Halley did at the same distance. It has been speculated that Comet Hale-Bopp (named after the two Americans) is either a rather large comet, or has an unusually bright outburst. Comet Hale-Bopp will be the brightest comet since Comet Hyakutake in 1996.
Dr. Michael W. Roth, assistant professor in the Department of Natural Science, says that Comet Hale-Bopp has not been this close to the earth since 4,000 years ago when it made its last visit to this part of the solar system. The comet will not get closer than about 100 million miles to the Earth. Even at this distance, the comet can be seen with the unaided eye. Scientists are billing it the "biggest and brightest comet" in resent history. It will be so large and bright that the comet's tail could stretch across a third of the sky when it reaches peak brilliance in late March and early April.
To get a closer look at the comet, Dr. Michael W. Roth, Dr. Juan H. Hinojosa, Dr. Tom Tekut, and the Astronomy Club are scheduling four viewing sessions for the people of Laredo to view the comet with the Department of Natural Science's telescope. The following are the days scheduled for viewing*:
Friday, March 7th from 4am-6am
Friday, March 19th from 4am-6am
Monday, March 31th from 8pm-11pm (coincides with astronomy lab)
Thursday, April 3rd from 8pm-11pm (coincides with astronomy lab)
This is the second time the Department of Natural Sciences has scheduled viewing sessions for the general public. The first one was last semester when the Department of Natural Sciences scheduled viewing sessions for the last lunar eclipse of the century.
For further information you may want to consult the following web pages
http://newproducts.jpl.nasa.gov/comet/index.html
and
http://www.cnn.com/TECH/9702/hale.bopp.comet/index/html
*note: all days are tentative. Contact the Department of Natural Sciences at extension 326-2445 for further info.*
by Hugh Elmore
News Editor
Amid the mariachi music and the colors of international flags, Phase II of TAMIU was dedicated Friday, Feb. 21.
The tent erected between Canseco and Pellegrino Halls for the purpose was almost filled to capacity as students, faculty and visiting dignitaries gathered to celebrate the rapid growth of the University.
The ceremony celebrated four new buildings added to the assetts of TAMIU, including: Canseco Hall, the new home of the College of Science and Technology and the School of Nursing; Pellegrino Hall, housing the College of Business Administration; the Kinesiology Building; and the Physical Plant Building.
The dedication of these buildings effectively increased the floor space of TAMIU by 60 percent.
Music with a definite border flair was provided by the United High School Mariachis Del Mar.
Speeches were made by State Comptroller John Sharp, State Senator Judith Zaffirini, State Representatives Henry Cuellar and Tracy King, and SGA President Jerry Garza.
An interesting game of gentle ribbing ensued when each speaker tried to one-up a joke made by Sharp at the expense of University of Texas alumni.
Zaffirini tried to defend her UT alma mater, but quickly became outnumbered by supporters of the TAMU System and the Dust Devil crowd.
The event ended with refreshments and tours of the new facilities, including the Canseco and Pellegrino Halls.
by Omar Gonzalez
Many aspects of child support are hampered by misinformation or no information on the subject. What is child support? What is it supposed to do? How much should it be? How can I be exempt from paying child support? How can I get more child support for my children?
In working for the local child support office, I have had firsthand experience dealing with these and similar questions. I have also seen the unnecessary frustration and tension created by ignorance of the facts.
So, if you owe child support, or if someone owes you child support, or if you are simply curious, read on.
The CP is the custodial parent who has legal custody of the children; NCP is the parent with the legal duty to provide financial support to his children.
A typical NCP might ask:
Do I have to pay child support even if I am unemployed? Yes; children still need their food, clothing, and a roof over their heads.
Do I have to pay child support even though the CP does not allow visitation rights? Yes. Child support and visitation rights are two different items in the code of law. One does not affect the other.
What do I have to do to lower my child support? NCPs and CPs have a right to have their cases reviewed periodically. A modification may be possible to either raise or lower the child support payment according to the NCPs' wages and the number of other children the NCP has to support, excluding all non-biological children living with the NCP.
What if I am going full-time to college and I don't have time to work? The law allows for the first child support payment to be due until after graduation from high school. Keep in mind that retroactive child support is accrued from the day the child was born to the present.
What are the consequences for not paying child support? There are many, and they are severe. They range from jail time to the suspension of your vehicular and/or professional licenses.
Do I have to show up for the paternity hearing even if it is about a child and a woman I have never met? Yes; by not attending the court hearing, you run the risk of being defaulted into being the father without the opportunity of asking for a blood test.
When does the child support obligation end? It ends until the child reaches the age of 18 or stops attending an accredited secondary school.
I don't want to give money directly to the CP. Could I deposit itin the bank and give it to my child when he or she is 18 yers of age? Child support is not spending money. It is used to pay the bills, rent, car, school expenses, clothing, food, and medical bills.
The CP might ask the following:
How do I get the NCP to jail? Actually, it is not easy to incarcerate an NCP, although it happens to several each month in Laredo. The NCP would need to have been served by a constable with a Motion to Enforce Child Support and Order to Appear and Show Cause, and not attend the hearing; only then would a capias, or order for arrest, be issued.
What if I would rather receive Aid for Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) instead of child support? At least that is constant. While it is possible for the CP to provide the financial support needed, it is the obligation of the NCP to do so.
I want to stop child support and the AFDC benefits. I just want the NCP out of my life! This can be done if the CP agrees to repay the State of Texas all the money that has been previously awarded to him or her.
I want the NCP to start visiting his or her children. While the NCP has a right to visit a child, he or she may wish not to exercise this right and violate no laws by doing so.
by Carlos A. Guardiola
Editor-In-Chief
The title sounds like a Jackie Collins rip-off, but what waits for the reader who picks up this book is a story scarier than anything Stephen King or Clive Barker could ever conjure up.
The Hot Zone by Richard Preston is a true story of how a particularly lethal strain of Ebola virus arrived just ten miles from Washington D.C. in winter of 1989.
Huddled snugly in the middle of a small, quiet community in Reston, Virginia, a company that sold monkeys for medical research unsuspectingly brought a shipment of the animals infected with Ebola, and no one noticed until it was too late.
Ebola, perhaps the deadliest virus in existence, is an airborne killer. Unlike AIDS, which is infectious only through sexual contact, Ebola literally turns victims into a pile of bloody mush and immediately seeks a new host. It kills an infected person in a matter of days.
Although quite deadly, like any virus, Ebola is a parasite that cannot live on its own. Rather, it makes copies of itself inside a cell using the cell's own substances.
And Preston crafts his tale well. From the tepid jungles of Kenya and Kitum Cave, to Yambuku Hospital where Ebola victims "crash and bleed," to Fort Detrick where military virus- hunters in Racal spacesuits rush to identify the deadly invader, the chronology is fast-paced and tinged with fear.
The book features many unsung heros, including Lieutenant Colonel Nancy Jaax, assigned to the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, or USAMRIID. Jaax worked tirelessly to ascertain the danger of the virus found in Reston.
Preston also covers the bureaucratic infighting over territorial and jurisdictional issues. Will it be USAMRIID or the Center for Disease Control to walk point on the takeover of the monkey house?
With a need to avoid premature hysteria, and to do a more efficient job, the book describes how a USAMRIID special team, outfitted in Racal bioprotective suits, evacuated and moved into the infected monkey house in Reston.
It also describes a near-miss with a curious reporter's van that could have sent the entire nation and government into sheer, frenzied panic.
The book even features photos of the virus magnified 112,000 times: evil, snake-shaped attackers with the awesome capacity to ravage entire communities. Preston describes in great detail what happens to a human body under attack from a filovirus: it is not for the squeamish.
With excellent skill, author Preston manages to weave a fine detective story into the narrative through a series of strategically placed flashbacks. Where did the Ebola virus come from? Where does it live? How infectious is it?
The reader will travel the Nzoia River in the shadow of Mount Elgon in western Kenya, searching for a Level 4 hot agent.
Preston easily conveys the sense impressions of the people who spend their careers catching and classifying the deadly, unseen viruses. The reader feels the eerie silence of entering the Biosafety Level 4 labs; the pricking fear along the spine as an entire African village is wiped out in a matter of days; and the quick stab of shock when Nancy Jaax tears her protective suit inside a Level 4 room.
Black vomit, third-spacing (bleeding into the area between the skin and muscle tissue), eyes turning yellow, and blood and intestines venting through the anus, all the symptoms of Ebola described in The Hot Zone are guaranteed to make the reader call a doctor with the next nosebleed. It is taut, absorbing drama told from facts.
Readers are sure to come away with a sobering respect for the random, unfeeling wrath of nature's invisible killers.
The Hot Zone, Random House, $23.00 (HB)
By Anita L. Guerra
In its exploration of shattered love affairs, wrecked lives, and haunted memories, The English Patient plumbs not only the desert landscape of North Africa, but the physical and emotional wounds inflicted by battles waged both in the pursuit of love and of war.
Among the most wounded of the casualties from these battles is a mysterious, badly burned English patient. He is at the epicenter of this gloriously sweeping and tragic romantic epic.
Ralph Fiennes (Schindler's List, Strange Days) stars as the mysterious, apparently amnesic patient, and Juliet Binoche (The Unbearable Lightness of Being, First Knight) plays Hana, the Canadian nurse who stays behind in an old Italian nunnery to care for him at the near- conclusion of World War II. As the story develops and the amnesiac begins to recall, Hana is gradually drawn into the world of her enigmatic patient, a world figuratively embodied in the contours and bounds of the North African desert.
It is through the mysterious patient's haunting and haunted remembrances that the audience is able to piece together the fragmented and painful love affair that constitutes the major focus of the film. The episodic structure of these flashbacks deepens the mystery that surrounds both the enigmatic patient and his love story.
Although the film feels long at times, the magnanimous viewer will be justly compensated by the movie's many strong qualities. The written dialogue is richly textured and the staging is well-executed. The transitions between the two diverse settings is handled smoothly throughout the film. The performances are impeccable, especially those of Kristin Scott Thomas as Katherine Clifton, as well as Ralph Fiennes as the title character.
Moreover, the Italian countryside and the North African desert are utilized to great effect, both as a feast for the eyes and as a telling metaphor that mirrors the besieged emotions of the main characters. The man to be lauded for such excellent use of setting is Anthony Minghella. In addition to his brilliant direction, Minghella also co-adapted the script from the novel of the same name with its author, Michael Ondaatje.
The film does diverge from the book in compacting the storyline, but Minghella still touches upon all the same themes of love, jealousy, memory, history, greed, betrayal, and mistrust. These themes resonate throughout both of these well-executed works.
While the novel has already won the Booker Prize, the movie is nominated for twelve Academy awards, the most of any film this year. And rightly so. Both the book and the film are greatly recommended.
by Carlos A. Guardiola
Editor-In-Chief
So what did Ronald Reagan really know about Iran-Contra? Is Oliver North a patriot or a putz? And how did such a complicated web of secret deals enmesh the United States in scandal and public controversy? Above all, who created the whole mess?
A Very Thin Line by Theodore Draper examines these and other crucial issues that came to the fore during President Reagan's second term. By far, it is a most detailed, exhaustive, and remarkably clear text that recounts the events.
Draper, with articulate skill, describes the labyrinthine roles of the White House, the National Security Council, and the National Security Advisor. He explains how Kissinger laid the foundation for the position of National Security Advisor to the point of usurpation of the role of Secretary of State in serving the President.
The author also explains how the Contra operation came first, followed by the secret deals with Iran.
A gallery of unknown key players is exposed in the book: King Fahd of Saudi Arabia and the 24 million dollars to the Contras; Eugene Hasenfus, shot down and captured in the Nicaraguan jungle by Sandinistas; and Amiram Nir, advisor to the Israeli Prime Minister on counterterrorism, who worked most closely with North and died in a mysterious plane accident in Mexico.
One of the revelations is that deceased CIA Director William Casey might not have been the mastermind of Iran-Contra as North asserted. In the last few weeks of what was described as the worst crisis of Reagan's presidency, Draper explains that Casey held a relatively minor role.
But was the show being run entirely by North? Not so, according to Draper's book. One of the indicting narratives describes how, with a simple phone call and notice that the call represented the interests of the White House NSC, absolutely no officials down the line dared to ask questions.
Draper leads the reader from the private meetings with key White House players to the "show of purification" in the aftermath of Reagan's press conference, when the Iran-Contra scandal finally broke.
In researching this account, Draper mentions in the preface that he found himself ultimately staring down a pile of well over 50,000 pages of documents — from the original transcript of congressional hearings numbering over 1,000 pages; 1,500 pages of depositions and private hearings; 700 pages from the Tower Commission, with three volumes of supporting documents of nearly 5,000 pages; and going to thousands of pages more derived from the trials of Oliver North and John Poindexter. "A small library," Draper concedes.
Author Draper is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and was awarded the American Historical Association's 1990 Herbert Feis Award for Nonacademically- Affiliated Historians.
A Very Thin Line itself hits nearly 600 pages, but it makes for fascinating reading. It is an excellent source of information for anyone who wishes to better understand how foreign policy was subverted by an elite inner circle at a time when no one was looking.
A Very Thin Line, Simon & Schuster, $16.00 (PB)
by Pete Navarro
TV Critic with a Badge
The X-Files is going down, down, down. There, I said it. This is my first step to recovery.
I remember when I first saw X-Files and said, Wow! (Actually, I am 24 years old and technically too old to say "wow" anymore. Now I must settle for the more mature "All right!")
Anyway, the cinematography, the dialogue, the plots — everything was so realistic in X- Files. And yet it mixed the realistic with the fantastic, such that you wondered, "Maybe there is a swamp creature in the Florida Everglades?"
Something like that.
But I've been watching this show, and frankly, lately it has gotten pretty bad. Scully has a brain tumor and she's walking around saying, "I must focus on the morrow." (Or maybe she said marrow; I don't know, I was drifting in and out of consciousness by the time the episode was halfway done). And Mulder is so involved in his UFO studies he can neither find a girlfriend nor make a decent pass at Scully.
Given the above, Mulder could quite possibly be the one from "another planet." Know what I mean?
Every three episodes of X-Files also promises yet another plot twist on the Alien Bodies/Human DNA/UFO Cover-up storyline. I'm not even sure I know what the original explanation was anymore. When you watch X-Files and stop caring about UFOs, that's bad.
But I knew it would get bad eventually. Good shows never last. The pattern repeats itself every season on TV; the shows' quality is inversely proportional to their ratings success.
Example: I like to tell people that I discovered Miami Vice, way back when. At that time, no one in Laredo was watching it except me and my pet hamster, Chico. Miami Vice was unique, stylized, violent, and from watching every episode, I gathered that the streets were always wet at night in Miami.
But soon everyone started watching that show, and then it got bad. Crockett got married, got amnesia, got boring. And what ever happened to that baby Tubbs fathered with Calderon's daughter? I'm still waiting for a two-hour TV movie where the duo makes a comeback, just so Crockett can say to Tubbs, "Where's that kid of yours, Rico? Is he still being raised by Colombian drug lords?"
I never really forgave the rest of the TV viewing audience for jacking up my favorite shows' ratings and effectively damning them to B-movie hell. I catch some of the Miami Vice episodes on USA every now and then and slip into a catatonic state for hours at a time, until my sister slaps me awake to remind me that I've drooled on myself again.
One last example: Moonlighting. Dave and Maddie and all that sexual tension. Then they did it — the old nasty, the horizontal shuffle, the big bounce — and every episode afterwards, all the viewers seemed to have collectively said, "Okay, let's break for pizza and Cheetos. Permanently."
I mean, what is it about TV producers? Is it some unwritten rule, some code or canon that says, Thou shalt screw up thy show when thine going gets better? Miami Vice, Moonlighting, Misfits of Science — and that little old lady from Murder She Wrote managed to outlast them all.
I saw a TV miniseries called Favorite Son some years ago that had the best indictment of Western non-values I ever heard: "All the American people want is TV sitcoms, gasoline for a buck a gallon, and a rocket landing on the moon every once in a while."
Well, you know what? I would like to be an American. Give me a good show, and I'll do my best to be that American! If I ever manage to drag my lazy butt off this bean bag, I'll go write to Phil Gramm about introducing legislation.