voL. 104, No. 12 November 13, 2018
TH E U N IVERSIT Y O F TE X aS aT EL PaSO W W W.t H eProS PeC to rdA i LY.Co m
UTEP
promotes diversity through INTERNATIONAL CULTURE WEEK BY VAleriA oliVAres The Prospector
The International Cultural Festival kicked off on Monday, Nov. 12, as students came together for the International Food Fair at the Tomás Rivera Conference Center. The event’s location was changed in the morning from Centennial Plaza to the East Wing of the Union Building due to cold temperatures. Student organizations, such as the Indian Student Association and the Biomedical Engineering Society, boasted flavorful food made with authentic ingredients and vibrant decorations as they competed for the monetary prizes and the “big spoon” trophy that is passed on to each year’s winner. Even though every stand offered an array of foreign delicacies, it was the Bangladeshi Student Association that took first place and won $200 and were also picked as the fan favorite, winning an additional $125. “We are very excited, we put all our effort to get these prizes and to entertain everyone. We tried our best to make our food as perfect as we can and we also did (this) with our decorations and we are so happy.
see CulTure on page 7 GAby VelAsquez / The ProsPecTor
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OPINION
November 13, 2018 Web Editor ADRIAN BROADDUS, 747-7446
Good things to come from midterms BY Andrea Valdez-Rivas The Prospector The 2018 midterms are finally over. The big Blue Wave never really came, although Democrats did flip the House. Republicans, on the other hand, secured
the Senate. But something significant happened in the midterms: Texas, a state notorious for low voter turnout, saw historical turnouts this year. Also, women historically succeeded to Congress and, as the federal government becomes more divided, we will most likely be expecting a political stalemate. At least Texas won’t rank last anymore. It started before Election Day and before the early voting period. Over 15 million Texans registered to vote before the Oct. 9 registration deadline. By that deadline, nearly 15.8 million had registered. That number is by far the largest of any during midterm election years recorded in Texas. Then came the early voting period, from Oct. 22 to Nov. 2. Throughout those 12 days, a staggering 4,884,528 ballots were cast. On Election Day, 52.77 percent of registered voters showed to the polls this year, compared to 28.3 percent back in 2014, according to data from the Texas Office of the Secretary of State. This was a good year for Texas in terms of voter turnout. If this continues, Texas will be on its way out of its “non-voting state” status. In large part, this surprising surge of voter turnout is due to the much-watched Senate race between Ted Cruz and Beto O’Rourke. Even though most of us have been a little tired of hearing about these two candidates for the past couple of years, it was their race
which encouraged Texans to go out and vote. It brought out minorities, first-time voters and even the younger population, the 18-29 age group of voters, many of which leaned to the Democratic side. In El Paso, let’s give thanks to our very own Beto O’Rourke. Before these midterms, many didn’t give a flying you know what whether they voted or not, and some wondered if their vote even mattered. But somehow O’Rourke fired up El Pasoans, Latino communities and young voters, while proving that their votes matter. It’s all shown in the numbers. He was the candidate that inspired hope in his supporters for Texas turning blue. It was a hope deeply felt among Democrats and one that hadn’t been seen in quite some time. Now, supporters hope that inspiration lasts through to 2020. But for running a campaign that took no money from PACs, it was a job well done. The 2018 midterms also led women to historic victories. The next Congress is expected to have a record number of women. As stated by Rutgers Eagleton Institute of Politics, the 115th Congress (2017-2019) held 84 women in the House of Representatives. Yet another record was set in this year’s midterms, with 97 women elected to the House with some races yet to be called. Sharice Davids of Kansas and Deb Haaland of New Mexico were the first Native American women elected to Congress. Davids, who identifies as lesbian, is also the first openly LGBT member of Congress from Kansas. Michigan’s Rashida Tlaib and Minnesota’s Ilhan Omar are the very first Muslim women in Congress, and in addition, Omar is the first Somali-American member. Texas will be sending its first Hispanic woman to Congress, with El Paso’s own Democratic Veronica Escobar, who beat out Republican Rick Seeberger. She will be replacing Beto O’Rourke in the House. Houston-area Sylvia
STAFF V O L . 1 0 4 , n o . 1 2 Web Editor: Adrian Broaddus Layout Editor: Christian Gutierrez Copy Editor: Javier Cor tez Sports Editor: Daniel “Curly” Mendez Entertainment Editor: Catherine Ramirez Photo Editor: Gabriela Velasquez Multimedia Editor: Claudia “Gigi” Flores Staff Reporters: Brianna Chavez, Alexia Nava, Isaiah Ramirez, Andrea ValdezRivas Photographers: Claudia Hernandez, Sergio Muñoz Contributors: Oscar Avila, Diego Bermudez, Priscilla Gomez, Valeria
Olivares, Eddie Velazquez Account Executive: Milou Pietersz, Erick Valverde Senior Designer: Itzel Lara Garcia Graphic Designer Salma Lozoya Videographer: Daniel “Curly” Mendez Advertising Coordinator: Malia Greene Administrative Secretary: Marcela Luna Accounting Specialist: Isabel Castillo Director: Veronica Gonzalez
Garcia won a relinquished seat by Democratic Rep. Gene Green. One of the most impressive was New York’s Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s win. The 29-yearold became the youngest woman to be elected to Congress ever. She first impressed everyone in the Democratic primary back in June, when she upset Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley—a top leader among House Democrats—with over 75 percent of the vote. She then challenged Republican Anthony Pappas and proudly beat him. The first female senator from Tennessee emerged this year. Republican Marsha Blackburn outlasted former Gov. Phil Bredesen. Blackburn has her share of experience, as she’s served in the U.S. House since 2003. Lastly, Republican Young Kim of California became the first Korean-American woman to serve in Congress. Indeed, it was a good year for women in politics. The results of these midterms were pretty much what we were expecting. Democrats took control of the House but didn’t get enough votes to take over the Senate. Now that Democrats are no longer on the sidelines, it means that it will be difficult for legislation to pass Congress unless it has bipartisan support. With the House controlled by Democrats and the Senate by Republicans, not much will get done from here to 2020. The reason why nothing gets done is considered a good thing is simply because gridlock is based on the idea that whatever Congress does or passes is considered bad and if Congress doesn’t pass anything at all, citizens will be better off. But even if citizens may not be affected much by upcoming legislation, gridlock is only temporary and it’ll be decided in upcoming elections which further steps our federal government will take. For now, let’s trust that the House will have Trump on a leash. Andrea Valdez-Rivas may be reached at theprospector1@gmail.com.
¿Cruzas a diario? by alexia nava The Prospector “¿Y cruzas a diario?” es una pregunta muy común que me han hecho algunos compañeros al saber que vivo en Juárez mientras estudio en UTEP. Suena bastante loco y cansado pero, cuando ya llevas varios años haciendo lo mismo, deja de sentirse así, se vuelve una rutina. Durante la secundaria y la preparatoria, me levantaba a las seis de la mañana para poder llegar al puente Santa Fe a las siete y cruzar para llegar a tiempo a clase a las ocho y media de la mañana. Hace unos meses, en familia obtuvimos la tarjeta SENTRI, la cual identifica a uno como un viajero de confianza y le permite saltarse la línea en el puente. Según la página oficial de UTEP, alrededor del cuatro por ciento de los estudiantes pasan por el puente y organizan su tiempo para evitar llegar tarde a sus primeras clases del día. Por lo usual, yo me voy en camión. Salgo de mi casa y tomo un camión para llegar al centro y, al cruzar, tomo otro para llegar a la universidad. Al depender mucho del camión, procuro no quedarme tan tarde en la universidad porque, después de ciertas horas, el regreso a casa se dificulta mucho. Desde que tengo la SENTRI, tardo mucho menos en cruzar el puente. Calculo que tardo entre 15 y 20 minutos para cruzar, considerando la caminata del puente y el cruce por la aduana en sí. Pero, antes de la SENTRI, dependiendo de la hora y la situación en la que se encontraba el puente, me podía tardar desde una hasta dos horas. Alexia Nava puede ser contactada en theprospector1@gmail.com.
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THEPROSPECTOR
November 13, 2018
NEWS | 3 |
Streetcar Inauguration kicks Estudiantes cruzan a diario
off in downtown El Paso
File Photo/ The Prospector Cientos de estudiantes cruzan la frontera a diario para asistir a clases.
by sergio Muñoz The Prospector La Universidad de Texas en El Paso es reconocida por su gran diversidad en la comunidad estudiantil. De acuerdo con su sitio web, UTEP es conocida por ser la única universidad de investigación con el mayor número de estudiantes México-Americanos en el país debido a su localización geográfica a solo unos cuantos minutos de la frontera con México. En su población estudiantil se encuentra un
GAby Velasquez/ The Prospector The El Paso Streetcar inauguration was held at Cleveland Square Park on Nov. 9. The three colored streetcars went through the red carpet on the tracks when they were introduced. The streetcar will be free to the public during the weekends until Jan. 1, 2019.
grupo de estudiantes distinguidos por residir en Ciudad Juárez y cruzar la frontera todos los días para estudiar UTEP. A pesar de ser un grupo más en la comunidad del campus, ellos enfrentan retos que van más allá de sólo asistir a clases y hacer tareas. A lo largo de su historia, la universidad ha buscado diferentes maneras de ayudar a todos sus estudiantes, incluyendo a aquellos que se encuentran en esta situación.
ver Cruce en página 5
| 4 | NEWS
THEPROSPECTOR
November 13, 2018
Smoking still prevalent on UTEP campus BY isaiah ramirez The Prospector There has been a concern over UTEP’s Tobacco-free policy as it pertains to the awareness of the policy. Sightings of cigarette buds and the use of tobacco products across the campus have raised an issue for the students on campus. The tobacco-free policy states the use of any tobacco products is prohibited in university buildings, grounds, sidewalks, walkways and university-owned property and applies to all students, faculty, staff, contractors and visitors. “We noticed the environmental impact cigarettes are having on our community and how the exposure to secondhand smoke has detrimental effects as well,” tobacco-free policy program coordinator Nora Hernandez said. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 13 percent of adults aged 18 to 24 smoke cigarettes. 19.8 percent of smokers are high schoolers and 18.5 have completed some college. The CDC also mentions that 41,000 people die from second-hand smoke a year and an estimated 37.8 million adults currently smoke cigarettes. The implementation of the tobacco-free policy at UTEP was created in 2013 and announced to the University’s staff and students in 2014. According to a survey in which UTEP students, faculty and staff participated in 56.4 percent reported being daily smokers for six months or longer. Within the Tobacco Free UTEP website links are directed to assist students and staff on the University’s frequently asked questions page pertaining to the policy itself. When it comes to
asking an individual to refrain from smoking on campus grounds the policy states: “The individual should attempt to resolve the problem informally by requesting that the individual comply with the policy. If direct appeal fails and the behavior persists, the individual should contact the Office of Human Resources or Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs for referral to the appropriate administrative official.” “I feel that security should be around more often, because who knows if the person who is using the tobacco becomes aggressive and feels offended,” said Christopher Zubia, a health promotion major at UTEP. “We see this as an opportunity for individuals to inform each other that we have a smoke free policy, and smoking should not be allowed,” Hernandez said. Enforcing the policy onto individuals that are using tobacco products by just word of mouth is one that a student may see as unbeneficial. “I see everyone smoking across campus, so I think why not,” said senior nursing major Izaiah McCormick. “I like to use my Juul as often as possible to help me unwind from class (and) work, so if no one is enforcing it, why bother hiding it.” Juul pens which McCormick is referring to are flavored electronic cigarettes that have become popular across the country as of late. E-cigarettes, also known as vapes, are battery-operated devices that heat up liquid nicotine to generate an aerosol that users inhale. This is not the first instance that the tobaccofree policy and smoking have not been embedded into the minds of the campus goers at UTEP.
Claudia Hernandez/ The Prospector Although UTEP has instituted a tobacco-free policy, students still continue to smoke on campus. Back in February of 2014, shortly after the policy was initiated, Hernandez and other members of the campus community took part in a cigarette bud cleanup. When a cigarette bud was collected the bud was then placed into a plastic bag and an orange flag was put in that location to indicate that’s where a cigarette bud had been located. “I could tell you within a period of three to four hours 3,000 flags went (up) very quickly,” Hernandez said. With the recent findings of cigarette buds across campus, Hernandez explains the unawareness of the policy may be a combination of the prolonged time since the initiation of the policy and the large amounts of new students unaware of the policy. Hernandez was part of the initiation of the
tobacco-free policy and its implementation since its announcement in 2014. “We recognize there needs to be more education and perhaps it needs to be done to new and incoming students at the University,” Hernandez said. “Since the policy was announced back in 2014 four years have passed and now would be a great opportunity for us to start educating and communicating this policy again,” Hernandez added. “There’s really no way to enforce the policy if campus police really wanted to crack down on it, No one’s stupid they’re not going to smoke in front of a campus cop,” McCormick said. “Everyone does it discreetly and the fact that UTEP is so spread out that makes it easy for someone to not get in trouble while doing it.” Isaiah Ramirez may be reached at theprospector1@gmail.com.
Campaign launched to honor President Natalicio, ‘Thank You for 30’ BY Brianna chavez The Prospector Dr. Diana Natalicio has served the UTEP, El Paso and Cuidad Juárez communities for more than four decades. When news broke that Natalicio would be retiring as UTEP President, it shook the entire city of El Paso. To thank her for her years of service and help continue UTEP’s mission of access and excellence, UTEP has launched a new campaign that students, faculty, alumni, and members of the El Paso community can participate in. It’s called the “Thank You for 30” campaign. “Our institution and community have been profoundly transformed under Dr. Natalicio’s visionary leadership and extraordinary service,” said Ben Gonzalez, vice president for asset management and development. It is bittersweet to bid her farewell, but we’re happy to know that she will have an opportunity to enjoy her retirement.”
The campaign, which officially launched on Nov. 1, allows anyone to thank Natalicio for her dedication to the university. As a part of the campaign, the “Thank You for 30” Endowed Scholarship Fund was created to honor her leadership and success. Donors are free to contribute to areas of the university that they are passionate about. Whether it be the “Thank You for 30” scholarship or another established scholarship fund —donors can also create an endowed fund in the name of a favorite professor or donate to a department or program. The donations under the campaign will honor Natalicio’s tenure and build to the university’s success to which her leadership has been instrumental in. According to the asset management and development department, over two-thirds of the alumni population at UTEP have graduated in the past 25 years -- something that has allowed Na-
talicio to be perceived as a local leader to many of these former students, as well as current students. Gonzalez said the campaign allows alumni, friends and community members to thank her for being a leading figure. “It’s about coming together to show support for our institution in the name of someone who has advocated tirelessly for our students and our region for over 30 years,” Gonzalez said. Natalicio told The Prospector back in March that she was only supposed to be at UTEP for only one year and never believed that she would actually become president. That one year turned into decades of commitment and success across the board, consistently breaking milestones from becoming the first female president in the University of Texas System, to most recently becoming one out of 100 of TIME Magazine’s Most Influential People. “I never thought it would be 45 years, they’ve flown by like that,” Natalicio said back in March
as she snapped her fingers. As a part of the campaign, limited edition “Thank You for 30” campaign T-shirts featuring Natalicio’s iconic and noticeable up-do have been made as a fun and exciting way to recognize her accomplishments. The T-shirts are available at the UTEP bookstore and online for only five dollars. However, Tshirt sales do not go towards the endowed scholarship. It is unclear how long the campaign will last or when Natalicio’s successor will be chosen, but it is evident that Dr. Natalicio has dedicated her life to helping UTEP grow since she took the role as university president and has impacted alumni, students, and faculty. To donate to the “Thank You for 30” campaign, visit www.30.utep.edu. Brianna Chavez may be reached at theprospector1@gmail.com.
THEPROSPECTOR
November 13, 2018
Cruce de la página 3 “Siempre ha habido una relación histórica entre UTEP y México. UTEP siempre ha estado en la mejor disposición de ayudar a todos sus estudiantes”, así indicó Arturo Barrio, asesor de la Presidenta Dra. Diana Natalicio en México y Latinoamérica. De acuerdo con Barrio, la universidad cuenta con alrededor de 1,000 estudiantes mexicanos, de los cuales alrededor de 500 cruzan la frontera a diario para acudir a clases. El Paso y Juárez han sido consideradas muchas veces como una sola comunidad. Por ende, es importante tomar en cuenta a aquellos estudiantes que llevan a cabo esta rutina de cruce internacional como parte importante de la comunidad estudiantil. Estos estudiantes forman parte de una cultura fronteriza que no se suele observar en otras universidades del país. De acuerdo con Barrio, desde los inicios de la universidad, en 1914, UTEP contaba con dos estudiantes mexicanos en la universidad, uno de Juárez y otro de Tampico. Desde entonces la población de origen mexicano ha sido reconocida en el campus. De la misma manera, algunos estudiantes compartieron sus experiencias a lo largo de su carrera. Los estudiantes que cruzan todos los días por los puentes internacionales viven una rutina diferente a la que viven aquellos que residen en El Paso. Para estudiantes como Valeria Romo de Vivar, graduada en comunicación organizacional y corporativa, una de las situaciones que vivió como estudiante fue el hecho de cruzar a pie todos los días. “Cuando cruzaba realmente no había mucho que hacer para ahorrar tiempo, llegaba incluso tarde a mis primeras clases”, dijo Romo de Vivar. Romo de Vivar agregó que ese tiempo que in-
virtió en cruzar lo pudo haber invertido para socializar con otros estudiantes e incluso formar parte de alguna organización estudiantil. De la misma manera, Marisol Chávez, estudiante de periodismo, comenta que esta situación no solo se presenta cuando se cruza a El Paso, sino también en su regreso a Juárez al final del día. “Salgo a las 5 p.m. todos los días que es la hora pico, entonces hay muchisima fila de regreso, así que de UTEP a mi casa hago una hora y media o hasta dos horas”, dijo Chávez. Para la suerte de algunos estudiantes, hoy en día muchos de ellos ya tienen acceso al programa SENTRI, por sus siglas en inglés (Red Electrónica Segura para Viajeros de Inspección Rápida), el cual les ofrece un acceso rápido a los puentes en ambos lados de la frontera reduciendo considerablemente el tiempo de cruce fronterizo. Estudiantes como Ana Paula Gutiérrez, estudiantes de finanzas, ya cuenta con esta facilidad para poder llegar más pronto a clases. “Cruzar por la línea express me ha ayudado a ahorrar mucho tiempo ya que hay gente a la que le toma hasta horas poder cruzar”, comentó Gutiérrez. El aspecto económico es algo importante a resaltar, ya que muchas de las familias de estos estudiantes ganan sus salarios en pesos mexicanos. De acuerdo con Barrio, con el incremento del precio del dólar, la universidad se ha preocupado por buscar diferentes oportunidades de becas para estos estudiantes. Becas como “El Pase”, la cual le cobra a estudiantes fronterizos colegiatura de residente, son las que les ha ayudado a muchos estudiantes a seguir estudiando en UTEP. De acuerdo al sitio web de la universidad, un extranjero estudiando en UTEP paga aproximadamente $9,086 dólares por 12 créditos, pero con el programa
Pase paga aproximadamente $3,263 dólares, lo que representa un 64% de diferencia en el costo. Ana Paula Gutiérrez es una de los estudiantes que recibe la beca de El Pase y que para ella ha sido “un respiro” para sus padres. Del mismo modo, la universidad ha formado convenios académicos con los estados de Chihuahua y Durango, así como con diferentes programas mexicanos como CONACYT y Fechac para generar becas para estudiantes mexicanos en UTEP. Romo de Vivar recibió la beca de excelencia presidencial de UTEP y una beca por parte del estado de Chihuahua que le ayudó a cubrir su colegiatura completa. La Universidad de Texas en El Paso cuenta con un alto número de estudiantes de diferentes
NEWS | 5 |
orígenes culturales. A través de los años, la relación de El Paso con Juárez se ha visto fortalecida gracias a este tipo de estudiantes transfronterizos que proveen una cultura fronteriza poco observada en otras universidades. Estos estudiantes transfronterizos, además de estudiar y trabajar, invierten horas de su día para cruzar, algunos en automóvil otros a pie, de un país a otro a diario con la meta de cumplir sus sueños de obtener una educación universitaria en el extranjero que les brindara las herramientas intelectuales para triunfar como profesionales. Sergio Muñoz puede ser contactado en theprospector1@gmail.com.
Promo ends 11/30
TAKE CARE OF YOUR WATER. KEEP IT CLEAN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH & SAFETY OFFICE HERTZOG BUILDING, ROOM 170 (915) 747 - 7124 • eh&s@utep.edu
Do not dump waste, chemicals, paint, custodial waste, and general rubbish items (tires, old car parts, shopping carts, etc.) into storm drains, channels, or ditches. No tirar basura, aparatos electrodomésticos, muebles, llantas, y chatarra a canales y acequias del sistema de drenaje pluvial.
Properly dispose of hazardous wastes, pesticides, and fertilizers. Call UTEP EH&S to schedule waste pickups. Deseche correctamente los residuos peligrosos, pesticidas, y fertilizantes. Llama al departamento EH&S en UTEP y agenda fecha para recoger los desperdicios.
Keep material out of the stormwater conveyance system (curbs, gutters, Storm drains are easily sidewalks, streets, drains, identified with “NO DUMPING” culverts, and arroyos). Leave natural vegetation decals at stormwater inlets. Dispose of grass, leaves, in place where possible yard waste, and construction Alcantarillado de aguas to prevent erosion. debris properly. pluviales es identificado Si es posible, deje con anuncios de No tapar el flujo pluvial a crecer la vegetación en “NO REVERTIR canales, alcantarillas y arroyos forma natural para evitar DESECHOS AQUI” con basura. Disponga la erosión. correctamente de basura vegetal (césped, ramas, y hojas) así como basura de construcción.
Recycle oil, antifreeze, and other vehicle fluids, or dispose of them properly to prevent the pollution of stormwater, groundwater and the Rio Grande. Recicle aceite, anti-congelante y lubricantes o disponga propiamente de ellos para prevenir contaminación del sistema de drenaje pluvial, mantos acuíferos y el Río Bravo.
The Student Recreation Center will be
CLOSED November 21 Closing at 7pm November 22 and 23 for Thanksgiving Holiday & November 24 and 25th for Fall Maintenance. The Student Recreation Center will resume Fall 2018 operational hours on Monday, November 26th.
entertainment
November 13, 2018 Editor CATHERINE RAMIREZ, 747-7446
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GABY Velasquez/ The Prospector (Page one) Freshman environmental science major Yeshey Seldon poses in front of the Bhutan Temple holding Jasha Maru (Spicy Chicken Curry) sold by the Bhutanese Student Association at the International Food Fair on Monday, Nov. 12. 1. The Bangladeshi Student Association took first place and fan favorite in the International Food Fair. 2. Faculty, staff and students enjoy lunch together at the International Food Fair. 3. Due to the weather the International Food Fair was moved inside Union East at the Tomás Rivera Conference Center. 4. The African Students Organization dance trying to get students and faculty to go to their booth. 5. The Indian Student Association had facts about India next to the food so that attendees could learn more about their culture.
Culture from page 1 We want to thank the OIP (Office of International Programs) and the Student Engagement & Leadership Center for creating this type of event so that we can participate,” said Tamanna Ferdous, a member of the Bangladeshi Student Organization. The fair proved to be diverse and lively, as ten different booths represented various countries and prepared food for the intrigued, hungry students. Dishes included a carrot kheer from India, which is a sweet dish made with carrots, milk, and sugar, chicken momo from Nepal, chicken-filled dumplings with Nepali spices and Kelewele from Africa, which are fried seasoned plantains. Among the menus, drinks such as Sobolo from Africa, a spicy hibiscus tea, and mango lassi from Bangladesh, a thick, sweet mango blend were also offered. “It’s a great opportunity to be able to try
different types of food from different cultures,” said Mohammed Alsawad, a senior mechanical engineering major. The room quickly filled with an intense blend of aromas, multicolored decorations and a large crowd of students trying to decide what to try. Students traveled the world by tasting delicious dishes as they learned of the many flavors, textures and aromas that are enjoyed throughout it. “We celebrate this International Food Fair every year. These are our very own recipes. It reflects our culture, it’s Bangladeshi food, everything you see here is completely authentic Bangladeshi, even the spices we used,” said Kazi Md. Masum Billah, president of the Bangladeshi Student Association. The judges walked around the room and tasted dishes from each stand, simultaneously taking note of the way that each stand implemented their respective country’s traditions and culture into their decorations. “I’m looking for a good variety of inter-
national food that kind of best showcases the area that they’re actually cooking from. I’m looking for presentation. I’m looking for unique ingredients that I may not necessarily taste on an everyday basis. I’m looking to see the passion and enthusiasm that the students put into their food, their presentation and to their overall organization,” said Mick Martinez, one of the judges for the event. The International Cultural Festival is meant to showcase and promote UTEP’s commitment to diversity. According to the Office of International Programs, there are 2,113 international students in UTEP. By creating an event that encourages students to showcase their own culture and challenges others to explore one that is unfamiliar to them, students and faculty are able to expose themselves, appreciate their differences and create a respectful environment. As a university found alongside the southern border of the US that educates students from all around the world, UTEP
has found a way to bring students with different backgrounds together. “We have a lot of organizations that do come and participate and cook food based on where they’re from. It gives us a chance to really learn the different foods, the music, the clothing, everything that they bring. So I think that, on many different levels, it gives us that global awareness that we really try to instill in our students and us, as faculty and staff really, we have a responsibility to really learn as well,” said Nicole Aguilar, director of the Student Engagement & Leadership Center. The International Cultural Festival, organized by the Student Engagement & Leadership Center, will continue until Friday, Nov. 16, and is set to include various other events, such as an art display, a film screening, study abroad info sessions and a lecture series. Valeria Olivares may be reached at theprospector1@gmail.com.
housing@utep.edu utep.edu/housing 915-747-5352
THEPROSPECTOR
November 13, 2018
ENTERTAINMENT | 9 |
UTEP and Las Artistas celebrate 25 years of collaboration BY Claudia Flores The Prospector On Nov. 17 and 18, Las Artistas will hold their annual arts and crafts show with the collaboration of UTEP students. The event will take place at the Epic Railyard Event Center at 2201 E. Mills Ave. For the past 25 years, Las Artistas have worked in close collaborations with UTEP students from the jewelry and metals program, offering the students an opportunity to showcase their work as professional artists. To celebrate 25 years of collaboration, UTEP and Las Artistas will hold a retrospective show on Friday, Nov. 16, at the Fox Fine Arts Center in room A154. “Las Artistas was actually started by a former UTEP metals student and the program itself and its participation in the organization really comes into play with the big show that they do every fall,” said Jessica Tolbert, assistant professor in the metals department. “This year is pretty special. It marks the 25th anniversary of UTEP metals and Las Artistas collaborating together.” For this exhibition, students will work with silver donated by the Las Artistas for the students to create pieces of jewelry to com-
memorate the 25 years of their collaboration. “For this show we’re having a small Well, we’re having a retrospective show which will have 25 pieces, a piece for every year that we’ve collaborated with Las Artistas pulled from the collection of works that were once exhibited and sold at the show,” said UTEP metals teaching assistant Jess Rodriguez. In past semesters, students would be given a theme to prepare for the show, this time it’s a more open-ended theme to give the students the freedom to express themselves through their work. “In previous semesters, the way that we would kind of start the setup and prep for it was that we would build off of like the project that we would do right before it,” Rodriguez said. “For this one, it’s kind of like a build off of smaller scale production line jewelry. So it’s anything that you can make quick, if you can’t make it within under three hours, that it’s not a quick piece of production work.” For students in the metals department showcasing their work next to other crafters and jewelers is a unique experience where they gain real-life experience outside the classroom. “I think it’s really nice that this is kind of given to us because it is, they give us that op-
File Photo On Nov. 17 and 18, Las Artistas will hold their annual arts and craft show at the Epic Railyard Event Center. portunity to kind of see where we can branch out, whether we want to be a production line artists or be part of the people who do like the jewelry that you see that sold like rings and silver pieces,” Rodriguez said. Even when artists can sometimes get discouraged, Tolbert said that success comes
down to an individual, as it depends on how much effort you put into it, it’s probably how much you get out of it. Both events will be free admission. For more information visit lasartistas.org Claudia Flores may be reached at theprospector1@gmail.com.
Unfamiliar rituals and cultures now at the El Paso Funeral Museum BY Catherine Ramirez The Prospector To commemorate their 60-years of service to families among the region, Perches Funeral Homes wanted to do more to serve the community and created the El Paso Funeral Museum to enlighten and educate the community about funeral rituals and how they have evolved through history. On Nov. 2, the El Paso Funeral Museum held their grand opening while celebrating the area’s own tradition of Dia De Los Muertos as guests dressed in the attire and painted their faces in honor of their deceased loved ones. “I want everyone to be involved and I want the community to feel like it is something they can be a part of,” said Chia Wollschlager, organizer of El Paso Funeral Museum. As the first of its kind among the borderland, the El Paso Funeral Museum was created by Salvador Perches and Chia Wollschlager in order to teach the history of funerals by addressing different cultures and traditions through a total of 10 permanent exhibits.
“The idea of the museum came about on a trip to Houston with Chia. We decided to go (to the funeral museum in Houston) and we went to visit and she said ‘Why don’t we do this in El Paso?’” said Salvador Perches CEO of Grupo Perches. The museum begins with the Perches Funeral Homes’ history as an exhibit from the creation of the first funeral home in Juárez to the growth of their funeral service business created by Don Salvador and Teresa Perches, Salvador’s parents. “It’s a remarkable story of a wife and husband starting a funeral home outside of Juárez, it’s like a success story,” said Rodrigo Del Castillo the El Paso digital marketing director for Perches Funeral Homes. “We now have over 20 funeral homes, to the acquisition of the cemeteries and just bringing it full cycle now.” The museum takes guests through time with the history of ceremonies honoring the dead including the art of embalming — mummification that was mastered by the Egyptians — to more recent times displaying old coffins and an old horse-drawn hearse that once served many.
The museum showcases ceremonies that many in the area are familiar with from Dia De Los Muertos to current Veteran Memorials that have been created to honor fallen military members. “When creating it I wanted it to also reflect our culture and I love it (the museum) because it encompasses our region,” Wollschlager said. “We have our themes in it and I want it to grow so kids can come and learn.” Perches Funeral Homes have played a large role in funeral services in El Paso for many families in the surrounding area since 1958, including the funeral procession for Mexican singer Juan Gabriel. “We are commemorating 60-years of Perches and we have 60-years of taking care of families here and in Juárez so we have a lot of old relics and that’s why we decided to do that (the museum) here,” said Perches. “We have an area dedicated to Juan Gabriel as we were involved in his funeral.” The El Paso Funeral Museum not only wants to inform the public about the past of funerals in different cultures and traditions but also inform everyone about the future of funerals.
The museum exhibits a Gone Green showcase that highlights the increased interest of “green funerals.” An option of a green funeral is a “Living Urn,” an eco-friendly solution where remains are planted in eco-friendly containers and planted into the ground to later service the environment. “It is a new concept for cemeteries called ecological parks,” Del Castillo said. “Where, in a nutshell, it’s about planting the trees and having the biodegradable urn feed the tree as it grows and the whole concept is to prompt 2nd and 3rd generations to visit and continue to feed the tree and see it grow from the urn.” Perches Funeral Homes is planning for the future by adopting the concept of ecological parks in Juárez that is due to open in 2019. For more information about the El Paso Funeral Museum visit elpasofuneralmuseum.com Check out the photo gallery at theprospectordaily.com Catherine Ramirez may be reached at theprospector1@gmail.com.
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THEPROSPECTOR
November 13, 2018
Borderzine celebrates 10 years with ‘without borders’ photo contest BY daniel mendez The Prospector To commemorate the 10th anniversary of Borderzine.com, the Department of Communication is holding a national photo contest for college students called 2018 Sin Fronteras, Without Borders Photo Contest. “I think that a photo contest like this is very important in showcasing the border,” said senior psychology major Arturo Rubio. “These pictures provide an opportunity to give people from all over the country a chance to see the beauty and diversity that we are lucky to see everyday living near our sister city of Juárez. Being born and raised on the border, I feel a responsibility to portray the region in a light that people that are not from here might be able to relate to.” Rubio is just one of 20 students who entered the contest with hopes of winning. The majority of the participants are from UTEP, but some of the contestants are from San Antonio. Borderzine is celebrating its 10th anniversary of covering border life and increasing diversity in newsrooms, by showcasing the best photojournalism by college students. Photos submitted through the registration website will be exhibited start-
ing with a reception at the Centennial Museum Monday, Nov. 19. The exhibit is scheduled to run through December. “We have something very special and very unique here and we want to tell the world about what we’re doing,” said associate professor Eraldo Chiecchi. “We’re now in our 10th year. So we’re celebrating in part with this photo contest. And that’s part of the purpose of the photo contest. Plus I want to give students an opportunity for students to showcase their work to the world.” This contest is also open to students enrolled in a university in the continental U.S. To enter students must have completed a registration form and submitted an entry fee of $15 per photo. Photo requirements include that the photos submitted be taken within one year before the date of entry and may not have previously won any awards in a national contest. Every photo must be submitted digitally, minor editing and cropping are allowed, photo captions must be accurate and it must be an original picture from the sole provider. In order to select a winner, there will be two judges—Chiecchi will be the UTEP sponsor, and the second judge will be Al Diaz of the Miami Herald. Each judge is considered a photographic expert in their field.
Gaby velasquez/The prospector The photo exhibition will take place on Monday, Nov. 14 at the Centennial museum. There will be two rounds of judging. The first round will select the 10 best submissions from all the photos submitted and will advance to the next round as finalists. In the second round, the judges will select first place and second place winners. Finalists and winner selections will be based on the following judging criteria: creativity, photographic quality, genuineness and authenticity of the content. Winning submissions will be posted with information on the Borderzine website, and winners will
be notified via email no later than Nov. 19. The first and second place winner will receive a gift certificate from “B&H Photo and Video” valued at $250 and $100, respectively. In addition, the first and second place winning photographs will be published in Borderzine.com and displayed in a photo gallery exhibit at UTEP. The exhibition begins Thursday, Nov. 19 at The Centennial Museum. Daniel Mendez may be reached at theprospector1@gmail.com.
Sports
November 13, 2018 Editor DANIEL MENDEZ, 747-7446
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Miners hoping to bounce back against struggling Hilltoppers By adrian broaddus The Prospector
The UTEP Miners football squad (1-9, 1-5) will have two cracks at winnable games in their last two weeks of the regular season as they face Western Kentucky on the road this week (Nov. 17) and host Southern Mississippi for “Senior Day” (Nov. 24). The Miners are coming off a 48-32 loss to Middle Tennessee where they trailed the majority of the game by two scores or more against the top team in the Conference USA Eastern Division. It was a game in which first-year head coach Dana Dimel and players deemed the Miners came out flat, while others simply said it was a lack of execution down the stretch. Whatever it may be, the Miners will look to shake off their loss, as they prepare for Western Kentucky (1-9, 0-6) this week. UTEP will enter the week as a seven-point underdog against the Hilltoppers, who are searching for their first conference win of the season. For the Miners, they hope junior quarterback Kai Locksley remains healthy for the rest of the season. Locksley has been battling a problematic ankle injury for the past month, which will need surgery by the end of the season. Last week against Middle Tennessee, Locksley completed 14-for-29 passes for 163 yards and a touchdown but also had a pair of interceptions, including one
pick that was returned for a touchdown. Behind Locksley on the depth chart is junior Brandon Jones, who was in and out against MTSU, completing 4-for-10 passes for 55 yards and a touchdown. Senior Ryan Metz has been ruled out for the season after suffering a season ending concussion against Louisiana Tech, according to the team’s radio broadcast. Junior running back Quadraiz Wadley finished the day with 99 rushing yards and two touchdowns against MTSU last Saturday and hopes to continue to get more looks and carries over the last two games of the season. Defensively, the Miners, who have held opponents to 188.8 passing yards per game, allowed MTSU quarterback Brent Stockstill to throw 353 passing yards against the Miners, including four passing touchdowns. But graduate transfer linebacker, A.J. Hotchkins, shined in the game as the team’s leading tackler with 14 total tackles. On Western Kentucky’s side, the Hilltoppers have struggled all season since their 28-20 early season victory against Ball State. Some of their more excruciating losses include their loss to Maine (31-28), Charlotte (40-14) and Old Dominion (37-34). They are coming off a 34-15 loss to Florida Atlantic, where they were out-gained 576351 in total offense and allowed 315 rushing yards by the Owls.
file photo / The Prospector UTEP football will look to win its second game in C-USA against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers on Saturday, Nov. 17 UTEP averages 175 passing yards and 136 rushing yards per game, but against a Hilltoppers defense that struggles against the run, Dimel and the squad might show a different approach this week. They will need the likes of Wadley, the team’s leading rusher with 627 yards on the year, and junior Treyvon Hughes, who has 290 yards this season, to have big games. Dimel says the recipe to control a winnable game like this is to have a week of dili-
gent preparation. “That’s important for us, have a great week of preparation,” he said. “We have a great opportunity if we play well to get a road win. Didn’t start the game the way we needed to (against MTSU), but there were some positives.” Kickoff against the Hilltoppers is set for 5:30 p.m. MT.
By daniel mendez
was the Miner’s second-leading scorer in the season opener against UT Permian Basin scoring 23 points. One thing to look out for is the season debut of freshman guard Nigel Hawkins. Hawkins has been sidelined two consecutive games with a hand, wrist injury. The freshman hopes to make his return soon. If UTEP wants to have a chance against the Wildcats, they have to play without fouling. In two games senior, forward Paul Thomas has struggled with foul trouble. Thomas has fouled out of both games. Against NMSU freshman forward Kaosi Ezeagu, he struggled to be a difference maker, picking up early fouls in the first and second half. Ezeagu fouled out of the game with zero points and rebounds in seven minutes. In the season opener, the freshmen forward scored 10 points and nine rebounds. Head coach Rodney Terry has utilized a seven-man rotation two games into the season, if Hawkins can play Wednesday, it will give the
Adrian Broaddus may be reached at theprospector1@gmail.com
Men’s basketball heads to Tucson to face Arizona The Prospector
file photo / The Prospector UTEP men’s basketball faces Pac-12 powerhouse Arizona on Wednesday, Nov. 14.
After suffering their first loss of the season against New Mexico State, the UTEP men’s basketball team looks to prepare for yet another battle on the road as they face Pac-12 powerhouse Arizona at the McKale Memorial Center, on Wednesday, Nov. 14. This is the first time the Miners (1-1) will play in Tucson, AZ, since 2012, while facing the Wildcats (2-0) for the first time since the 201415 season when the two teams clashed in the Don Haskins Center. Sophomore guard Evan Gilyard produced his first back-to-back 20-point games of his career after leading the Miners in scoring in their first two games, scoring 24 points against UT Permian Basin and 25 against NMSU. Freshman forward, Efe Odigie, registered his second straight double-digit performance after scoring 12 points against NMSU, the freshman also grabbed nine rebounds for the second straight game to open his UTEP career. Odigie
see basketball on page 12
THEPROSPECTOR UTEP women’s basketball plan to repeat success of season opener
| 12 | SPORTS November 13, 2018 basketball from page 11 ing.
Miners another body and much-needed scor-
The lack of a bench hurt the Miners when they played NMSU. The Aggies bench outscored UTEP 52-3. Arizona, on the other hand, is coming off back-to-back dominant wins at home, they will look to make it three straight against UTEP. The Wildcats defeated Houston Baptist in their season opener, 90-60, they followed their 30 point victory with a 21 point victory over Cal Poly, 82-61, on Sunday, Nov. 11. Senior forward Ryan Luther who struggled to find his shot against Houston Baptist only scored six points but against Cal Poly, the senior led all Wildcats with 17 points shooting sevenof-nine from the field. Freshman guard Brandon Williams leads the team in assists, with 13. Sophomore guard Brandon Randolph led all Wildcats with 25 points in the season opener, the sophomore followed up with another double-digit performance against Cal Poly scoring 10. So far in the young season, UTEP has committed more turnovers than assists, 28 and 20 respectively. UTEP must manage to not turn the ball over, as Arizona as capitalized off points off turnovers, scoring 13 and 21 points in their first two games. After the clash with Arizona, UTEP returns home for a game against Eastern New Mexico on Monday, Nov. 19, tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Don Haskins Center. Daniel Mendez may be reached at theprospector1@gmail.com
file photo / The Prospector UTEP women’s basketball host Cal State Bakersfield on Wednesday Nov. 14, and NMSU on Saturday, Nov. 17.
By Isaiah Ramirez The Prospector
After a 77-51 victory in their season opener against Alcorn State, the UTEP women’s basketball team looks like they will be a solid team with tremendous upside. With two home games against Cal State Bakersfield (2-0) and rival New Mexico State (2-0) this week for the Miners, here are a few highlights to mention, and improvements they will need to make in their next two outings. The Puc & Zec Tandem Returning letters and junior forward international standouts in Zuzanna Puc and Katarina Zec were crucial in UTEP’s victory against the Lady Braves.
Puc was the leading scorer for UTEP with 18 points and second-leading rebounder with seven. Puc was 72 percent from the field shooting an efficient 8-of-11. Last season the Poland native shot 55 percent from the field. “I know for Katarina the only thing she’s going to remember from this game is those two miss free throws (2-of-4) but that’s a testament to the type of hardworking and determined player she is,” head coach Kevin Baker said postgame after the Miner defeated Alcorn State. The Serbian standout Zec shot 50 percent from the field going 4-of-8 for 11 points and was one rebound shy of a double-double with nine for the Miners. Zec was also perfect from the free throw line cashing in on her two attempts. Zec led all players with 32 minutes against Alcorn State almost mirroring her 31-minute average from a season ago.
Assist to turnover ratio UTEP had a 23-27 assist to turnover ratio against Alcorn State which is an area of improvement heading into Cal State Bakersfield. “It was a typical first game of the year and sometimes in that first game of the year you’re going to have 27 turnovers,” Baker said. “I’m not proud of that nor am I excited about that but I think there’s way more positives out there that we can build on and look forward to Cal State Bakersfield,” Baker added. Last season UTEP’s assist to turnover ratio was 13-18. Every Miner that played against Alcorn State committed a turnover against the Lady Braves. Cal State Bakersfield has forced an average of 15 turnovers a game through two games this season and have averaged 13 points off turnovers a game. Will the three-year streak be broken? The last time UTEP defeated New Mexico State was Dec. 5, 2015 in a 71-65 win in Las Cruces. Last season against the Aggies, the Miners were leading by a point heading into the half but were overpowered in the third quarter, getting outscored 25-13, leading to defeat. In that game, Zec tied the program record with seven three’s and had a career-high 22 points for UTEP. The Aggies are 2-0 this season and are led by senior forward Brooke Salas who is averaging 22 points and six rebounds a game through the first two games, and junior forward Gia Pack with 16 points and seven rebounds a game. NMSU leads the all-time series against UTEP 52-32. Tip-off against Cal State Bakersfield is set for 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14. Tip-off against NMSU is set for 1.p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17. Isaiah Ramirez may be reached at theprospector1@gmail.com