The UM Convocation Center is the largest multipurpose venue on the Coral Gables campus. With 7,000-plus seats and 25 suites, the Convocation Center is a $40 million success for UM and the Athletic Department.

The Convocation Center has changed the college experience for students, who can now walk to men’s and women’s basketball games from class or from their rooms. The facility also serves as the site for commencement, which, prior to the completion of the building, were held outdoors.

Incoming students can take advantage of all the events that are held at the Convocation Center, some of which are free and others that may be available at a discounted price for students. Artists such as Kanye West, Coldplay and Green Day have rocked the house, while renowned speakers such as Maya Angelou, Michael J. Fox and Spike Lee have offered words of wisdom.

The venue has also hosted events drawing international publicity, including the Dalai Lama lecture series and the first Presidential Debate of the 2004 election. Since joining the Atlantic Coast Conference in January 2005, champion teams such as Duke, North Carolina and rival FSU have all begun playing on the basketball court. The Convocation Center, which recently celebrated its second anniversary, promises to continue bringing exciting entertainment to the university campus.

Students attending events at the Convocation Center appreciate its amenities, including merchandise stands, promotional counters and portable concession stands surrounding the main concourse level, all positioned for easy access from any area of the building to avoid traffic congestion. Concessions run from the traditional hot dogs, popcorn and nachos to Papa John’s pizza, Dippin’ Dots ice cream, chicken sandwiches and Miami favorites such as empanadas and churros.

During the basketball games all students have can join the Hurricane Force Reward Program, created by the Category 5 student organization. As part of this program, all Hurricane Force members will receive an official Force T-shirt and reward card. Members who attend Hurricane basketball games can receive free rewards such as retail discounts and food products provided by Miami Hurricane Corporate Sponsors. Membership to the Hurricane Force Reward Program is free for all students with a valid ‘Cane Card.

“We’re looking forward to bringing events that will draw the interest of the students and the South Florida community as a whole,” said Patrick McGrew, general manager of the UM Convocation Center. “With so many high profile events in our first two years alone, people are starting to associate us with quality entertainment so we are very excited about what the future will hold.”

For more information about the Convocation Center call 305-284-8686 or visit www.umconvocationcenter.com.

Heidi M. Palmer contributed to this article.

Megha Garg can be contacted at

m.garg2@umiami.edu.

PAST EVENTS AT THE CONVOCATION CENTER

A group of UM students worked at the Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Sciences and in Key Largo with rough-tooth dolphins that were stranded in Marathon, Fla., on March 2. The Marine Mammal Stranding Team (MMST) was notified on the day of the incident to help the dolphins that were alive in critical condition.

Of the 80 dolphins that came ashore, more than 20 were able to swim away unassisted. Thirty-two dolphins were rescued within the first 72 hours and transported to three rehabilitation sites-Virginia Key, Key Largo and Summerland Key.

“We work with the Marine Animal Rescue Society and Marine Mammal Conservancy,” Kate Fisher, senior and treasurer of MMST, said. “We’re in the water with them, keeping them stable and keeping their blowholes above water to breathe.”

For many on the team, this is the biggest stranding they have helped with.

“The first night we got to the site at 1:30 a.m. We stayed with them the whole night,” Daniell Washington, freshman, said. “It was really an inexplicable experience-it was amazing.”

As many as 13 of the dead dolphins were euthanized the first night by marine veterinarians who believed the near-death conditions of these dolphins were making them suffer.

Even those who were alive needed physical help.

“They needed to be held up or else they couldn’t breathe,” Dr. Linda Farmer, professor of marine science, said.

Initially, because Navy submarines were near the dolphins, sonar was suspected to have caused the mass stranding. However, this theory was later dismissed.

According to Dr. Farmer, the illness affecting the dolphins may be genetic.

“This is the third or fourth time in recent years this happened for this species, the rough-tooth dolphins,” Dr. Farmer said. “It could be weak health.”

Scientists performed necropsies-the equivalent of autopsies-on the dead dolphins, particularly examining their acoustic membranes to find evidence of damage caused by sonar. However, the necropsies revealed no acoustic trauma, and the sonar theory has been ruled out because all animals would have had the same symptoms. which was not the case.

In the meantime, the students worked with the dolphins until they could be released.

“We’ve already been down there a week, and we will continue to help them as long as they need us,” Fisher said.

The two animals that were being taken care of on Virginia Key were released on April 20. Satellite tags that were put on the animals before release indicated that these animals are back in deep water along northern Florida and remain together.

Seven of the animals that were at the Key Largo facility were released on May 3. The satellite tags on these animals indicate that they traveled towards the Bahamas. Rehab efforts continue for a few dolphins still at the Key Largo facility.

Nicole Knauer contributed to this article.

Megha Garg can be contacted at

m.garg2@umiami.edu.

One of the many developments aimed at facilitating a student’s college life at UM is the Information Technology (IT) department’s recently revamped student interface portal called MyUM, a one-stop source for University-related information.

“MyUM is a personalized website that will provide each student with 24/7 access to UM information and services,” Gerry Dana, associate vice president of Applications and Development, said.

With the help of MyUM, students gain access to their academic records, course registration, on-campus recruiting opportunities, financial aid information and much more simply with the use of their ‘Cane ID and Password, which are set during their first visit to the MyUM portal.

“Information is available to each student when he or she needs it, not just during business hours,” Dana said.

In addition to MyUM, the University will continue offering the services of their other systems.

CaneNet, the university’s student computer network, allows students in residential colleges to do everything from surf the Internet to spend hours chatting online, all for free and without tying up their phone lines. To help students get connected to the network, each residential college will set up an area where students can get assistance with CaneNet, purchase hardware and create email accounts during Back-to-School Weekend.

UMSIS is the student university email system, which offers services that surpass AOL, Hotmail and Yahoo. Although these providers allow users to filter and forward email, and keep a personal address book, UMSIS offers additional features without an annual fee. Such services include personal web pages, a calendar and online file storage.

IT gives students storage for email, web pages, class notes and projects with a total of 100 megabytes. Students can also receive email attachments as big as 15 megabytes. In addition to using the web interface, students can send and receive email using Outlook, Outlook Express and Netscape Messenger, services only offered by other providers for an additional charge.

IT is here to help students with their technological and informational needs. For more information on MyUM, CaneNet, UMSIS or any other service offered by IT, visit their website at www.miami.edu/it. IT also encourages students to visit their Back To School website at www.miami.edu/it/bts.

Beth Hernandez, Project Manager for MyUM, contributed to this article.

Christine Dominguez can be contacted at

c.dominguez3@umiami.edu.

No matter what your study style may be, the library is a vital part of any University. The library acts as an academic thermometer and is usually synonymous with how it is regarded or ranked in comparison with other universities.

UM’s Otto G. Richter Library has significantly improved over the course a year. According to the Association of Research Libraries rankings, UM jumped from the 63rd to the 48th position out of more than 120 other libraries.

“Our rise in rankings is due to an increase in our materials budget for collections and electronic resources,” Jane Schillie, director of marketing and external relations, said. “We have significantly increased the number of e-journals we receive to accompany our print resources.”

The upgrade is another step on the way to making UM one of the top schools in the country, which will include additional improvements for the library. A five-story addition to the library has been designed that will alleviate the physical boundaries of this booming part of UM. The addition will begin with a campaign to raise $30 million, which will fund the construction. Construction dates remain unknown at this time, but students will be able to access the current library without interruption throughout the development period.

While the necessary money is being raised, the library will focus on the UM Imagebase project. Imagebase will be an online catalog of digitalized images from the School of Architecture, Department of Art and Art History, and the Lowe Art Museum.

Students and faculty will be able to search by categories and easily retrieve images that have previously been difficult to locate. Faculty will have the ability to create lectures that include images with ease and make them readily available for students to view outside of the classroom.

“Our ultimate goal is to create one central resource that will meet the needs of UM faculty, scholars, and students in the arts, humanities, and beyond,” Bill Walker, University librarian, said. “Research libraries, skilled at organizing print materials, are now equally at home in managing and distributing electronic information. The UM Imagebase enables the library to build upon its already impressive reputation in creating and managing digital resources.

“This puts us on a par with Princeton, Duke and Cornell,” Walker said.

Stacey Arnold can be contacted at

s.arnold@umiami.edu.

The University of Miami is steeped in history and traditions. The oldest and most sacred of these traditions is Iron Arrow Honor Society, the highest honor attained at UM.

Iron Arrow was established as a top honor society for men one month after the University opened its doors in 1926. Officially founded by nine students, the idea for a “tap society” based on Indian traditions was that of UM’s first president, Bowman Foster Ashe. The Tribe was charged with not only creating the traditions of the new University, but also preserving its history and traditions.

In 1985, the society voted to allow women. Today, Iron Arrow is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon any individual at UM. Members are chosen based on five criteria: love of alma mater, character, leadership, scholarship and humility.

The society “taps” members twice a year, during Homecoming and once in the Spring semester.

One of the unique aspects of the society is its relationship with the Seminole Indian Nation. The society was created to recognize the unique and lasting contributions that this group of Native Americans made to our community and University. Iron Arrow is an official clan of the Seminole Indian nation. Members wear traditional Seminole jackets, woven by Seminole women using small pieces of cloth.

Jason Starr contributed to this article.

Dining Services has announced the arrival of a new eatery on campus this semester: Wendy’s. Of course, the wide selection already available on campus is not going away.

Residential Dining Facilities-The Hecht-Stanford and Mahoney-Pearson cafeterias offer a wide range of food and menu selections. Both facilities provide a balanced selection of healthy choices and are close to the residential halls.

Convenience Store-The Convenience Store offers a quick one-stop shopping location for everything from the morning newspaper to assorted sundries to Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream.

Carts & Jenkins Snack Bar-The mobile carts and the Jenkins Snack Bar are located on the perimeters of campus. They offer the convenience of sandwiches and beverages on the go.

Leo’s Deli-This New York-style deli features fresh meats and cheese as well as freshly baked rolls and breads for its made-to-order sandwiches.

Salsaritas Fresh Cantina-This new Fresh-Mex cantina offers burritos, tacos, quesadillas and more prepared to your liking.

Market Square-Fresh fruits and vegetables are combined to make gourmet salads and soups.

World’s Fare-Try the delicious rotisserie chicken, carved meats or one of the daily specials.

Jamba Juice-Try their delicious, nutritious, all-natural energizing smoothies and juices.

Tsunami Sushi-This kiosk features freshly made sushi in packaged containers.

Panda Express-Panda Express offers freshly cooked Asian cuisine with the consistency of a national brand.

Sbarro-A popular late-night meeting spot in close proximity to the residential halls, the swimming pool and games area. Sbarro is located in the University Center and opens until midnight, seven days a week.

STARBUCKS-Located across from the Richter Library, this universal favorite provides mocha frappuccinos and sweet treats that hit the spot.

STORM SURGE CAF

Resident life is a vital part of being in college.

National studies show that sutdents who get involved in college get better grades and do better overall. At UM’s residential colleges, students can get involved in the College Council, attend leadership retreats, participate in the hundreds of programs offered or apply to be a resident assistant.

“Living on campus is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said junior Patricia Coronado. “You can wake up 15 minutes before class and still make it on time.”

The residential structure at the University is patterned after Oxford University. Resident Masters-University faculty-have an apartment in the first floor of each of the residential colleges. Masters open their home to students to watch television, cook dinner and study-including Thanksgiving dinner for students that stay on campus.

“You will participate in a diverse community made up of fellow students, faculty and staff,” said Eric Arneson, associate director of the Department of Residence Halls. “You will treasure those relationships for life.”

In addition to the Resident Master, a Resident Assistant (RA), lives on each of the floors. This upper-class student is someone to turn to for any reason and at any time. The RA also facilitates trips, activities and dinners that the members of the floor have the opportunity to participate in.

Shelly Steele, a former RA at Stanford Residential College, saw her role as that of a facilitator for freshmen adjusting to college life.

“Incoming freshmen are excited to start their new phase of their lives,” Steele said. “I enjoy being a part of that excitement and eagerness. Besides, I love meeting the freshmen. The freshmen are my legacy.”

RAs are supervised by Resident Coordinators, who run the buildings day-to-day and handle major problems and disciplinary issues.

Furthermore, an Academic Advisor also has an office in both Hecht and Stanford Residential Colleges for the students’ convenience.

This year, laundry will be free in all the residential colleges, thanks to the efforts of the Student Government. Until last semester, laundry used to cost 75 cents a load.

Jaclyn Lisenby contributed to this article.

Stacey Arnold can be contacted at

s.arnold@umiami.edu.

7:15 a.m. Alarm rings. Turn over and fall asleep -it takes only 10 minutes to get from my room to the Memorial Classroom Building, if I walk fast.

7:40 a.m. Reluctantly roll out of bed, brush teeth, throw on a pair of jeans and grab my backpack. Out the door and in the elevator by 7:47 a.m. Get to philosophy and try to pay attention to what’s going on without falling asleep.

9:00 a.m. Breakfast at the dining hall. Get my usual bagel with cream cheese and-yes!-they have pineapple today. I don’t have class till 12. Be productive and get some work done, or take a nap?

11:15 a.m. I choose the nap. Shower, wear something more presentable and head out to class.

1:00 p.m. Lunchtime. Walk through the UC Breezeway and fend off the surveys and credit card offers. Sign up to volunteer this Saturday at a nursing home. Buy something at the food court. Notice that I’m running low on Dining Dollars-gotta be careful for the rest of the semester. Maybe I should start using more of those 14 meals a week I have at the dining hall. Find some friends sitting on the Rock and join them for a nice, leisurely lunch.

2:00 p.m. One more class. Should I go? I should go.

3:00 p.m. Realize that I have some errands to run, professors to visit before office hours are over.

5:00 p.m. Finally, getting back to my room! See that they have a Hecht program tonight about Stress Relief. Hmm…relieve stress by finishing all the work I have to do or relieve stress by listening to someone tell me how to relieve stress? Decide to go to the program after dinner at the dining hall.

9:00 p.m. Where did the day go? Write myself a reminder to show up dance practice tomorrow for the cultural show I’m performing in. All right, I need to buckle down and get enough work done so that I’ll survive classes tomorrow. Oh yeah, I haven’t called home in a while…

Megha Garg can be contacted at

m.garg2@umiami.edu.

8:00 a.m. Wake up to the sound of an alarm buzzing. Snooze for about a half-hour because class isn’t till 9:25. Stumble out of bed, check the closet and realize, “Who cares what I look like this early,” and stay in flannel PJs and sweater and simply whatever footwear requires the least effort to put on. Goofy slippers? Sneakers? Reefs? Reefs will work-it’s Miami, after all. Get backpack and CDs and drive to school, using the time to wake myself out of a sleepy slumber and get ready for class.

9:00 a.m. Pull into school parking lot. Silently congratulate myself for scheduling classes this early. Contemplate parking in the Ponce Garage, and use the few minutes the shuttle takes to get you to class to get a few minutes of extra shuteye. Go to class still feeling very much like a zombie.

10:40 a.m. Class is over, and I’ve still got an hour and a half to kill before my next class. Make some use of that time, instead of sleeping at a nearby dorm. Study in the library, catch up on reading or have lunch in the food court with friends or go back to the library and take a power nap.

Noon. Go to my car before class, and pick up some books that I didn’t feel like carrying around all day. As I walk to my spot, I shake my head that I’m not leaving to the cars that are stalking me, hoping to take my parking spot.

1:30 p.m. Class is over, but I’ve got two hours till my next one. Just enough time to hang out at the ACS-the Association for Commuter Students -go to a club meeting, or leave campus and go to the mall.

3:30 p.m. Go to class-same as usual, except with fewer sleepy people. When a project requires your group to meet outside of class, everyone picks your place over the dorms.

4:45 p.m. The day is over but the options are endless. Visit friends in their dorms, work out at the Wellness Center, or go home, lie down in a nice couch and remember my dorm days without a regret in the world. Later, much later, go to sleep. But don’t forget to set the alarm clock.

Natalia Maldonado can be contacted at

n.maldonado@umiami.edu.

A day in the life of a typical commuter student usually begins with an alarm clock going off an hour and a half before class. Then the real mission begins: dealing with traffic.

Some may question why one would want to make a commute to UM if the residential colleges offer everything any student could want. Answers to this question vary. Some people simply like the exercise. Students travel to school by car, bus, MetroRail or bike. Others believe that no one enters the real world until they start living on their own. This is the core reason many students give for choosing to live off campus, as it gives them the freedom to make their own decisions, allowing them to make their mistakes on the way and to learn from them.

For commuter students, the University Center (UC) is the place to congregate. Equipped with tables, chairs, couches and television sets, the UC provides commuters with a comfortable, homey atmosphere to socialize between or after classes. The UC is home to the offices that offer services to commuter students, such as Commuter Student Affairs (CSA), room 236, and the Association of Commuter Students (ACS), room 207.

Among the services provided by CSA is the Great Start program, an overnight, pre-orientation program designed to help incoming commuter freshmen become better prepared for college life. Incoming commuter students spend two days and a night on campus in the residence halls.

One of the special perks offered to commuter students are Commuter Luncheons, also hosted by CSA, where students have the opportunity to meet representatives from various UM departments and share thoughts and discuss issues that affect commuter students. President Donna E. Shalala and Vice President for Student Affairs Pat Whitely have both been among the luncheon representatives.

The Association of Commuter Students (ACS) has made its mission to help commuters sense that the University community is more of a home away from home. For a nominal membership fee, members have access to amenities such as a refrigerator, microwave and television as well as the ability to meet a variety of commuter students who have to deal with comparable traffic situations.

For more information on CSA, call 305-284-5646 or visit www.miami.edu/commuter-affairs.

For more information on ACS, email ACS@listserv.miami.edu, or visit www.miami.edu/studorgs/acs.

Last May, as Mahoney Residential College bid farewell to an associate master, Hecht Residential College greeted the same man as its new resident master. His name is Vince Cardinal.

As the Chairman of the Department of Theatre Arts, Cardinal is no stranger to UM. For the past four years, he has not only interacted with college students, but has lived among them as well.

Each of the five residential colleges at UM is home to one resident master and two associate masters. Based on the housing systems of Cambridge and Oxford Universities in England, these scholars live within the residential colleges and open their doors to residing students. The resident master meets with the entire residential staff on a weekly basis in order to plan various activities and programs for students residing at the complex.

Cardinal said he enjoys being such an integral part of campus life.

“Hecht has over 20 years of history,” Cardinal said. “I hope to build upon that past in order to continue to meet current students’ needs and give them the best college experience possible.”

As chairman of the Department of Theatre Arts, Cardinal runs the academic department for theater students. He is also the producer at the Ring Theatre and generates five to six productions annually.

Cardinal’s play The Colorado Catechism has been produced internationally along with the screenplay Paollo Pasta and served as a writing consultant for The State on MTV. He was an assistant to the head writer of the soap opera One Life to Live and received a regional Emmy nomination for his musical comedy First Day of School.

Tom Recktenwald, junior, has had the opportunity to interact with Cardinal as both a theater student and a Mahoney resident.

“Mr. Cardinal is well versed, experienced, honest and to the point,” Recktenwald said. “His main goal is to take care of his students and ensure that we enjoy what we’re doing.”

Cardinal said he is excited about his new role.

“It’s a great way to be part of the University community,” Cardinal said. ” I love to see students grow and develop, and this is one more opportunity to do so.”

In addition to Cardinal, two new associate masters, Jennifer Vellenga and Evelina Galang, will join the Hecht staff. Mario Barnes will be a new associate master at Pearson Residential College.

Neha Patel can be contacted at

n.patel9@umiami.edu.

The Academic Resource Center (ARC) at UM is the place where students come to enhance their academic success.

The ARC offers programs to enhance textbook reading skills, develop organizational management tools and provide insight into establishing effective relationships with professors and instructors, as well how to begin to prepare for life beyond college by taking control and being responsible for today.

All UM students can take advantage of peer tutoring to develop deeper understanding through additional, special or corrective instruction in almost any subject for two hours per week. The ARC is piloting an online tutoring support program that will be available to registered students in the evening when the Center is closed.

The UM Experience (UMX) course has been developed to blend academics with leadership, learning, networking and community-building skills to enrich a student’s collegiate years. In small class settings, the UMX faculty serves as mentors providing individualized attention to new students. UMX provides students with a working knowledge of the University’s academic requirements, advising system, various degree programs, and policies and procedures of the institution.

For students with documented disabilities, the ARC provides services through Accessibility Resources. Academic accommodations are assigned on a case-by-case determination and are subject to documentation review.

The ARC welcomes all students to visit the Center and take advantage of these free services. Its sole purpose is to assist students while they work to achieve their academic goals.

For more information visit www.umarc.miami.edu or call 305-284-4790 or 304-284-2800.