2005 December.qxp - Our Lady of the Lake University

the
Lake Front
December 2005
Our Lady of the Lake University, San Antonio Texas
VOLUME 15, ISSUE 8
University copes
with budget crisis
Alfredo Valenzuela
EDITOR IN CHIEF
PHOTO BY JENNIFER HERRERA
Students question President Pollack about recent budget cuts after a meeting
held for faculty and staff in mid-November.
With a budget shortfall at hand,
the administration recently began a
process of reductions. This process
which was said to be “humane and
fair,” but it is now filling the campus
rumor mill with uncertainty and incorrect information.
On Nov. 10, after making what
was said to have been a “high-quality
decision,” President Tessa Pollack met
with faculty and staff to elaborate on
where cuts had been made and the
number of positions affected. Six faculty and 13 staff members were laid off;
seven staff positions were reduced in
time along with 16 faculty positions
that will either stay vacant or will
become vacant in due time.
“(Budget cuts) aren’t easy for anybody,” Associate Provost of Enrollment
Management Cindy Skaruppa said.
Though the loss of a colleague is
not easy, some staff members, such as
Denice Brantley, health services office
manager, said that when it comes to
budget problems, “You have to do
“You have to do something;
you can’t just sit around and
do nothing.”
Denice Brantley
HEALTH SERVICES OFFICE MANAGER
something; you can’t just sit around
and do nothing.”
Excited about the direction the
university is now headed in, President
Pollack said that 2006 may bring salary
increases for employees, though this
would be after administrators look at
recruitment and retention numbers.
The idea of raises amidst talk of
budget cuts and layoffs have some
questioning the timing.
“Why didn’t they look at trying to
do pay cuts?” Johnnie Spraggins, associate professor of sociology, asked.
“That would have been a nice gesture.”
Campus Activities Assistant
Director Catherine Fragoso said, “I
would rather save a staff member
instead of having salary increases.”
CONTINUED ON
4
Students want direct line to information
Alfredo Valenzuela
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Rumors and budget cuts are
part of the fabric of most universities, however, this semester, the
combination has led to a growing
concern among the student body.
At the heart of their concerns
is the line of communication among
all OLLU community members.
As a potential remedy, some
students
have
created
a
myspace.com profile where they
can post notes from meetings and
official comments.
“We don’t have the information,” junior Victor Salazar said. “As
students, we just want to be kept in
the loop.”
“If students didn’t care so
passionately, we wouldn’t
have any reason to continue.”
Mary Francine Danis
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES DEAN
It began when junior Monika
Williamson and a few others sent a
text message to several students
notifying them of an informal meeting where budget concerns were
going to be discussed.
“Budget cuts have affected my
job as an RA,” Williamson said. “I
lost a supervisor and administration hasn’t explained their reasoning for these cuts. All we want is the
truth.”
According to Mary Francine
Danis, the College of Arts and
Sciences dean, there have been
complaints that the university does
not have a clear, coherent system of
information-sharing for at least the
last 10 years.
“If students didn’t care so passionately, we wouldn’t have any
reason to continue. None of us
would have a job,” Danis said.
“Though I think administration
feels that students get necessary
information through their professors and on e-currents, (however,)
we deans tried to get information
about how the budget was developed.”
CONTINUED ON
3
PHOTO BY ALFREDO VALENZUELA
Students gather to discuss the budget situation at
the university.
In Proposition 2 climate, gay-friendly organization revisited
Christina Barbee
EDITOR
Over the past few months, there has been a considerable amount of discussion relating to gay rights
on the Web-CT message board in its student lounge.
The heated debates became even more intense
around the voting date of Proposition 2 in early
November. Proposition 2, which passed, defines marriage in Texas as between one man and one woman.
There has been some discussion by both students and faculty on the possibility of organizing a
group, which would be a gay-friendly organization.
“The entire student body could benefit from this
Inside
type of organization, it would allow a safe forum to
discuss all issues openly, not only for the GLBT (gay,
lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender) community, but
for the straight community as well,” said Linda
Crippen, a graduate student, who initiated the WebCT topic by inquiring if any students were interested
in a GLBT organization.
According to Dr. Leah Larson, English department
chair, the issue began to pick up momentum after a conference at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, Calif.,
called “Out There,” which discussed the need for gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender sensitive organizations on Catholic campuses. She added that Trinity
University and various other universities in San Antonio
SOUNDING OFF
Students voice their
opinions on budget
cuts
3
BIG EASY?
Freshman adapts
to life at OLLU
have already begun to offer such organizations.
Dr. Jane Grovijahn, professor of religious studies, said “At this point we are exploring what the university climate is and also invite students to think
about this too, in light of our mission, and what makes
for an open educational environment where all persons are welcomed and affirmed.”
Wayne Romo, director of Campus Ministry,
agrees. “I think that whatever means can be created for
a dialogue for meeting student needs is important, especially with meeting student needs in personal and spiritual growth, and we would offer that service to anyone.”
CONTINUED ON
5
MAN IN BLACK
Bio pick is
Oscar-worthy
4
8
editorial
Page 2
STAFF
December 2005
editor in chief
Alfredo Valenzuela
uvalea
editors
Jennifer A. Herrera
uherrjen
Christina Barbee
uszumc
Melissa Gonzalez
ugonzmel
staff reporters
Jesse Blanchard
ublanj
Laura Arenas
uarenl
Guinevere Guerrero
uguerg
Marissa Cervantes
mcervantes2504
The opinions published in The
Lake Front are not necessarily
those of The Lake Front staff
or the faculty, staff, administration or student body of Our
Lady of the Lake University.
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and its surrounding communities. Advertisement information
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Contact information:
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Student Publications
Our Lady of the Lake
University
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(210) 434-6711, Ext. 2445
[email protected]
[email protected]
In between all the drama and gossip
surrounding recent OLLU budget cuts and
lay offs, students have banded together in a
commendable fashion and are seeking to
know more. Students, simply wanting to
know where they're averaged $12,000
tuition goes as an undergraduate, are finding many brick walls strategically placed in
front of them.
As limited information was formally
revealed to faculty and staff, students felt
that this was presented strictly on a need-toknow basis, in which they were not included.
OLLU is undergoing a significant financial deficit; changes are to be made in
attempts to correct the "budget shortfall."
Will the reduction of luxuries from the
budget - such as free drinks for faculty and
staff in the cafeteria and several extracurricular activities offered to students - truly
improve the already sloping budget? It
seems the university is attempting to penny
pinch in desperate means to save funding,
but these cuts prove to be minor compared
to others. Although all cuts are justifiable,
the administration is failing to realize the
impact of more serious losses to the university - faculty - and how this will affect current as well as prospective students.
Although OLLU lost only six faculty
members, this still has made a dent in the
education provided to students. With
already small departments, the loss of one or
more educators will be felt.
comic by jesse blanchard
adviser
Kay O’Donnell
odonm
press
San Antonio Press
Economics, politics and pride
BABYPAN
layout and design
Chris Burrell
uburrc
Marisa Rodriguez
urodrmd
photographer
Ryan Murray
umurry
advertising
Vanessa Duran
udurav
Raquel Garza
ugarzr
In all, 42 faculty and staff positions will
be affected, making a dramatic impression
on a university that operates with a little
over 450 employees and fewer than 3,000
students.
As the university undergoes some serious economical restructuring, students, faculty and staff say they feel as though there
were left in the dark, but still continue to
support the university and encourage others
to show concern as well.
Some students are using a contemporary approach to disseminating information
about the current situation. By using the
popular Web site myspace.com and Web CT
discussion boards, students are voicing their
worries and informing others on past meetings and upcoming ones.
Along with the use of the Internet, students have visually shown support and concern for their school. As a crowd of students
sat in on the closed Nov. 12 faculty and staff
meeting in PWSR, one could literally see the
true concern written across every student's
face. Dressed in professional attire with attitudes to match, students exhibited a high
level of maturity but expressed their roles as
students and urged the university to seek
help from them personally. Most already
wish to lend a helping hand in anyway possible, especially by free recruitment in their
hometowns.
As past OLLU statistics dictate, enrollment is down, but as a resilient university we
yeah, due to budget
cuts, we’re going
to have to make a
few changes.
you called,
boss?
hey jen,
what’s with
the movers?
need to move on.
Students, faculty and staff must concentrate on the future, without which those
whose jobs were dismissed for such budgeting reasons would be meaningless. Instead
one must evaluate the current situation and
ask what can and will be done to correct this
conflict and prevent it from happening
again?
As registration numbers disappointingly trickle in, students should focus their
efforts on next semester and the years
ahead. If current low registration numbers
remain steady, several classes may be cancelled.
An important attraction to potential
OLLU students is the university's offer of
small class sizes. This ensures a strong student-teacher relationship in which a one-onone bond is established.
Students chose this university because
they did not want to be seen as just another
number in the eyes of their professors, but
viewed as an individual. What good will this
be when there are no formal classroom lectures? This is something all students can
assist with; register and support your school.
Although the budgeting fight seems to
be over, there are still other issues to question.
Students, faculty and staff should continue their labors but concentrate on the
future by thinking about what is best for the
university as a whole.
Oh, we can’t
afford backgrounds
anymore.
we fired the
artists, too.
what else
could go
wrong?
damn
budget
cuts.
news
December 2005
SOUNDING
OFF
Page 3
In what way have you been
affected by the budget cuts?
H A L F - PA G E E D I T I O N
ROBBIE KOURI
science professor
JESSICA EARLEY
textbook manager
GEORGE SAAVEDRIA
senior
“Directly they haven't.
Our department hasn't
been affected.”
“For me and my
department, this has
definitely made me
look at the things I do
such as streamline all
of our expenses and
trying to make every
system as efficient as
possible.”
“It has not directly
affected me since I
graduate in December.
I just hope things go
smoother and next
year goes better for
students.”
RACINE MEDINA
junior
WILLIAM GONZALES
sophomore
ANDREW COLLI
sophomore
“As a student, this has
affected me in that
there are not enough
courses offered. It also
minimizes the amount
of variety of courses I
can take.”
“I'm not in particular
but it seems that we're
losing a lot of good
faculty members!”
“Being a member of
residence life and an
R.A., I feel like I will
have a heavier load of
work next semester. It
gets me nervous thinking about next semester's losses of staff
members.”
DOREEN ZEPADA
Weekend College
graduate student
TOMMIE RODRIGUEZ
2nd-year graduate
student
THERESA GATELY
center for academic
achievement
“I know that they're
looking at cutting back
professors in the leadership program, and
that's what I'm getting
my master’s in. I have
a concern for the lack
of female role models
in that program.”
“I feel that the library
in particular was hit
hard...”
“We've had to make
reductions to departments but they're
reasonable.”
Some students seek
a more active role
EFFORTS CONTINUED
On Nov. 10 about 20 students
attended meetings for faculty and staff
at which President Tessa Pollack would
be discussing the budget situation.
Students said they were there to be
informed and that they did not want to
cause any commotion.
After both meetings were over, the
students who were present reconvened
at the cafeteria to go over what had
been said.
“If the university is said to be a
business, I must say then that I am one
unsatisfied customer,” sophomore
Jessica Nuñez said.
However, some students had a different perspective.
“Students should not be asking
what The Lake can do for them; they
should be asking what they can do for
The Lake,” senior Mark Gonzalez said.
Danis said, “I think we should ask
BOTH what we can do for the university AND what the university can do for
us. I was pleased to see how many students attended President Pollack’s sessions with faculty and staff.”
When told about the myspace.com
account, Pollack commented on the
students’ initiative.
“A part of (the university) mission
is to teach students leadership. I am
gratified that students are thinking
rationally and thoughtfully about what
we can do,” she said.
She also added that it was a great
way for students to show that “they do
“If the university is said to be
a business, I must say then
that I am one unsatisfied customer.”
Jessica Nunez
SOPHOMORE
have control over these things and one
of them is to get accurate information.”
Due to the budget reductions,
funds are now going to be available and
Pollack has said she wants to show concerned students, as well as the rest of
the OLLU community, that they are
going to have some of the things they
have been requesting for sometime
now.
“We have money now to put into
things, though we have to see what
makes sense,” Pollack said.
One possibility Pollack mentioned
was an athletics program at the university. Though an athletics program has
been something students have supported in the past, opinion is mixed over its
place at The Lake.
“I don’t think (OLLU) could afford
athletic teams, they are expensive,”
said sophomore Amy Rodriguez, who is
a campus recreation activities assistant. “We would have to pay for uniforms, trainers, plus someone to run
it.”
However, junior Kathleen Becerra
said, “It would be a fun thing for those
here at OLLU to have sports. I can’t
wait to see what comes of this.”
news
Page 4
December 2005
Budget woes not new at OLLU Prop. 2 raises
REDUCTIONS CONTINUED
In a report in the Nov. 17 edition of The Chronicle of Higher
Education, Pollack is reported to
have earned an estimated
$245,000 for the 2003-2004 academic year. When asked how she
could justify her salary when the
university has had an ongoing
budget problem, she said she was
not going to speak for the Board of
Trustees and their negotiations
with her about her salary.
However,
according
to
Pollack, there was one year when
she asked the board to withhold
her salary increase for that year.
In the Oct. 24 edition of “Ask
the President,” the question of faculty or staff being offered incentives for early retirement came up
and after further review Pollack
said the PEC did look at early
retirement as an option.
“Truthfully, we did not get
into that at any great depth and
certainly we were not going to
force anyone to retire,” Pollack
said. “There are some institutions
that give early retirement incentives but it never went any further
than its first mention, though it’s
not to say that somewhere down
the road we wouldn’t consider it.”
Regarding the question of
why no administrators were laid
off, the president stated earlier this
semester that positions that
reported directly to her were functions key to university operations
and “do not bear a direct relationship to enrollment decline.”
However, some of the staff
positions affected by the layoffs
included ones in housekeeping and
maintenance. When asked how do
these positions have a “direct relationship to enrollment decline,”
Pollack said, “We still have the
same number of buildings to clean,
the same level of maintenance and
repairs to do, we still have the
same grounds to keep whether you
have 800 students here or 8,000.”
PHOTO BY RYAN MURRAY
President Pollack faces the SGA
council and responds to RSOs
concerns.
Career Services office manager Edna Hinojosa said, “Bottom
line, what we need to look at is
where did we go wrong and who is
responsible. I don’t know if (the
PEC) was given the right suggestions. But for staff that’s still here,
we care about the students, we
care about OLLU and we will do
what we need to do.”
According to Pollack, the
budget shortfall was not a simple
“black and white” problem.
“We were dealing with areas
of judgment and discretion that
were really driven by departments,” Pollack said. “I don’t
know at this (administrative) level,
what maintenance needs, they are
the ones who made the decisions
and that’s how it happened all the
way down the departments.”
According to Pollack, making
cuts was a tough decision.
However, the decisions that were
made created a new flow of
monies, which were previously
being used for operations of “areas
that were no longer productive and
had duplication.”
“When you have an enrollment decline of 800 students, that
impact is going to be in the number of teachers that you have
teaching. Though we have always
tried to maintain small classes,
now they have really small classes
and that is where the greatest
impact is on an enrollment
decline. We reviewed the recommendations and asked questions
in order to make those decisions,”
she said.
To help with the $3.6 million
shortfall, the Board of Trustees
“floated” $1.8 million from the
board-designated fund. From this
allotment, $500,000 was used to
close off last year. Reaching its
goal of $3.6 million, the PEC plans
to pay back the monies floated
from the board-designated find.
Budget shortfalls are not a
new thing for OLLU. The university, in the last several years, has had
its share of budgeting problems.
“Six months after I came to
the university, we were going to
have a $2.1 million shortfall for
reasons that predated me. Not
exactly the way I wanted to start
the year,” Pollack said.
In 2003, a 6 percent “acrossthe-board” reduction was made to
the operations budget, done in a
course toward growth, according
to Pollack.
“The reductions weren’t
because (the university) was going
broke; the budget reductions were
part of a plan to position the university for growth. It was an equation,” she said.
Though it seems the recent
budget cuts and layoffs are a negative approach to growth, Pollack
said she hopes the university will
be in great shape by next fall.
“I am so optimistic about
where (the university) is now than
where we were last year, or the
year before, or the year before
that,” Pollack said.
awareness
GAY RIGHTS CONTINUED
However, even as a faith-based Catholic university, OLLU still faces the issue of homosexuality in
this changing and diverse society.
“I believe gay marriage has received so much
attention at the moment because there are individuals on both sides of the argument that are adamant
about their opinions on the subject,” said Geraldo
Alonso, a senior who posted comments in the WebCT student lounge.
With Proposition 2, there has been an increasing awareness of the issue. Professor of social work,
Cynthia Medina, held a class titled “Intercultural
Minority Relations” (SOWK 4332), which dealt with
this issue in a panel discussion held Nov. 15 titled
“Beyond homophobia and heterosexism: Advancing
understanding of LGBTQI (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual,
transgender, queer and intersexed) issues on a
Catholic campus.”
The discussion included speaker Elena
Guajardo, who is a San Antonio councilwoman and
an OLLU alumna, as well as Orlando Zapata, who is
currently a graduate student in the Marriage and
Family program.
“We had a good turnout, and it was a good representation of faculty, staff and students as well as
the several sisters (CDP’s) who attended,” said
Medina.
PHOTO BY RYAN MURRAY
Professor of social work Cynthia Medina was
involved in the panel discussion, ‘Beyond homophobia and heterosexism.’
Sodexho says it will change meal plans starting in the spring
Guinevere Guerrero
STAFF WRITER
As the semester draws to a close, SGA raised and
set the bar for resolving campus issues. SGA had its plate
full with the meal plan, budget shortfall, and enrollment
and retention issues, but it managed to accomplish the
goals set on its agenda.
The semester began with talk around the General
Council (GC) concerning the new meal plans. Students
were dissatisfied with the changes and wanted meal
plans that suited their needs better. At the Oct. 26 GC
meeting, a proposal for an updated meal plan was suggested by Reggie Harmon, director of Sodexho Services,
and Jack Hank, dean of Student Life.
“We heard all the concerns of the student body. We
sat down to discuss changes that will take effect this
spring,” Hank said.
Harmon and Hank, in light of the concerns from
the GC meeting, answered the student body with proposed new meal plans.
“We brought back all the three plans as well as DCB
(declining cash balance) plans. Each student is responsible for managing his or her own money,” Harmon said.
Students can now choose between meal plans that
have a guaranteed set number of meals per week and a
set amount of “Dillo” dollars, or a meal plan with just a
set amount of “Dillo” dollars. Plans A-C have a fixed
number of guaranteed meals including “Dillo” dollars.
Plan D is only “Dillo” dollars and is only available for
Bexar County residents; plans E-G are solely “Dillo” dollars.
“The meal plans changed because we had communication with the student body,” Chris Cavazos, SGA
president, said.
Following the meal plan transformation, the budget shortfall had SGA pushing for answers from administration and looking to ease students' nerves.
“I have repeatedly asked for specifics on what was
being cut and none was given to me,” Cavazos stated at
the GC meeting. “I, the UPC president and the two senior Lake Ambassadors are going to meet with President
(Tessa Martinez) Pollack on Friday at 3:30 p.m. and we
will ask her those kinds of questions. We will try to have
those answers for you at the next GC meeting on Nov.
16,” Cavazos continued.
With rumors circulating about the budget, SGA
was able to calm the grapevine by scheduling President
Pollack as a guest at the GC meeting that was held on
Nov. 16 in PWSR.
Cavazos further emphasized, communication on
campus is a vital tool for running a successful school and
SGA is doing all it can to build the communication
bridge stronger and more reliable.
“We are also working to bring the (e-mail) distribution list back,” Cavazos mentioned, in order to
improve the communication among students, faculty,
staff and SGA.
Freshmen retention and the transition of officers
are key areas for SGA in improving communication.
“We have started training other officers for the
transition they will make once Erica (Alatorre) and I
leave,” Cavazos said.
“And freshmen retention and enrollment has
always been an issue for SGA,” Alatorre, SGA vice president, added.
SGA has designed a new program that targets student councils in seven high schools around the West
Side. Conference on Student Councils (C.O.S.C), will
integrate Burbank, Edison, Fox Technical, Harlandale,
Kennedy, Lanier and Memorial student councils with
SGA, hopefully providing more interest in the Lake.
Back on campus, SGA has been able to involve the
student body with issues affecting the school. Active participation from the student body, the Board and GC
helped resolve the concerns with the meal plans, as well
as raising other important issues.
“All semester it seems like the biggest issue was the
meal plan. There were other issues at hand and Chris
does an excellent job in addressing the students and
issues,” said Christian Tapia, senior.
This semester has allowed SGA to exercise its governing power and provide resolutions to problems facing the campus.
“SGA is as effective as they can be. The best thing
about them is their availability and publicity they do for
their meetings,” added Donata Valdez,
freshman.
“Overall I think we have done
pretty well. I always feel like we
can do more though,” Cavazos
said.
PHOTO BY
RYAN MURRAY
sports
December 2005
Page 5
The Big Easy? Freshman forward adapts to adversity
Jesse Blanchard
LAKE REPORTER
Standing just 15 feet away
from the basket, but 544 miles
from his hometown of New
Orleans, freshman forward
Nick Davis calmly sank the first
of two free throws.
It was another rough night
for The Lake's basketball team,
falling at home to San Antonio
College, but nothing new for
Davis. For someone who lived
in a city called the “Big Easy”,
the last few months have been
anything but.
Hurricane Katrina swept
the Gulf Coast the week before
Davis was to begin college at
the University of New Orleans.
When the storm cleared the
back of his house was demolished and what was standing
was underneath eight feet of
water.
“When you're filling out
those insurance forms, making
a list of everything you lost, you
realize that you had a lot more
than you thought,” Davis said.
“It makes you appreciate everything you have even more.”
Davis, his four sisters and
their parents relocated in
Houston. An aunt who attended Our Lady of the LakeHouston alerted Davis of an
opportunity to attend school at
the main campus in San
Antonio, free of charge.
As Davis' family settled in
Houston, buying a house, he
was traveling farther west on
PHOTO BY RYAN MURRAY
Nick Davis (far right) fights for position in the paint.
Interstate 10, away from family,
friends and any sense of
remaining familiarity and onto
his first semester of college.
While many would find
such daunting circumstances
too much to handle, Davis' personality has remained as big
and easy-going as the city
which he called home.
“I look at my time here as
a vacation away from every-
thing that's happened,” Davis
said. “I adapt well anywhere I
go.”
While he may have been
separated from his friends,
Davis found new opportunities
on the basketball court when
his resident advisor, now teammate, Daniel De Hoyas recommended he go out for the university's basketball team.
“I'm always looking for
people to play basketball, and
when he showed me his state
championship ring, I asked him
right away,” said De Hoyas.
Affectionately called “New
Orleans” by his teammates,
Nick Davis has become a major
part of basketball at the university in the brief time he has
been here.
Having played three years
of varsity basketball on a state
championship team, Davis' size
and versatility was a welcomed
addition to a team that in the
past has lacked both. But perhaps more importantly, Davis'
personality has fit right into the
locker room.
“He's real laid-back and
gets along with everyone on
and off the court,” said team
captain Anthony Gomez. “He's
been a big presence on the
team.”
It has been his large, yet
easy-going personality that has
connected him with his city and
created a small following here.
Every game a small group of
fans, who have become a part of
Davis's extended family, cheer
loudly for their adopted classmate.
During the San Antonio
College game, one of the fans,
playfully jesting Davis, held up
a sign that read: “Sink it New
Orleans”.
The sign, and the attention
received with it, have all been
taken in stride by Davis who
chooses to laugh and be cheerful about everything that has
happened.
“They told me they were
going to do (the sign), so I
couldn't be mad. Sometimes
you have to be able to laugh
when things go bad,” Davis
said.
The distraction of the basketball court has allowed him to
do just that. A road game
against Cy Fair College in
Houston presented the Davis
family an opportunity to see
their son play. Shorthanded,
the team lost, but Davis did not
disappoint, scoring a seasonhigh 22 points. With his family
watching, for a moment, everything was normal again.
“Basketball has been a
huge relief for me, just getting
to play everyday,” Davis said.
What happens beyond this
semester still remains in question for Davis. With only this
semester guaranteed and the
immediate future of New
Orleans still up in the air, Davis
plans on taking a semester off
before making his next decision.
While he has enjoyed his
stay here, Davis says he cannot
wait for the opportunity to
return to his family and home
city. Still, he's grateful for the
hospitality and plans on keeping in touch with his new
extended family at OLLU.
“These people, they took
me in when I needed it the
most,” said Davis. “I'll always
remember that.”
Page 6
news
Caroling, luminarias:
S.A. holiday favorites
December 2005
Stepping up:
Cuts lead to rise
in students’ duties
Jennifer Herrera
Alfredo Valenzuela
EDITOR
EDITOR IN CHIEF
After chomping down on mounds of food
during the Thanksgiving break it's time to get
moving again and what better way than to take a
stroll around San Antonio during the Christmas
holidays.
After finals week ends, students are finally
given time to break free from homework obligations and relax with festive, yet frugal, outings in
San Antonio.
Junior Phylis Jendry plans on going out of
town for the holidays while also catching up with
some much needed relaxation time.
“(I plan to) sleep as much as I can,” Jendry
said.
If catching up with sleep isn't in your immediate future, then consider attending a performance at a local theatre company for an artsy outing.
Jump-Start Performance Co. presents “Las
Nuevas Tamaleras,” a popular holiday show by
Alicia Mena telling the story of three Latinas and
their efforts to make tamales for the first time.
Craziness ensues when a candle is lit and the spirits of veteran tamaleras appear.
The show not only appeals to people familiar
with making tamales with relatives and friends,
but also to those that would enjoy a performance
rich with culture and comedy.
The show runs Nov. 25-Dec. 11, but with no
performances on Dec. 2. Performance times are
Sundays 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., ThursdaysSaturdays 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. For more information, call 210-227-5867.
If you are more into keeping with traditional
Christmas outings, check out the carolers at the
River Walk. The sound of carolers during
Christmas time is a great way to get in the
Christmas spirit.
But San Antonio does things a bit differently,
With 42 faculty and staff positions being affected due
to recent layoffs and budget cuts, some students have said
they are being asked to take on extra responsibilities at
their campus jobs.
For instance, in the Campus Activities office, student
workers are being asked to take on more duties.
According to Catherine Fragoso, Campus Activities
assistant director, the recent loss of new hire Kristen Garcia
is going to affect the workload students will have in her
office.
“Losing Kristen is making my student workers have
more job responsibilities,” Fragoso said. “I know it is a lot
to ask of them.”
Taking on a bigger workload is a part of students’ jobs,
according to the Student Employment Office (SEO).
“When
you
have a layoff, you
We can fall behind in
still need to run the
one or the other. It’s not
office,” manager of
right that we have to
student employment
Rosemary Mendoza
choose between school
said.
and work.
Sophomore
Richaundra Darden
Richaundra Darden,
SOPHOMORE
who
works
in
Campus Activities as
a Welcome Center
assistant, is just one of 32 student employees in that office.
“We should be compensated for our work. We only
make $5.15 an hour which is not enough for what we do
now, let alone what we are now being asked to do,” Darden
said. “I am discouraged. Student workers are just that —
students. Besides having a full load and working on campus we also have extracurricular activities.”
However, according to the SEO, student employees
are employees first.
“They are just a part of the whole function of a department,” Mendoza said. “If there is a change it affects the
whole department, not just the student workers, and it’s
time for an adjustment.”
Darden says she is worried about class assignments
and her extracurricular activities.
“We can fall behind in one or the other. It’s not right
that we have to choose between school and work,” she said.
Though problems in the workplace are a concern for
the SEO, working on campus is a learning experience.
“Anything they learn is beneficial,” Mendoza said.
However, Mendoza notes that if there are any complaints, student employees need to go through the proper
chain of command and speak to their supervisors first.
“I am here for students if they have complaints,”
Mendoza said. “However, we all do more than our job
description asks for.”
“
”
THE
LAKE
FRONT
the voice of the students
Have an issue you need resolved?
A complaint you cannot handle?
Then let us know!
We are here to voice your opinions
so you can be heard!
[email protected]
with the Ford Holiday Boat Caroling. Along the
San Antonio River Walk, various singing groups
ranging from bell choirs, Latino ensembles and
hearing-impaired performers, perform traditional
carols. Singers perform on cruising boats along
the River Walk while onlookers sing along to classic Christmas songs.
The caroling begins at 6:45 p.m. at river level
by the Chamber of Commerce during Nov. 26Dec. 18.
During Christmas, the River Walk is the
place to be with yet another event to experience a
very intimate Christmas practice. The Ford Fiesta
de las Luminarias allow people to be guided by
way of 2,500 luminarias. The glowing candles are
symbolic of lighting the way for the Holy Family.
The event begins at dusk Friday, Saturday,
and Sunday during Dec. 2-Dec.18.
If you're not too concerned about gas prices,
you might consider checking out decorated homes
in the city. Junior Juan Rodriguez said he enjoys
a “drive around the city to look at lights.” Or you
could just hit the biggest light show in town by
driving out to the University of the Incarnate
Word.
Another longstanding tradition in San
Antonio is the University of the Incarnate Word's
Christmas lights.
The University of the Incarnate Word is celebrating its 20th year of Light the Way, an event in
which lights are placed throughout the university
and visitors drive around parking lots to catch a
glimpse of more than 1 million lights. The event
kicked off on Nov. 19 with the driving tour extending through Jan. 6.
These are just a few things to do around the
city. Local San Antonians have been known to
drive through neighborhoods with their families
scoping out neighbors Christmas decorations.
While other families gather to make Christmas
treats. Whatever the case may be, have a fun and
festive holiday season.
December 2005
entertainment
Smells like something,
but not ‘Teen Spirit’
Paul Anka has been around since
the 1950s and is responsible for such
hits as “Lonely Boy” and “Puppy Love.”
Anka has released “Rock Swings,”
a new album in which he covers some
of the greatest rock songs from the past
20 years. Anka’s new record contains
Big Band renditions of songs by Billy
Idol, Soundgarden, Oasis and R.E.M.
among others.
A few of the new versions actually
did fit in quite well with the new musical arrangements, while others were
bland and spiritless. Shockingly,
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana, a
standard rock anthem, was rid of its
powerful angst and turned into something that sounded like an old-time
radio jingle.
“Rock Swings” is a blasphemous
astonishment to say the least. The
music covered on the album defined
two generations and helped influence
the current one. Instead of paying
homage to rock music, Anka drove a
dagger through its heart.
Jesus Flores
contributing writer
Romania trip takes
learning to a new level
Marissa Cervantes
LAKE REPORTER
As the semester comes to an end,
students are starting to plan their schedules for the spring. On the list of possibilities: a trip to Romania.
The course study trip to RomaniaParis (BADM 4394), which is offered out
of the business department, is available
to sophomores, juniors and seniors in
any area of interest. It will count as an
elective or can be a substitute for
International Business.
The focus of this course will be to
enhance the student's perspective of the
world as well as focus on the economics,
business, and cultural aspects of
Romania.
Daniel A. Glaser-Segura, chair and
assistant professor of management, was
inspired by his granddaughter to visit
Romania. When he went, he found it to
be extremely interesting and wanted to
give students the opportunity to learn
and experience something new.
“I hope that the students will be
able to broaden their horizons and get to
know more about the world that they are
part of,” said Glaser-Segura.
Students will leave May 12, 2006,
and will be in Romania for 11 days. Their
host will be Babes-Bolyai University,
which will plan trips and provide classroom activities for the students. In addition to visiting Romania, the trip will
also consist of a stop in Paris for about
two days, prior to returning home. The
cost is $2,000.
The course also will consist of an
introductory class/orientation session
that will be 21 hours in length prior to
the trip. In addition to OLLU, some San
Antonio experts such as Valarie SpiserAlbert, Star Carey, Alicia Gresham, John
Swinger and a few others will provide
presentations of their experiences in
Romania. Students will also get a feel for
some of Romania's cultural aspects such
as food, religion, music and dance, and
poetry.
For many of the students, the trip
will be a unique learning experience as
well as a memorable one.
“Hopefully, the class will teach us
most of what we need to know. I'm really looking forward to experiencing a new
place with people that will be as culturally shocked as I,” said junior Christiana
Chavez, who is planning on being part of
the trip.
Some of the students are not sure
what to expect. With communication a
factor, most are relying on Glaser-Segura
to get them through the sticky spots.
However, others are taking a few precautions of their own to prepare themselves
as much as they can.
“I plan to do some independent
research to gain an understanding of
Romanian culture for my own sake,”
said junior Clarissa Esparza.
The purpose of courses such as
these is to offer students a chance to
understand another culture and learn by
actually being part of the atmosphere.
“It's better to see and to do to be
able to learn and comprehend,” said
Glaser-Segura.
Space is limited to 20 students so if
you are interested or have any questions
about the program or the class, contact
Glaser-Segura at [email protected].
Page 7
Fort Minor ‘rising’ from
Linkin Park’s shadow
Fort Minor is the side project
from Mike Shinoda’s regular stint as
being part of the nü metal band, Linkin
Park. However, after listening to the
“The Rising Tied,” calling Fort Minor a
side project would be a mistake. The
album showcases genuine talent that
deserves to be displayed on the forefront rather than kept as a humble side
project.
While Linkin Park has a signature
style of rock music fused with layered
hip-hop beats, Fort Minor experiments
in various styles ranging from Latininspired percussions to pianos and to
personal accounts of World War II on
the track “Kenji.” The track is a personal one for Shinoda, his aunt and father
detail their experiences over a simple
hip-hop beat.
Shinoda wrote every track on
“The Rising Tied.” An impressive feat
for any hip-hop artist, but with Fort
Minor it is just another example of why
Shinoda and his list of guest artists are
above the competition. Shinoda definitely has what it takes to “Remember
the Name.”
Jennifer Herrera
editor
RATING SCALE
Do Not Bother
Mediocre
Decent
Worth Your $
Classic
entertainment
Page 8
F
‘Walk the line’
is a true tribute
Melissa Gonzalez
EDITOR
or more than 50 years, Johnny
Cash provided listeners with hardhitting hits based on love, pain, a
life of crime and doing time. When
the original “Man in Black” was born to a
poor farming couple in Arkansas in 1932,
no one had any idea that his unique musical
styling would make him a star, an inspiration and a legend.
Hits such as “Ring of Fire,” “I Walk the
Line” and “Folsom Prison Blues” infused
listeners with a fresh sound and a new sense
of liberation. Not only did fans feel entertained but personally drawn to Cash by his
abrasive lyrics and poignant sound.
Cash re-created the country music
genre as well as personalized it, which later
paved the way for many other musical
giants such as Bob Dylan, Henry Rollins,
Kid Rock, Tim McGraw and The Rolling
Stones.
Heavy drug and alcohol abuse and infidelity consumed most of Cash’s youth, but
he would later battle his inner demons and
find peace within his personal life and come
back stronger than ever.
His music career would continue on for
at least three more decades, with him
releasing more than 140 albums, 1,500
songs and earning him prestigious entries
into the Rock and Roll, Country Music, and
Songwriters halls of fame, in which he is the
only person to hold a position in all three.
In 2003, at the age of 71, Cash died of
complications from diabetes just four
months after the passing of his beloved
wife, June Carter Cash, of complications
from heart surgery.
Cash not only inspired a genre but also
generations of music lovers. In the biographical “Walk the Line,” audiences are given
a candid look inside of the life and personal
struggles of a musical pioneer.
“Walk the Line,” based on the books
“The Man in Black” and “Cash: An
Autobiography,” both written by Cash,
depicts the typical tale of an up-and-coming
star rocketing into fame and plummeting
into infamy even faster. With a lifestyle consisting of alcohol, drugs and women, Cash
(played by Joaquin Phoenix) leads the classic rock star life and ultimately suffers the
consequences. Touring alongside musical
greats such as Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee
Lewis, Waylon Jennings and Roy Orbison,
Cash hits the open road and overindulges.
Upon meeting actress/songstress,
June Carter, played by Reese Witherspoon,
Cash instantly falls head over heels and proceeds to pursue Carter even though he is a
married man. As a love affair blooms on the
road, a marriage withers at home. With a
December 2005
wife and four children, he desperately tries
to find a way to satisfy his family, friends
and fans, but unfortunately turns to vices to
satisfy him.
In “Walk the Line,” Phoenix steps up to
the plate by portraying one of music’s most
talented artists and succeeds. According to
the Internet Movie Database, Johnny Cash
personally chose Phoenix to play him in the
film. To say that Phoenix was an appropriate choice would be an understatement. He
not only resembles and speaks like Cash,
but sings like him as well.
Both Phoenix and Witherspoon performed all of the songs in the film and
soundtrack themselves. Phoenix learned to
play guitar with no prior training and within six months of vocal coaching, learned to
evoke the sound which characterized Cash
and made him an American icon.
Phoenix not only exhibits impressive
musical performances in “Walk the Line,”
but visually proves that he is one of the few
actors in Hollywood to go to such great
lengths to accurately portray characters.
Everything from his stance, tones, sneers
and introductions is pure Cash.
For Witherspoon’s portrayal of Carter,
she had to learn to play the auto-harp and
like Phoenix, took six months of vocal training to master Carter’s distinct country,
high-pitch. Witherspoon, known for her
versatile acting abilities and as one of
Hollywood’s new leading ladies, displays
solid acting and surprises audiences with
her on-screen live performances.
Witherspoon replicates Carter’s resonance but allows a bit of her own natural
voice to shadow, much like Phoenix’s. This
definitely adds more praise to both actors
for their strong efforts both on and off
screen to give “Walk the Line” a tribute-like
feel.
Directed by James Mangold, (“Girl
Interrupted” and “Identity,”) “Walk the
Line” may have a hard time separating itself
from similar musical biographies such as,
“La Bamba,” “Ray,” “The Doors” and “Great
Balls of Fire,” but it will certainly earn a
spot in movie history as one of the most
accurate portrayals of a character.
According to the official “Walk the
Line” movie Web site, with cooperation
from both Cash and Carter before their
deaths, Mangold was able to give audiences
a movie “about a time when making music
was about making music, and not about
money or videos.” “Walk the Line”
accomplished this and certainly has
an excellent shot at walking
away with an Oscar or two.
COURTESY OF 20TH CENTURY FOX
New release tracks life of a legend
Christina Barbee
EDITOR
Not many haven’t heard the name Johnny Cash. As
one of the late greats, he was not only a country music legend, but one of the first true-blue American outlaws. The
depth of his talent comes to life in “The Legend of Johnny
Cash.”
The album was put out in his honor and made to coincide with the movie “Walk the Line,” chronicling his life
and rise to fame. This 21-track album is the first to span his
entire career: 1955-2003. It showcases not only his sweet,
soulful lyrics, but the upbeat, comical songs for which he is
known as well.
It includes the title track to the film “I Walk the Line,”
along with great classics such as “Jackson” and “Ring of
Fire.” Also included is Cash’s cover of Soundgarden’s
“Rusty Cage” and Nine Inch Nail’s “Hurt.” Cash also does
a live version of “A Boy Named Sue,” which gives the listener a chance to hear the legend as he was on stage and in the
bright lights.
Johnny Cash: Man in black