Micky Tsouprake, 76, didn’t initially plan on spending 50 years of her life in a building full of books; just long enough for her husband, Ted Tsouprake, to graduate from the UM School of Law.
Yet 50 years later, she is still working at the Otto G. Richter Library as the supervisor of the periodical department. She helps record nearly 5,000 publications to which the University subscribes.
“The Richter Library is like my second home. I have spent as much time here as I do at home,” Tsouprake said.
When Tsouprake began working at Richter, the campus consisted of only three main buildings: Memorial, Merrick and Richter Library.
At a time when copying machines were nonexistent, Tsouprake remembers when UM had one of the only two dry-powdered Xerox machines in Miami.
Tsouprake most recently recalls when the library’s index card catalog was thrown away and replaced with digitalized references.
What has kept Tsouprake at Richter for so many years?
“The periodical staff has always been very cooperative and congenial. I enjoy working here because of them,” Tsouprake said. “I also never had any children, so it is nice to be in an atmosphere surrounded with so many bright young people.”
Students and coworkers have only good things to say about Tsouprake.
“Micky loves young people and is never afraid to learn, especially when it comes to the computer,” Karin Muniz, student, said.
“She is very knowledgeable, and she loves to share her knowledge and experiences with others,” Gladys Ramos, coworker, said. “I always feel that I can go to her for anything.”
Tsouprake’s sense of humor became apparent when the reporter of this article mentioned that this was her first article for The Miami Hurricane.
“Well, this is my first 50 years,” Touprake replied.
Currently, Touprake is not considering retirement, but she says she looks forward to traveling.
In fact, as a 50th anniversary gift from the library’s catalog department, Touprake was given two round-trip tickets to go anywhere in the world.
Although she has not yet decided where she will go, she mentioned that she will probably go on a Caribbean cruise.
As for her coworkers, they hope she returns from her trip.
“Micky truly is the foundation of this department – it would not run smoothly without her,” Maria Garcia, coworker, said.

Caralyn Pearson can be contacted at japxangel@aol.com

The schools of Communication, Engineering and Music have undertaken a collaborative project aimed at generating a greater awareness concerning worldwide water issues. Proposed by the Modern Media Collaborative, The Water Project has three main formats: a documentary film, a 200-page book and a related website.
“Safe, potable water is an important topic with global implications,” Sanjeev Chatterjee, the project’s director, said.
Chatterjee, also the associate professor and director of the Center for the Advancement of Modern Media at the School of Communication, said he developed the idea for the project following the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg in 2002.
“At the time I felt there were important visual stories to be told about the subject,” he said. “As a media maker within academia, I have always found myself to be fortunate to have the freedom to explore important topics that mainstream media does not focus on.”
The project has already produced a 20-minute documentary film, a prologue to the feature-length documentary planned.
Over 20 hours of footage shot in India, the Canary Islands, South Africa and the U.S. were condensed by film editor Ali Habashi into a 20-minute collection of visual stories describing how different cultures use water.
Setting it apart from traditional documentaries, the film does not use narrative voice-overs. Instead, accompanying the images is original music composed by Thomas Sleeper, director of orchestral activities at the School of Music.
“We tried to make it engaging and truthful by showing real people with real problems,” Habashi said. “We wanted the audience to feel emotion. This is a documentary about pain and sorrow.”
While filming in South Africa, Ed Talavera, director of photography, witnessed the injustice of the water problem.
“I was shocked to film in the same country a woman who had to travel a mile uphill to collect water for her family and a man that bottles water at home and sells it for $1 a bottle,” he said.
If the visual evidence is not compelling enough, the proposed book will add a scholarly dimension to the project. Book editor Loup Langton explains that by having several mediums, like the book complementing the film, a larger audience will be reached.
“The important point is that there is a global crisis that is below the radar screen for many,” Langton said. “We hope to develop several different products for varied audiences that will help to put this issue on the screen.”
Langton envisions the literary work as a coffee-table quality book that merges essays written by water experts and intriguing photographs.
Among those interested in contributing to the book is Sandra Postel, director of the Global Water Policy Project in Amherst, Mass. and author of several books dealing with the water issue. Also scheduled to participate are photographers Peter Essick, Melissa Farlow and Randy Olsen, all who photograph regularly for National Geographic.
Although the project is still in its initial stages, the outlook is positive. Chatterjee explains that, if the resources needed are in place on schedule, the major elements of the project should be delivered by the end of 2004. However, he also hopes the project does not end there.
“The products cannot be ends in themselves,” he said. “It is my sincere hope that in terms of a university-wide collaborative effort this is only the beginning.”
One of the next endeavors the project will embark on is filming in Iceland. Project administrator Dr. James Shelley described the country as being one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world with respect to water usage.
“In the U.S. we take it [water] for granted. In many other countries life is about getting adequate water,” he said.
While some may argue that the project should try focusing more on solutions to the problem than on the problem itself, Chatterjee is confident the aim of the project is realistic.
“The Water Project is not about solutions; it’s about raising awareness and perhaps a sense of responsibility within ourselves,” Chatterjee said. “Few of us are aware that perhaps only one percent of all the water on Earth is really potable. There are no immediate solutions, but there is a need to change the way we think about water. It is not a limitless resource – it is finite.”
Students interested in participating in The Water Project should contact Sanjeev Chatterjee at 305-284-2235 or visit the website at www.miami.edu/com/water.

Paul Fajardo can be contacted at www.pfajardo@umsis.miami.edu.

Pick up the paper every Friday to read the Public Safety call log and learn ways to protect yourself and your belongings.

Safety Tip of the Week: For your safety on and around the Coral Gables campus, Public Safety offers the following services.
Security Escort Patrol: a free, safe means of travel for students, faculty and staff on the Coral Gables campus 24 hours a day. To request a security escort, call Public Safety at 305-284-6666 or use one of the many emergency telephones on campus. Escorts are limited to the geographic boundaries of the Coral Gables campus.
Evening Transportation: from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m., minibuses run the same routes as the Hurry ‘Cane shuttles, providing reliable and free transportation to the University community.
Sunset Shuttle Service: from campus to the Shops of Sunset Place on Fridays and Saturdays from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 17
12:06 a.m. 1306 Stanford Dr. Petit Theft
8:56 p.m. 5050 Brunson Dr. Burglary

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 18
11:59 a.m. 1251 Memorial Dr. Theft
6:30 p.m. 1000 Memorial Dr. Theft
10:40 p.m. 1101 Stanford Dr. Theft
10:54 p.m. 1101 Stanford Dr. Petit Theft

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 19
9:44 a.m. 5500 San Amaro Dr. Petit Theft
12:17 p.m. 1100 Stanford Dr. Burglary
2:15 p.m. 5801 San Amaro Dr. Burglary
10:35 p.m. 5638 Merrick St. Criminal Mischief

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 20
2:54 p.m. 1221 Walsh Ave. Grand Theft
9:47 p.m. 1101 Stanford Dr. Harassing Phone Calls

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 21
10:20 p.m. 1101 Stanford Dr. Theft

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 22
9:58 a.m. 1231 Dickinson Dr. Grand Theft
10:11 a.m. 1239 Dickinson Dr. Grand Theft
10:21 a.m. 1206 Stanford Dr. Petit Theft
4:40 p.m. 1239 Dickinson Dr. Burglary
8:23 p.m. 1306 Stanford Dr. Grand Theft

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 23
9:20 a.m. 1252 Memorial Dr. Stalking
9:47 a.m. 1200 Memorial Dr. Petit Theft
11:30 a.m. 1314 Miller Dr. Grand Theft
12:35 p.m. 1239 Dickinson Dr. Petit Theft
2:50 p.m. 5185 Ponce de Leon Harassing Phone Calls
3:28 p.m. 5300 University Dr. Hit and Run

The Miami Hurricane is currently working to improve Police Beat by working with Coral Gables Police Department.
For more information on crimes and crime prevention contact Public Safety at 284-6666.

(U-WIRE) LAWRENCE, Kan. – The cheaper the beers, the more you’ll drink.
Harvard University public health researchers published a study in October’s American Journal of Preventive Medicine that they say verifies this seemingly implicit assumption. The study results showed that “alcohol promotions, price specials and large-volume discounts are associated with higher binge drinking rates.”
The researchers based their conclusions on visits they made to nearly 830 bars and restaurants and 1,684 liquor stores in 118 college neighborhoods nationwide. The study also included data taken from more than 10,000 students.
Alcohol-related incidents lead to nearly 1,400 deaths each year for college students. A half-million are injured and about 70,000 sexually assaulted when alcohol is involved, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
These numbers and the outcry to reduce binge drinking on college campuses, led researchers to conduct the study.
Binge drinking is defined as having five or more drinks, one after the other, for men and four or more for women. Surveys taken from a 2001 College Alcohol Study, also done by Harvard, showed that two out of five college students are binge drinkers.
The Harvard study showed that, “the lower the price of beer in the surrounding community, the higher the binge drinking rate at the college.”
“All-you-can-drink” and “$1 you-call-it” specials can be found in almost any college town in the country. Lawrence, Kan., is no exception.
Several area bars offer specials on various nights of the week. Fatso’s is one of them.
Gavin Smith, Fatso’s manager, said that Wednesday, “$1 anything” night, and Saturday, live music night, were its most popular nights.
“They’re the things that draw people in,” Smith said. “Real, real cheap drinks and live music.”
Dollar well drinks and dollar shots are other popular specials at area bars.
Jet Lag Lounge boasts dollar well shots on Thursdays and three-dollar pitchers on Mondays.
“The drink specials and the fact that we have no cover is what draw a lot of people in on those nights,” said Angela Hale, bar manager at Jet Lag Lounge.
For many students, cheap drink specials on a given night sway what bar they will go to.
“It seems people are drawn to the places with cheaper drinks,” said Lauren Keefer, Wichita junior. “It is a factor when I’m deciding where to go.”
Not all establishment workers said they thought that cheap drinks were the deciding factor Aaron Silber, assistant manager at The Pool Room, said there were other factors in play.
“Drink specials do a little, but for us it’s more the environment,” Silber said.
The Pool Room has live hip-hop shows and several pool tables, factors that Silber said drew crowds.
Some students think other factors have more to do with where they go than the drink specials.
“For me, cheap drinks is not as important as the bar atmosphere,” said Ryan McBee, Overland Park junior. “Music is also a big draw.”
But bar owners say price is what draws patrons.
“If you’re the most expensive place in town, you’re not going to get business,” said Scott Dodgin, general manager at Emerson Biggins Sports Bar and Grill.
“The biggest thing is cheap beers, cheap drinks,” Dodgin said. “That’s the only way to appeal to these college kids.”

For $300, you can buy five UM sweatshirts, 15 biology workbooks and 75 Jamba Juices at the UC food court. It also buys you just one permit to park anywhere on campus, provided that you don’t end up paying more for parking tickets.
According to the Association for Commuter Students [ACS] and students, parking at UM is expensive. With a premium permit costing $298 a year and every citation typically ranging from $20 – $50, the cost of having a car on campus is almost as bad as buying books.
“I pay so much for parking, and I still have to park in spaces that are nowhere near my classes,” Kristina Zayas, junior and member of the ACS, said. “It’s always at least a 15-minute walk from my car, or I have to wait for the shuttle.”
Theoretically, the parking situation on campus has never been better. With over 1,500 spots added to the Coral Gables campus in the past year, there is a spot for every car.
According to UM administration, parking was a much needed priority on campus; however, permit prices have never been higher, and the convenience of these new spaces is debatable.
“There are plenty of parking spaces, but the lots are so far away and the shuttles take so long,” Natali Rico, historian for ACS, said. “And at the end of the day, I’m not going to walk all the way out there at 11 p.m. by myself.”
The construction on the Pavia and Pearson garages, the creation of four additional surface lots, and the construction of two additional floors at the Ponce garage gives UM students plenty of parking options. With about 9,000 students commuting to school each day, however, these options are not always available.
“I get to school at 8 or 9 [in the morning] every day, regardless of when my classes start,” Jackie Fernandez, Arts and Sciences senator, said. “I would never get a decent spot otherwise.”
ACS President Carlos Escheverri put it in perspective.
“There is enough parking on campus, just people don’t want to deal with the inconvenience of parking far away,” he said.
Students who don’t want to park in the garages can try for a closer spot. But be ready to spend some serious time circling the campus or following people to their cars.
The Miami Hurricane has found that parking in spaces close to the buildings on campus is almost impossible, even in the early morning, and by midday the only spots that are readily available are in the upper levels of the garages or in the discount lots on the outskirts of campus.
Don’t risk parking illegally, either.
Chuck McConnell, director of parking and transportation, estimates the number of tickets issued in a single day to be in the “low hundreds.”
Once a car has received three citations, it is subject to be towed. As the UM Parking and Transportation website explains, “Lack of a convenient parking space never excuses illegal parking.”
What might be surprising is that, despite how liberally parking tickets seem to be issued, there are still a high number of illegal vehicles parked in lots around campus.
The Miami Hurricane discovered that, out of 300 cars in the lot outside the Wellness Center last Thursday night, nearly 30 were parked in spaces designated non-visitor without a valid UM parking permit.
None of these cars were ticketed.
“I think tickets are needed,” Patty Doyle, ACS senator, said. “If someone takes up two spots or parks illegally, something should happen to them.”
Another complaint has been that the spots that are available have not been utilized correctly. There are a large number of spots in the Convocation North lot and outside of the Mahoney Pearson residential colleges that are off-limits to commuters and are not usually full.
According to administration, the management of these lots is carefully regulated by parking and transportation services.
“The parking situation is the best it ever has been,” McConnell said.
For updates on the parking situation on campus, tune in to 90.5, the UM radio station, to check for parking availability throughout campus.

Jillian Bandes can be contacted at jillianbandes@hotmail.com

SCHOOL OF NURSING RECEIVES DONATION
The Hospital Corporation of America, East Florida Division, has awarded $500,000 to the School of Nursing at the University of Miami. These funds will support the Student Affairs Suite in the new M. Christine Schwartz Center for Nursing Education, the $19 million, state-of-the-art facility scheduled to open for the fall semester of 2004. Endowed by a generous $5 million gift from Ted and M. Christine Schwartz, the M. Christine Schwartz Center for Nursing Education will house all of the faculty and students under one roof for the first time in the school’s history. The four-story, 53,000-square foot facility will offer approximately 400 students each year the highest quality in nursing education and provide a home to a growing cadre of internationally renowned nurse educators and researchers. Designed by the Miami-based architectural firm Bermello, Ajamil & Partners, the facility will include high-tech classrooms and seminar rooms, over 50 faculty offices, clinical practice labs featuring the latest technology and a computer center. Entire wings of the Schwartz Center will be devoted to innovations in teaching and learning as well as research labs for cutting-edge nursing research.
ORANGE BOWL COLLECTION NEEDS HELP
The United Way Orange Bowl Collection is scheduled for the UM vs. West Virginia football game on Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m. The Orange Bowl Collection is the annual student fundraiser with all money raised going to United Way. Over 250 volunteers are needed, so all support is greatly appreciated. All volunteers receive a free T-shirt! If you have any questions, call the Volunteer Services Center (UC 240) at 305-284-GIVE.
FANTASY FEST WITH MTV
Are you going to Fantasy Fest this October in Key West? Want MTV to follow along? If so, contact them at ultimatepartyshow@mtvstaff.com.

CONSTRUCTION ALERT
Now through the end of November, road construction will be occurring on Dickinson Drive. The northbound lane will be partially barricaded on a daily basis during the construction. Flagmen will be directing traffic around the barricades to allow continuous access at all times. For more information, contact Orlando Bomnin at 305-284-6749.
FESTIVAL MIAMI IS ON ITS WAY
When is a festival more than a festival? When it’s Festival Miami! Produced by the School of Music, Festival Miami has entertained audiences with a dynamic and diverse range of musical performances. But beyond these popular performances, which present extraordinary guest artists together with UM music students and faculty, the Festival provides important educational enrichment. Visiting artists conduct special master classes with UM music students and faculty, and these unique learning opportunities are open to the public. As part of Festival Miami’s 20th Anniversary Celebration, which runs until Oct. 25, William Hipp, Dean of the School of Music, extends an invitation to all who are interested in attending any of these special master classes. For more information and schedules of the master classes, please call (305) 284-3941.

TODAY

Belly Bust presents a night of high-octane laughs fueled by the renowned Mexican-American comedian Juan Villareal from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Rat.

Applications for Homecoming 2003: Hurricanes Help the Hometown Site Leader are due in the Volunteer Services Center (UC 240). Make sure to sign up for an interview time when you turn in your completed application. For more information, call 305-284-GIVE.

Hurricane Productions and ‘Canes Night Live present Casino Night at the UC Grand (Patio) from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. Stop by the UC Pool for a pool party with mock-tails and games. Enjoy a free food buffet on the UC Strip (Breezeway) from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. Then end the night on the Green watching the movie Ocean’s Eleven from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Festival Miami presents Festival Brazil Part II with Claudia Villela at Gusman Concert Hall at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and only $8 for students. For more information, contact 305-284-4940.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 28

Oceana holds their kick-off meeting at 7 p.m. in the International Lounge of the UC. For more information visit www.oceana.org.

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 29

Everyone is invited to attend the Nicaraguan Students Association meeting in the UC at 7 p.m. For more information, contact um_nicas@hotmail.com.

Public Relations Student Society of America will hold its general meeting in Ballroom C at 5:30 p.m. Membership questions will be discussed. Yvette Harris from Harris Publishing will be speaking about entertainment PR.

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 30

Are you a commuter student interested in a free lunch? Well, if you want to save some money, eat a good meal, and spend time with other commuter students, then the Commuter Student Luncheon is right for you! The first Commuter Student Luncheon will be from 12 to 1p.m. in the Lewis Room at The Rat. For more information, contact Dana Ponsky at 305-284-5646.

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 1

The Counseling Center and Multicultural Student Affairs will be hosting an Open House in the Student Services, Building 21. Enjoy free food and enter to win prizes at the raffle.

Join Hispanic Heritage Month for Latino 101, a discussion on issues pertaining to Latinos, at Eaton Residential College from 7 to 9 p.m. Refreshments will be served.

TUESDAY OCTOBER 7

Hispanic Heritage Month presents Chasing Papi at Cosford Cinema at 8 p.m.

THURSDAY OCTOBER 9

Got questions about depression? Come to the breezeway from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and get a depression screening. For more information, contact the Counseling Center at 305-284-5511.

La Casa Cultural, Theater Arts, African American and Latin American Studies and the Foreign Literature and Language Department present Dominicanish by Josefina Baez, an Afro-Dominican performance artist, at Pearson Residential College at 8 p.m.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 11

Join the Hispanic Heritage Month Committee and friends in a night of live music by Tito Puente Jr. and his 15 piece orchestra at Omni Colonnade Hotel from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. Dinner will be provided. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., with dinner being served at 8 p.m. For more information, contact MSA at 305-284-2855.

Name: Samantha Riepe
Height: 5’9″
Weight: 140 lbs.
Hair Color: brown. . .ish
Eye Color: blue
Previous Experience: I was in the background of a segment on the 11 o’clock news once.
My Tryout:
I got there just at 9:30, to a line that rivaled. . . probably only the one that would form for Charlie’s Angels 2 later that night. Seriously, I was expecting a mob a la American Idol tryouts, but without that poof Ryan Starfish or whatever his name is. Instead, there were maybe 40 random people there, about half of which looked familiar. . . a chick from the Sunsations, Katie from ‘Canes Gone Crazy, that kid who won 2003 Boy of the Year – all of them with more notable performance experience than I, whose only claim to fame is that I once stood on-camera behind someone being interviewed for the local news.
I skipped out around 10 for class. When I returned at 11, the line was really dwindling. These weren’t the hardcore hopefuls from earlier. One kid almost left when he found out there wasn’t free food. Such dedication.
I was grouped with my new friends (bonded by our crappy-muggy-line-waiting-experience) Katherine and Federico to go see the casting director, Ron. He was laid back in that I’m-judging-you-all-based-on-appearance kind of way. He confirmed that we all went to UM and then asked us the question we had waited upwards of 17 sweaty minutes to hear: Why had we come there? I think we were all wondering that by then. Katherine’s RA had prodded her into going, Federico was up to trying anything, I was a journalist by day, self-proclaimed drama queen by night – Ron listened to all our answers and tried not to fall asleep. He informed us when callbacks would be (I’m sure he was trying hard not to laugh), and we were off.

Name: Jorge Arauz
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 165 lbs
Hair Color: dark brown
Eye Color: brown
Previous Acting Experience:
I act like I like people sometimes.

My Tryout:
I got there late. I had to piss and I was sweating, but I waited in line anyway. As you can see from my headshot, I wasn’t really taking the whole thing too seriously, but a lot of people there were.
“This could make or break me,” I heard one girl say.
The wait was about an hour, but at least the staff and cast were cool.
When I went into Cosford to meet and interview with the casting director, he asked me why I had waited in line for so long.
“Well, because I like to stand in long lines,” I replied.
But I really wanted to be famous. I think he knew I was lying.
He looked at me. And he looked at me again. And I looked at the CBS 4 cameraman in my face, and I said, “Hi, Mom,” in my head.
Then the Guiding Light guided me right out the door.
But they kept my headshots.
Damn.
Better luck next time.

and Jorge Arauz

Someone from this campus could be the new evil clone/paraplegic/kidnap victim or onion-sniffer on the longest-running daytime drama ever: CBS’s Guiding Light. Casting Director Rob Decina held one of five open casting calls at UM’s Cosford Cinema on Wednesday to find new talent for the soap opera.

“I think there’s this sense of style here [at Miami] and this incredible, warm energy that I’m aware of that’s really exciting,” Decina said.
The open call lasted four hours. CBS cameras were at the event, documenting the activities that went on for most of the day.
Each hopeful filled out a short application with basic contact and descriptive information. A write-in section allowed applicants to elaborate on any prior acting or related experience.
Many mentioned the acting experience they received posing in front of a bathroom mirror or socializing with people they really didn’t like.
“I’m just doing this out of curiosity – I say, try everything once,” said Frederico Cuodra, a sophomore who joined the line thinking it was for a free movie preview. “I haven’t even seen Guiding Light.”
Actor Marty West, who plays 18-year-old Shayne Lewis on the show, walked up and down the line outside of Cosford Cinema, chatting and stapling headshots [requested but not required] to applications.
West’s character is a paraplegic recovering from an unfortunate car accident.
West, 24, told The Miami Hurricane that he got his start in L.A., at a casting call much like Wednesday’s tryouts.
“I tried out in L.A., flew to New York for a screen test about eight days later and signed on about eight more days after that,” he said.
Many of those present were clueless as to what to expect.
“Nobody told me what to do, so I’m just going to go in there and be myself,” Aaron Serbu, freshman, said. “I’m just here to have fun.”
Others weren’t as calm.
“Man, I’m nervous,” Kendrick Ribeiro, a sophomore at Florida Atlantic University, said. “I hope they’re looking for a character that worries too much.”
During the process, applicants were asked to enter Cosford Cinema in groups of two or three to answer three basic questions: “What school do you attend?”; “What’s your major?”; “Why are you here today?”
Academic majors ranged from theatre arts to journalism to psychology and biology.
Reasons for attending ranged from “I wanna be famous” to “I’ll do anything to miss class.”
“I just want to make my mama proud,” Ribeiro said.
Each audition lasted a few minutes, and those auditioning were told that callbacks would be sent out later that afternoon – maybe.
The Miami Hurricane was unable to obtain the exact number of individuals who had been called back at press time.
Two finalists from UM, a male and a female, will advance to New York City with eight others from other colleges throughout the country for a live screen test on The Early Show, where viewers will vote for their favorite potential star.
Winners will star in weeklong summer roles on the drama.
The Miami Hurricane is in the process of obtaining the names of the UM finalists. We will spotlight each in an upcoming issue of the paper.

Samantha Riepe can be contacted at sriepe@miami.edu; Jorge Arauz can be contacted at um_newspaper@yahoo.com.