2006 april.qxp - Our Lady of the Lake University

the
Lake Front
APRIL 2006
OUR LADY OF THE LAKE UNIVERSITY, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
VOLUME 16, ISSUE 3
Renewed ACCD agreement aids students
Jennifer Herrera
EDITOR
In late February, OLLU
renewed an agreement with the
Alamo Community College
District (ACCD) to help transfer students make the transition from community college to
university a little less stressful.
Coordinator of transfer
student enrollment, Michael
Boatner, summarizes the
agreement as “a successful
partnership with our local
community college district.”
“The work of many faculty and staff from OLLU and the
ACCD colleges produced agreements that make transfer to
OLLU easy, predictable, and attractive for students.”
Tessa Martinez Pollack, Ph.D
PRESIDENT
The initial agreement with Palo
Alto College (PAC), one of the
colleges in the ACCD system,
dates back to 1990. This agreement first established a strong
relationship between OLLU
and the ACCD.
The new agreement may
also be considered a labor of
love for President Tessa
Pollack being that she is not
only a graduate of San Antonio
College (SAC,) but was also
employed by the college.
‘CORAZON SIN FRONTERAS’
“The work of many faculty
and staff from OLLU and the
ACCD colleges produced agreements that make transfer to
OLLU easy, predictable, and
attractive for students,” Pollack
said.
The agreement makes it
possible for students to
become jointly admitted from
their respective community
college to OLLU. Based on the
success of the transfer program
with ACCD and OLLU, the academic curriculum allows a
maximum of 72 transferable
equivalent credits. The transfer
program makes it easier for
students to transfer credits
without worrying if the institution will accept the credits.
“When we look at the fact
that OLLU was literally one of
the first to begin that partnership in San Antonio with Palo
Alto College being the first…we
set the template and the
roadmap,” Boatner said.
CONTINUED ON PAGE
6
Intensive English program
to face challenges ahead
Enrollment hard to predict for
program which focuses on diversity
Jennifer Herrera
EDITOR
PHOTO BY FABIOLA SALINAS
Author John Phillip Santos was one of the many participants at the literary festival, ‘Heart Without Borders/Corazon sin Fronteras,’ which was
held March 28-April 2. Santos read some of his latest work and signed
books for audience members.
Ever since last semester's extensive budget cuts, rumors have been
swirling of certain departments getting
reduced funding or being eliminated
completely. The Intensive English program, which is currently part of the
Kliesen Center, fell victim to this rumor
mill.
The Intensive English program is
for students whose native language is
not English.
“(We) administer placement tests
based on their abilities and skills…we
place them in beginning, intermediate
and advanced classes,” said Kliesen
International Center Director Nina
Patrizio-Quinones.
The students take part in courses
that allow them 20 contact hours a
week working in the program, plus a
minimum of 20 hours of lab time, dictated by the program and the type of
VISA a student obtains.
“The main objective of the course
“They (students) bring with
them the beautiful gift of their
heritage and culture.”
Nina Patrizio-Quinones
KLIESEN INTERNATIONAL CENTER DIRECTOR
is to pass the TOEFL (Test of English as
a Foreign Language) so they can enter
regular courses,” said PatrizioQuinones.
However, not many students are
in the Intensive English program.
According to Associate Provost
Jacquelyn Alexander, Ph. D., it is “difficult to predict” how many students are
expected each semester. One example
of this situation is how the current
semester panned out for the program.
Forty Saudi Arabian students were
expected to attend OLLU this semester;
of the 40 students only six students
enrolled.
CONTINUED ON PAGE
6
Organizations recognized for service, improvement
Gloria Rodriguez
LAKE REPORTER
At the SGA meeting held March 8, many new
items were announced, including budgets, banquets,
a new voice and prizes.
Mary Scotka, director of Campus Activities,
announced budget allocation packets were due soon,
and that the Leadership Awards are just around the
corner.
A budget allocation packet allows Recognized
Student Organizations (RSO's) to receive money for
the following school year. The Budget Allocation
Committee, which reviews the requests, will review
the RSO's plan for spending and consider factors
such as the number of active members in the organ-
Inside
FINANCIAL AID CHANGES
Students can expect a
smoother FAFSA process
with the new system.
ization, financial need, and benefit to the university.
In other news, the Leadership Banquet has been
scheduled for April 25. The banquet recognizes the
importance of student organizations and their commitment to the University. Any RSO may nominate
their organization or any other group for a RSO
Leadership Award.
Among the awards presented at the banquet
are: Outstanding Educational Program, Most
Valuable Advisor, Outstanding Social Program,
Academic Excellence, Most Improved Organization,
and Outstanding Organization.
RSO's must submit nominations by 5 p.m. on
April 7.
3
CONTINUED ON PAGE
FIESTA ’06
A brief history of Fiesta
and its evolution into a
citywide celebration.
3
4
‘THE LIBERTINE’
Johnny Depp offers
another stellar
performance
8
editorial
Page 2
STAFF
editor in chief
Alfredo Valenzuela
uvalea
editors
Jennifer A. Herrera
uherrjen
Melissa Gonzalez
ugonzme
staff reporters
Jesse Blanchard
ublanj
Marissa Cervantes
mcervantes2504
Julia San Miguel
usanmj
Gloria Rodriguez
urodrg
layout and design
Chris Burrell
uburrc
photographer
Fabiola Salinas
fcsalinas
advertising manager
Vanessa Duran
udurav
advertising
Raquel Garza
ugarzr
adviser
Kay O’Donnell
odonm
press
San Antonio Press
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.
The Lake Front publication
strives to inform, entertain and
communicate with The Lake
and its surrounding communities. Advertisement information
is available upon request.
Submission requirements:
The Lake Front accepts letters
to the editor for publication on
the Opinion page of this newspaper. Letters should have the
author's printed name, signature and contact information.
Unsigned letters will not be
published. Letters can be submitted in person or by mail
and become the property of
The Lake Front. The editor
reserves the right to edit letters
for libelous material, grammatical errors, space constraints, and/or offensive language. The Lake Front does
not discriminate because of
age, sex, race, ethnicity,
national origin, disability or
sexual orientation. “Letters of
the Editor” is intended to
serve as a public forum for
issues related to The Lake
community.
SOUNDING OFF
Transitions made easy
With the renewed transfer agreement
between OLLU and the Alamo Community
College District (ACCD) finalized, students who
wish to attend OLLU can find peace when
attempting to transfer their grades. The long days
accompanied by migraines and frustration can
hopefully be forgotten now that, with this
improved accord, students can transfer up to a
maximum of 72 equivalent credits without fear of
OLLU non-acceptance.
Current OLLU students should find
comfort in knowing that their university
was the first in materializing this agreement with ACCD and continued to work
jointly in finalizing this as quickly as possible in late February. Now other universities have followed in OLLU’s footsteps
and jumped on the “easy transfer”
bandwagon as well.
In addition to less stress associated with transferring to OLLU from a
school in ACCD, a new program
that calls for a merger has been
established between Northwest
Vista
College’s
Information
Security and Assurance program
and
OLLU’s
Computer
Information
Systems
and
Security. The two programs will
combine efforts to provide students with more opportunities in
those studies. This could call for
an increase in student transfer
numbers.
Though transfer numbers
are not what OLLU depend on,
the significant increase to the
OLLU student body through ACCD transfer could
assist in enrollment and retention rates. OLLU
shows no signs of slowing down; similar agreements with the El Paso Community College and
Laredo Community College systems have already
been established and predict that combined with
ACCD, the numbers for student enrollment shall
continue to rise.
Perhaps locals are the way to go. OLLU has
continued to do heavy recruitment in the Rio
Grande Valley and El Paso region but fails to
focus on San Antonio residents. With the new
ACCD agreement this could all change and
OLLU can find more locals enrolling.
No matter which way one looks at the latest transfer accord, only positive effects can
come from it. The transition from ACCD to
OLLU will prove to be most beneficial to
transfer students who wish to make the jump
from community college to university which
is already a task in itself.
Now that the bridge between
OLLU and ACCD has been reinforced,
OLLU students of all types can benefit
from this agreement. More students
make for a more diverse class, more
classes and professors offered to
accommodate those students, and
most importantly, more money for the
university as a whole.
Combined with the new sports
program, continued image change,
and the ACCD agreement, the university has seen that transitions are
something that are necessary in creating a stronger base for the future.
What are your
plans for Fiesta?
KRISTY TORRALVA
junior
“I try to go all week. I
enjoy NIOSA, the carnival
and the parades.”
TRISH BEDOYA
freshman
“ I want to get my friends
together and have a good ‘ol
time.”
ROGER PLACIDO
freshman
“I plan on going and
meeting new people.”
RON DUARTE
freshman
“I’ve never been to Fiesta,
so I’m really excited to go
for the first time.”
BABYPAN
comic by jesse blanchard
“All that
junk inside
that trunk!”
The Lake Front is published
monthly during the academic
school year. The Lake Front
newsroom is located in the
University Wellness Center
(UWAC) in Room 105.
Contact information:
The Lake Front
Student Publications
Our Lady of the Lake
University
411 S.W. 24th St.
San Antonio, TX 78207
(210) 434-6711, Ext. 2445
[email protected]
[email protected]
April 2006
Awful,
not cool.
You did
your best.
Yeah, let’s
use our
cells to
keep him on!
he looks so
adorable and
FAB-U-LOUS!
BUZZ
You are the worst
ever! how you
made it this far is
beyond me.
Our plan has
worked! Cell
phones and reality
tv have rotted
americans’ brains!
They walk text messaging like
mindless zombies...
No longer able to perform even
basic tasks...like driving!
Meanwhile, in bill
gates’ secret lair
America is
finally ours,
gentlemen!
Can nobody stop
them? find out
next month!
The citizens
are too busy
texting!
I’m going to
have to call
you back.
to be continued...
news
Procedures take financial aid office online
April 2006
Page 3
Financial Aid office holds drawing
aimed at speeding up award process
Marissa Cervantes
LAKE REPORTER
It’s that time of year again –
FAFSA due dates for returning students
are coming up a little faster than
expected this semester.
For students who may need a little
help getting all the information completed, the Office of Financial Aid is
offering three additional sessions for
help on April 18-20.
This semester, Financial Aid is trying something a little different. They
are going to an auto-packaging award,
which means awards will be distributed
within a week after the FAFSA has been
submitted unless the student has been
selected for verification, which may
take a few extra days.
“Students need to make sure to call
and check on their financial aid status if
they have not received an award within
a week of the FAFSA being processed,”
said assistant director of financial aid
Esmeralda Flores. “If they want to
receive their awards quickly, it is vital
they check on the status.”
This new system will make it easier on the office as well as the students.
The entire process is done electronically, reducing errors and speeding up the
method of handling returning students.
“We hope to be able to relieve the
stress that students feel at the beginning of the school year in August. Now
all they have to worry about is showing
up and making their payments. All the
hassle of financial aid was done in the
spring,” said Flores.
In order for students to become
accustomed to the new way of doing
things, the Office of Financial Aid will
offer incentives to get students to submit their FAFSA sooner. There will be a
registration drawing for a free laptop,
two iPods, and a book voucher.
However, in order to be eligible, a student must pre-register, qualify for
financial aid, and make payment
arrangements by May 15; though the
first payment does not have to be made
until Aug. 9. The drawing is scheduled
to be on Aug. 14.
As for the students, some are having a difficult time adjusting to the
change.
“The school should give its students more time with the due dates for
financial aid. As for me, it takes forever
to get income tax papers in and it’s just
more stressful when I have to rush to
make deadlines,” said freshman Roger
Placido.
However, others feel that the new
PHOTO BY ALFREDO VALENZUELA
The Office of Financial Aid is hoping that the new auto-packaging award will be
more helpful to students.
enforced deadlines will help students
get on top of things and not wait around
for the last minute.
“Last July I applied for my financial aid and didn’t even get it in time for
school, so that was extra money out of
my pocket,” said freshman Celeste
Delagarza. “With this new enforced
deadline I feel it’s only for the better
and it’s up to us to go out there and find
out how much money we can actually
get because this school is not cheap.”
In addition, the requirements for
the state grant (Texas Equalization
Grant-TEG) have changed. Students
must now be enrolled full time and have
a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5.
“As of now, we have awarded 327
returning students. Though our goal is
to have all returning students awarded
by April 28,” said Flores.
For more information, contact the
office of Financial Aid at 434-6711, Ext.
2558.
Leadership
Study examines female binge drinking
Banquet to
recognize work
Among the awards presented at the banquet are: Outstanding Educational Program,
Most Valuable Advisor, Outstanding Social
Program, Academic Excellence, Most
Improved Organization, and Outstanding
Organization.
RSO's must submit nominations by 5 p.m.
on April 7.
Additionally, SGA has taken a new step
with their SGA Voices, a string of bi-monthly emails sent to students to keep them in touch
with the University.
Topics covered include a campus police
beat; a recent Q&A with the provost, Dr.
Benoist; the announcement of SGA applications; and upcoming events on campus.
The SGA hopes this new process will keep
the student body informed about topics that
are covered at SGA meetings.
In other business, discussion centered on
the renewal process for FAFSA's. This year,
students may be eligible to win a laptop or iPod. If students are currently enrolled for
Spring 2006 and/or Trimester II 2006, and
will be enrolling for Fall 2006, they must fill
out their FAFSA and be rewarded financial aid.
In addition, payment arrangements for
Fall 2006 and/or Trimester I 2006 must be
made with the Student Business Office by May
15. Finally, students must make their first payment by 5 p.m. Aug. 9, or by midnight via Ecommerce.
One first-place winner will receive a personal laptop computer, two second-place winners will receive an i-Pod and five third-place
winners will receive $100 OLLU Bookstore
Bucks Cards.
Lake Front
We are now
accepting
applications.
Positions Available:
*Reporter*
*Photographer*
*Designer*
*Ad Reps*
Drop by UWAC 105
for an application.
the voice
voice of
of the
the students
students
the
Summer Jobs
CONTINUED
the
SGA
(U-WIRE) BOSTON — More than 7 million underage youths between ages 12 to 20 admitted in 2004 to
binge drinking — or consuming five or more drinks in
one sitting — according to a March 2006 study conducted by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at
Georgetown University.
Although the study, titled “Underage Drinking in
the United States: A Status Report, 2005,” found that
males generally binge drink more often than females, it
reported an alarming increase in female binge drinking,
especially of “alcopops” — sugary flavored beers, such as
Smirnoff’s and wine coolers.
Study conductor David Jernigan, the executive
director of Georgetown’s Center on Alcohol Marketing
and Youth, was hesitant to speculate why women were
engaging in more binge drinking. However, Jernigan
said the number of advertisements that market alcoholic
beverages has increased in magazines geared towards
young women, such as Cosmopolitan, Allure and InStyle.
More alcohol advertisements are targeted towards
women than in previous years, said William Dejong,
director of the Youth Alcohol Prevention Center at
Boston University’s School of Public Health.
“It’s similar to the increase in female cigarette
smoking when cigarette companies began to market cigarettes towards women,” Dejong said.
Dejong added that he thinks young people are generally well educated about most immediate dangers
incurred by drinking — such as impaired motor skills —
but many are unaware of alcohol’s permanent effect on
brain development. According to the Georgetown study,
alcohol-dependent 15- to 16-year-olds performed worse
on both verbal and non-verbal memory tests.
Although the study indicated that drunk-driving
accidents and binge drinking rates have significantly
declined overall in the past few decades, three teens die
in drunk driving accidents each day.
Ralph Hingson of the National Institute on Alcohol
and Alcoholism said many colleges have not acknowledged that binge drinking is a real problem because
drinking is associated with the college experience.
“Many colleges do not recognize the problems that
binge drinking is causing and do not realize that the
majority of young people would favor enforcement of
drinking policies,” Hingson said, adding that a significant
number of underage people abstain from drinking.
Hingson said that to curtail binge drinking, colleges
need to create “strict policies and strict enforcement” as
well as open communication among community leaders,
school officials and underage youths.
Elizebeth Mixson
The Daily Free Press (Boston U.)
Page 4
April 2006
fiesta
April 2006
Page 5
Fiesta: A San Antonio tradition
Jennifer Herrera
EDITOR
San Antonio is known for
many things such as the Alamo,
the River Walk and of course,
Fiesta. However, there are some
who do not know why we celebrate Fiesta nor do they understand the importance of the
event.
“I don't even know what
Fiesta is,” said graduate student
Ernesto Ballesteros, with a
laugh. “I'm really kind of an outsider with stuff like that.”
For those of you like
Ballesteros, you may want to
take note that this year Fiesta
runs from April 21-30. The 10day celebration will include an
abundance of events going on
throughout the city.
The history of Fiesta dates
back 115 years ago with the first
Fiesta-related affair. In 1891, the
beginnings of the Battle of
Flowers parade took place when
a group of ladies decorated
horse-drawn carriages with
flowers. The event was to honor
those from the battles of the
Alamo and San Jacinto; this set
the groundwork for many years
to come of celebration and fun.
Currently, Fiesta has 100
events with 97 nonprofit organizations involved. The celebration has evolved from horsedrawn carriages to fully decorated floats parading down some of
the busiest streets of the city and
also floating barges down the
San Antonio River.
Anyone familiar with Fiesta
knows the top four Fiesta heavyhitter events: A Night in Old San
Antonio (NIOSA), the Texas
Cavaliers' river parade, the
Battle of Flowers parade,
and
the
Fiesta
Flambeau
Night
parade. These are
the major events that have
become synonymous with
Fiesta.
NIOSA began in 1938 as
the “Indian Festival.” It was not
until 1948 that the event, which
was then only held on one night,
was officially called A Night in
Old San Antonio. Two years
prior, the City of San Antonio
asked
the
San
Antonio
Conservation Society to hold
NIOSA during Fiesta. Today, the
event is a four-day spectacle
with 15 areas to hold down the
festivities.
“I go to NIOSA, Battle of
the Bands and the Fiesta
Flambeau parade,” said sophomore Nick Bustos. “I just hang
out with friends and enjoy the
city.”
The Texas Cavaliers' river
parade is held on the banks of
the San Antonio River, and features colorful floats showcasing
the city's diverse cultures and
charitable causes.
This year's theme is
“Celebra
Canciones!”
and
250,000 spectators are expected
to attend as well as 2,500 special
guests of the Cavaliers, including children from area children's
organizations, special needs
individuals, and soldiers recuperating in area hospitals. The
Texas Cavaliers' river parade
takes place April 24 at 7 p.m.
Another well-known event,
the Battle of Flowers parade,
holds a special place in the heart
of many San Antonians because
many area schools and a few
businesses are closed in observance of the battle of San
Jacinto and to honor the fallen
heroes at the Alamo. The intentions of holding the parade were
to do the same, honor the
heroes of the battle.
Originating in 1891,
the wife of a congressman
modeled the parade after
parades held in Spain.
The parade is one that
freshman Roger Placido doesn't
miss.
“I go to the Battle of
Flowers parade and the night
parade,” Placido said.
Many Fiesta Flambeau fans
have deemed the Fiesta
Flambeau Night Parade as
“America's largest illuminated
night parade.” Parade originator
Reynolds Andricks proposed to
the board of the Old Fiesta San
Jacinto Association that a
parade take place at night; he
even recommended calling it
“Fiesta Flambeau.”
Now, the 59th edition of
the parade will be taking place at
7:45 p.m., and as tradition, the
University of Texas Longhorn
Band will lead the parade
through 2.6 miles of downtown
San Antonio streets.
One element of Fiesta that
is often overlooked is its tie to
nonprofit organizations.
“You cannot have an official Fiesta event unless you're a
nonprofit,” said Anne Cannon,
public relations manager for the
Fiesta
San
Antonio
Commission.
There is one exception to
the rule; Southwest Airlines is
the only nonprofit to host an
event, however, the organization
invites nonprofits to raise funds.
Restricting the festivities to
nonprofits means that the
money, “goes right back into the
community,” Cannon said.
Cannon expects 3.5 million
people will attend the 10-day
event this year.
“We are definitely the
biggest event of the city any time
of the year,” she said.
Area colleges and universities also join in the Fiesta fanfare and some host their own
celebrations on their respective
campuses.
The first weekend of Fiesta
ushers in a city favorite, the
Fiesta Oyster Bake held on the
grounds
of
St.
Mary's
University. Beginning April 21,
the two-day event not only
serves up more than 10,000 oysters, but also offers an eclectic
batch of entertainment.
This year, Oyster Bake will
mark its 90th anniversary, with
the event having served as a
helpful aid for St Mary's in raising money for scholarships and
university and alumni programs.
PACfest 2006 is held on the
grounds of Palo Alto College.
Taking place on April 27,
PACfest is a free and family-oriented official Fiesta event.
Entertainment will be provided
by Las Tres Divas and Electric
Cowboys.
St. Philip's College is home
to a world-class culinary arts
department so it is only appropriate that the college hosts a rib
cook-off. The 4th Annual St.
Philip's College Culture Fest &
Rib Cook-Off takes place on
April 27 and is in conjunction
with the college's CultureFest.
Although OLLU is represented during the Fiesta
Flambeau and Texas Cavaliers'
River parades, the university is
not the site of any official Fiestarelated events.
In recent years OLLU has
had floats in the Fiesta
Flambeau night parade and the
Texas Cavaliers' River Parade.
This year is no different for
OLLU; the Harry Jersig Center
will represent OLLU at the
Texas Cavaliers' River Parade on
April 24 and OLLU cheerleaders
and the alumni organization
with ride a float at Fiesta
Flambeau on April 29.
What OLLU does offer during Fiesta is an event put on by
Lake Ambassadors. The Lake
Ambassadors will host the
Fiesta-themed Dillo Day on
April 26, from 11:30 a.m.-1:30
p.m. in the mall area.
The event not only promotes school pride on campus
but also allows OLLU students
to get involved in some of the
Fiesta festivities.
“We usually have free
food, games (like Dillo
Trivia) and other activities available for people
to do during the lunch
hour to get into the Fiesta
spirit as well as promote
the armadillo,” said Lake
Ambassador Lily Gonzalez.
For more information,
check the official Fiesta Web
site, www.fiesta-sa.org,
for a detailed schedule of all
Fiesta happenings.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ALFREDO VALENZUELA
news
Page 6
April 2006
Program remains dedicated to students
ENGLISH
CONTINUED
“The students help internationalize the university.”
For many of these students, the
process of coming to the United States
is arduous in which the prospective student has to obtain a student VISA, provide health data records and proof of
immunizations, and, of course, meet
the normal admission requirements of
an application fee and a high school
transcript.
Entry into the U.S. became more
difficult after Sept. 11 and many schools
witnessed a decline in enrollment in
international programs. Currently, the
Intensive English program is being promoted at international fairs, with
advertising on various Web sites and by
sending a university recruiter to locations such as Korea, Japan, China and
Nina Patrizio-Quinonez
KLIESEN INTERNATIONAL CENTER DIRECTOR
South America.
"(We're) trying to consolidate all of
the problematic assets that dealt with
international students and services,"
Alexander said.
“I know that clearly the emphasis
has shifted to more…integrating international students, study abroad and
study tours,” she said. “I really can't say
that we're definitely going to close the
Intensive English (program).”
The numbers do appear to be
increasing, however. In the spring 2005
semester, five students were in the program. In fall 2005, the number
increased to seven and in the current
semester there are 10 students.
According to Patrizio-Quinones,
“we've seen an increase” in the number
of Intensive English students over the
past year and a half, unfortunately, this
increase was not enough to warrant the
continued employment of a full-time
faculty member.
The decision to eliminate the position “was a two-fold” decision based on
the program not seeing a significant
increase in the number of students over
an extended period of time and also the
recent budget cuts.
However, Patrizio-Quinones states
that the program “will honor the training for the students who are here.”
This is not the first time the program has gone through rough waters.
In 2004, the program was discontinued, but a year later, it was brought
back.
What makes this situation different may be the fact that the Kliesen
Center is focusing its attention on programs to bring in more international
students.
“The students help internationalize the university. They bring with them
an admirable enthusiasm to learn our
language and culture,” PatrizioQuinones said. “They bring with them
the beautiful gift of their heritage and
culture.”
University makes transition
from junior college easier
ACCD
CONTINUED
The agreement between
OLLU and the ACCD raises
hopes that the renewed relationship between the two will
grow stronger and help bring
in more students.
“The articulation agreement is very beneficial for our
students. Students know
exactly what to take at SAC to
apply for a bachelor's degree at
OLLU,” said Dr. Terry Walch,
SAC transfer center coordinator. “We really appreciate hav-
ing a good relationship with
OLLU.”
Another program implemented that is more specific, is
a partnership with Northwest
Vista College and their
Information Security and
Assurance (ISA) program. The
ISA program will merge with
OLLU's
Computer
Information Systems and
Security program.
Boatner believes that the
agreement between OLLU and
the ACCD needed to be updat-
the
Lake Front
We are now
accepting
applications.
Positions Available:
*Reporter
*Photographer
*Designer
*Ad Reps
Drop by UWAC 105
for an application.
the voice
voice of
of the
the students
students
the
ed and is pleased with how the
agreement has panned out so
far for the university.
Based on a three-year
trend, OLLU has “done well on
our
transfer
numbers,”
Boatner said, adding that the
university has similar agreements with the El Paso
Community
College
and
Laredo Community College
systems.
“The important piece of
the connection is for the students,” Boatner said.
Breakfast
Served
All Day.
2 for 1 Specials
Mon-Fri
OPEN
6:30-2:30
7 Days A Week
6511 Ingram Rd. (Across From Holmes High School)
210.681.4402
entertainment
April 2006
Album
at the right
‘Temperature’
Have you been waiting for
a CD with infectious beats? Do
you want to dance? Well the
wait is over.
“The Trinity,” Sean Paul’s
latest album, is full of club hits.
All 18 tracks off the album are
full of hip-moving beats. Sean
Paul uses his
experience as a
dance-hall DJ to
make a CD worth
spinning in the
club.
“Temperature,” the best
track on the album, is being
heavily rotated on radio airwaves. The beats on this track
are insane. You just want to
move your hips and dance the
night away.
Sean Paul teams up several artists on “The Trinity” but
the best collaboration is with
the twin duo of Nina Sky on
“Connection.” “Connection” is a
concoction of danceable beats
and catchy lyrics.
“The Trinity” is Sean
Paul’s best effort so far. The
beats will keep you moving
from track one through 18. If
you are looking to dance, “The
Trinity” is for you.
Cole album
disappoints
audience
Keyshia Cole has been
compared to Brandy, Monica
and Beyonce, but make no mistake, this singer is nothing like
the artists she is compared to.
“The Way It Is,” the debut
album by Cole, is full of angst
combined with urban beats.
Many R&B hit-makers collaborated with Cole but the
most famous collaborator on
the album is none other than
“Mr. Hit-maker” Kanye West.
He works with Cole on “I
Changed My Mind.”
Surprisingly, “I Changed
My Mind” was one of the worst
tracks on the album. The lyrics
are repetitive throughout and
West ruins the song by
announcing he’s
on it right at the
beginning of the
track.
“Love”
is
one of the few
standouts on the
album. It talks about the theme
of the album —love. The difference between this track and the
rest is that Cole sounds genuinely hurt.
Overall, however, “The
Way It Is” is a disappointing
debut effort for Cole. It is full of
too much anger and depression
– hard emotions to dance to.
Julia San Miguel
Lake reporter
Julia San Miguel
Lake reporter
Rating:
Rating:
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Page 7
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PHOTO BY MELISSA GONZALEZ
The poetry scene is alive and kicking with Puro Slam, presented by Sam’s Burger Joint.
Sam’s: A poet’s joint
Melissa Gonzalez
EDITOR
The San Antonio landmark renowned
for its award-winning hamburgers and
diverse live music has been cooking up
something different; a poetry night. Puro
Slam is Sam’s answer to the stereotypical
black turtleneck and beret wearing, bongo
playing, finger snapping of poetry nights of
the 1960s.
Taking place every Tuesday night at
10:30, Puro Slam offers poets a stage to
express what exactly is on their minds; from
politics to sex all is lyrically presented in
three-minute performances. Place stand-up
comedy and free-style rapping with a splash
of cynicism in a blender and you have Puro
Slam.
Poets of all backgrounds and styles are
encouraged to attend and participate. Puro
Slam regulars consist of Jason “Shaggy”
Gossard, Anthony Flores, Chris the Haiku
Bike Guy and first lady of the stage Ria.
From newbie to pro performances, Puro
Slam competitions are something that any
poetry or rap enthusiast for that matter,
should witness at least once.
A panel consisting of random audience
members judges poets based on skill, performance and the poetry itself. The poetry
presented does not sound like your average
high school verse you were forced to recite in
front of the class, but more like free-style
rapping with a natural flow.
If a poet or poets survive a hard-hitting
P
-HO
HIP
TRY
UN
CO
three round battle between fellow participants, then they may advance to the finals in
which only one poet will be
awarded the top spot as the
Puro Slam champ of the
evening. Though the
prizes are of novelty
quality they all are
meant
to
be
tongue-in-cheek
with no emphasis to be placed
on receiving
these
but
more of the
prestige and
honor associated with winning
them.
PHOTO BY
Heads can
ALFREDO
be seen bobbing
VALENZUELA
and feet tapping to the
lyrical beats as audience
members personally connect
with poets on stage. As an
audience member you can
expect much laughter, participation and a generally good
vibe from Puro Slam. The
atmosphere is relaxed along
with Puro Slam’s general message; all are welcome, have fun
and come back. This is purely
an event to unwind, vent and
even allow those literary juices
to flow.
CK
RO
P
PO
Music Calendar
APRIL
4
Alkaline Trio
If Hope Dies
18 Avenged Sevenfold
Coheed And Cambria
Head Automatica
21 Exodus
Full Blown Chaos
28 Kittie
MAY
White Rabbit
Freeman Coliseum
The Sanctuary
2 Rob Zombie
21 The Business
The Disasters
5 Two Tons of Steel
30 Halifax
JUNE
1
White Rabbit
HIM
Aiden
9 Flickerstick
Sunken Garden
White Rabbit
Rebar
White Rabbit
Sunset Station
Jack's Patio Bar & Grill
IN
LAT
entertainment
Depp film offers passion, lust, seduction
Page 8
April 2006
Melissa Gonzalez
EDITOR
In “The Libertine,” John Wilmot, the second
Earl of Rochester (played by Johnny Depp), is
called upon to be King Charles II’s esteemed playwright.
The already prominent Wilmot is to write such
an astounding piece of theatrics that it will solidify
Charles’ reign as a cultured king and impress
French dignitaries to the extent that it will extin-
guish the notion of an approaching war with
England.
After being royally banished to the countryside, Wilmot is asked by Charles to write an extraordinary play for him which will call for his muchanticipated return to the city; Wilmot’s personal
playground.
The film takes place in London during the 17th
century, where the thin line between love and lust
was imperceptible and anything went, from adultery to prostitution, from murder to drugs.
Wilmot’s intentions are not to work on his theatrical obligation but to fall back into big-city living,
the cause for his prior exile. When Wilmot’s play
fails to impress, he is once again banished.
However, this time he refuses to be taken back
to the quiet countryside; his place is in
London, the basis and solution to all of his
tribulations.
Wilmot is the cynical playwright and
cunning adulterer who exhibits much potential but chooses to squander it away on
women and alcohol. He’s an egotistical,
seducer who can woo anyone with his arrogant intellect and perverse tongue. He will
insult you, seduce you, break you, and, most
importantly, never allow you to forget him —
just because he can. Though Wilmot is
advanced in the art and skill of seduction, he
breaks the cardinal rule, he allows himself to
love and ironically this is his downfall.
Depp gives a stunning performance but
it raises the question of how far off is Wilmot
to Depp himself. The two embody many of the same
characteristics: dark, sarcastic, talented, and fascinating with an intellect that borders insanity and
brilliance.
Where does Wilmot end and Depp begin?
According to Depp, he carefully chooses roles he
feels shape him as an actor and as a person. It
seems Wilmot was a character written for him
almost two decades ago.
Depp delivers his dialogue with a natural sneer
of confidence and a combination of comprehension
and appreciation for the character. This could not
have been achieved if the actor had not established
a genuine connection with his film counterpart.
John Malkovich, as King Charles, exhibits consistently strong acting, which plays out well in this
film. The duo seemed to play off of each other naturally, characterized by smooth transitions and a
relaxed, but still professional, undertone. Though
Malkovich was only a supporting character he executed it justly; he did not overpower Depp but only
added more intensity to the film with his clever dialogue and polished stage presence.
“The Libertine” is a film that captures the raw
passion of love and lust within an elegant
Elizabethan setting. Due to the plot’s theme, consisting primarily of adult content, this film is not
recommended for children or the easily offended.
Rating:
PHOTO BY
BY MIRAMAX
MIRAMAX FILMS
FILMS
PHOTO
‘Vendetta’ a thought-provoking exercise
(U-WIRE) TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- It seems that
conservatives learned an important lesson from their
experience with Michael Moore's “Fahrenheit 9/11”:
If you make too much noise about a movie you don't
like, more people will go see it.
“V for Vendetta” came and went without nearly
as much controversy as “Fahrenheit,” even though
the film is evidently against religious conservatism.
One of the most striking things about “V for
Vendetta” for me is that the dictatorship-like government that has Great Britain in a stranglehold in the
film is easily identified as a very possible result of the
Bush administration.
Another important thing I noticed is that the
title character, V, can only be described as a terrorist.
These two ideas are the driving forces behind the
ideas of the film, and really make the film one of the
most thought provoking and powerful that I have
seen in a long time.
The story of this film revolves around Evey, a
girl in her early 20s working at a major British broadcasting company. She breaks the national curfew on
her way somewhere and has a run-in with some
police officers who attempt to take advantage of her.
Enter V, who saves her and takes her to a
rooftop to watch as he blows up the Old Bailey, which
some might remember from the beginning of “A Tale
of Two Cities” and concordantly recognize the significance of its destruction.
From there, Evey's and V's paths intertwine, and
Evey becomes a fugitive along with V. Along the way,
we get to see the inner workings of the “1984”-like
government, which uses its extensive surveillance
technology and strict laws to keep the people submissive.
The parallels to the present-day United States in
the film are uncanny as we may be taking steps
toward becoming the nation depicted in this celluloid
“fantasy.”
In the film, the government is able to steal away
these rights of the people because a plague unleashed
by dissidents ripped though the country, killing nearly 100,000 people. The leader of the government
used that event as an excuse to limit citizens' rights
and expand his and the government's power,
intending to draw parallels to the War on Terror.
The graphic novel on which the film is
based was written in the 1980s as a commentary on Margaret Thatcher's term as
prime minister of England, yet it has been
updated and altered for today and has lost
none of the original meaning and impact.
The most intriguing aspect of the film
involves the discussion of ideas versus violence
in regards to causing change. V blows up several buildings to get his point across, but he also
breaks into the nationwide broadcast company to send his manifesto, for lack of a better
word, to the population.
By the film's end, we realize that the
blown up buildings are not the main message but rather symbols that express to the
oppressors that the people will take no
more.
As V says, “People should not be
afraid of their governments -- governments should be afraid of their people.”
To those who would say violence is
never the answer, I ask, how many
people did the American revolutionaries, who were terrorists in their
time, kill to break away from
England?
This movie is the epitome of a discussion movie -and a powerful one at that.
Phil Owen
The Crimson White (U.
Alabama)
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