A fund-raising campaign for measles relief was launched as International Week [I-Week] began last Thursday.

Measles Initiative Week, in conjunction with the UM Red Cross, seeks to raise awareness for the children in Africa. Shantanu Neravetla, chair of the Measles Initiative, promoted the campaign during high school, and hopes to bring it to a new level of success at UM.

Measles kills 450,000 African children each year, making it more deadly than tuberculosis, malaria, AIDS, or malnutrition. The measles vaccination is the most cost effective public health intervention available for preventing deaths.

During I-Week, display boards will be set up in the Volunteer Services Center, the United Black Students office, and all of the residential colleges as posts for people to donate money. The organizations will compete in “vaccination wars”, in an attempt to raise money for the campaign.

Mark O’Connor, treasurer of UM Red Cross, describes the fund-raising activities as an “awesome way to help out the international community.”

The proceeds will be forwarded directly to the International Red Cross workers who travel to Africa and provide treatment. The participation of other organizations is crucial to the fund-raising efforts.

“I would love for other organizations to help out,” Neravetla said. “The more students who know about the cause, the greater the good it will do.”

The Measles Initiative is going national by participating in the Compete to Defeat Measles National College Competition, which is similar in concept to the vaccination wars on campus. Colleges around the nation are competing to raise as much money as possible for the purpose of saving lives. UM will be competing with schools including Duke University, UC Berkeley, and Johns Hopkins University. The school that raises the most money will have the opportunity to send students to the vaccination drives in Africa.

“One dollar can save a life,” Neravetla said. “It doesn’t get much better than that.”

For more information on the Measles Initiative, contact Shantanu Neravetla at sneravet@umsis.miami.edu.

Camille Cohen can be contacted at c.cohen@umiami.edu.

CAUSES OF DEATH IN AFRICA
Cause-specific childhood deaths in Africa, equaling about 4.2 million.

1. Malaria (age 5 and under) – 14%
2. Measles (age 15 and under) – 11%
3. Injuries (all ages) – 11%
4. TB (all ages) – 9%
5. HIV – 8%
6. Malnutrition (all ages) – 4%

Elections for Speaker of the Senate were held during the SG meeting before Spring Break. The Speaker’s job is to govern meetings, keep order, and form a creative environment in which the Senators can start and complete projects.

“I think it’s really important for a Speaker to be there to accommodate his Senators,” Francine Madera, Panhellenic Senator, said. There were four hopefuls to take over incumbent Carlos Echeverri’s position: Commuter Senator Peter Groverman, Arts & Sciences Senator Mike Levine , Business Administration Senator Jeff Miller , and Speaker Pro Tempore Justice T. Walker .

“Competition was tough this year and there was a run-off unlike last year,” Eric Frankel, SG Parliamentarian, said.

Each candidate came armed with copies of his resume and platforms for Speaker, as well as a rehearsed speech to entice the voters. Levine and Miller made it to the run-offs.

Levine’s supporters pointed out that he was unmatched in starting and completing projects, and if promoted to Speaker would get even more done for the school.

“Levine has it for experience,” Scott Rubenstein, IFC Senator, said. “He has a great track record for getting projects completed, and still has time to help others and the school.”

Miller’s supporters favored his leadership style and thought he’d be a good motivator and go-to guy.

“His assets are geared towards running a meeting,” Brandon Winston, Business School senator, said. “He’d be the best at maintaining good relations with all Senate members.”

Miller took the title in the run-off election. He aims to make SG more prominent and facilitate all Senators to achieve their maximum potential.

“Jeff Miller and I don’t see eye to eye on pretty much anything,” Danny Alvarez, Spectrum Senator, said. “But I think he will be a really good Speaker, and make SG a more active force on campus.”

In this week’s Speaker Pro Tempore elections, Victor Cueto, Patricia Escuder, Peter Groverman, and Gus Rearte all stood to run, but it was Escuder who took the role, citing the importance of keeping her double-role as Speaker Pro Tempore and her position as Senator. She had a very hands-on approach to people management that the Senators obviously responded well to.

We say good-bye to former Speaker Echeverri and Speaker Pro-Tempore Walker, and wish good luck to both Miller and Escuder.

For more information, visit the SG website at www.miami.edu/sg – which is being updated daily thanks to SG’s Webmaster John Constantinide.

Amy S. Lawrence can be contacted at aslawrence@umiami.edu.

Yvonne Ridley, a former chief reporter for the British Sunday Express who was captured for 10 days by the Taliban while undercover in Afghanistan in 2001, recently spoke at UM as part of Islamic Awareness Month.
Ridley said her experiences caused her to become an outspoken critic of the war on terror.
She described how news stories were artificially dramatized because no journalists were ever allowed near enough to the fighting to really see what was happening.
“Some television reporters would pay Afghanis five dollars to shoot their guns close by while the camera rolled,” Ridley said. “Those dramatic, uplifting images you saw of ‘liberated’ Afghanis celebrating after the war were a result of much needed dollars.”
“Some television reporters would pay Afghanis $5 to shoot their guns close by while the camera rolled. Those dramatic, uplifting images you saw… were a result of much needed dollars.” -YVONNE RIDLEY
She also recounted her realization that American and British bombing raids seemed to be at innocent targets.
While held as a captive of the Taliban, she said that she was treated with “courtesy and respect,” even though President Bush has called it the most evil, brutal regime in the world.
“They say that the truth is often the first casualty of war and in Iraq, it’s still in intensive care,” Ridley said.
Sponsoring organizations included the Council of American-Islamic Relations, Islamic Foundation of South Florida, International Muslims at Nova Southeastern University, and the Islamic Society of UM.

Reeva Oza can be contacted at r.oza@umiami.edu.

FACTS ON THE TALIBAN
In 1994, began to emerge as a viable political force, vowing to restore order and enforce strict Islamic law.

Took power in 1996 and imposed harsh Islamic system of law on citizens of Afghanistan.

Banished women from the work force.

Closed schools to girls in cities and expelled women from universities.

Prohibited women from leaving their homes unless accompanied by a close male relative.

By Jillian Bandes

News Reporter

Patricia J. Williams, renowned author and law professor at Columbia University, spoke at the Storer Auditorium last Thursday as part of UM’s Presidents’ Lecture Series.

The self-proclaimed “politically correct black feminazi” spoke about “Race and Democracy” by giving a passionate but down-to-earth account of her experiences in the U.S. and in Europe. She described her personal encounters with racism, and how it impacts both law and society as a whole.

Williams said that being stereotyped is like “living in a perpetual state of victimization by identity thieves,” and that a blind eye towards such stereotypes is “a very ingrained phenomenon in American culture.” According to Williams, such lack of sensitivity detracts from our intelligence.

Integrity and race was another focal point of Williams’ address. Lack of roots, or ignorance of them, causes Americans to be “unique in suppression of oneself.” She went on to emphasize the role of the media in contributing this “increasingly image-driven society.”

The lecture also imparted Williams’ liberal, left-wing principals. She voiced her anti-Bush agenda at least once during the lecture.

Williams is friend of UM President Donna Shalala; the two worked together at the University of Wisconsin. Williams stayed at Shalala’s home during her visit, and it was clear during the lecture and following reception that the two had a strong rapport. Williams began her speech humorously by saying how she admired Shalala’s ability to deal with the pressures that come with being in the limelight.

“I’m very interested in identity politics. This is what makes a college a college and not party central.” -KIRAN SONI, Law student

“I’ve always thought that the President is an exception,” she said. “I’m someone with the thinnest of skins and no sense of humor.”

Shalala had equally flattering words for Williams after the lecture.

“There’s no one quite like her in American law,” Shalala said. “She is a real contribution.”

Indeed, Williams has been a huge contributor to the legal profession in her 28- year career. After receiving her J.D. from Harvard in 1976 she worked as deputy city attorney for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, and has been affiliated with several universities.

In 2000, Williams received the MacArthur Fellowship, a “genius” award that grants Williams $500,000 of no-strings-attached money in recognition of her exceptional creativity. The prestigious fellowship is awarded over a five-year period and can be used for whatever purpose the recipient sees fit.

UM students said that they benefited from Williams’ expertise.

“I was very pleased,” Villamore Asuncion, senior, said. “I wish we could get more scholars like her.”

Kiran Soni, a second year law student at UM, said that she was able to identify very closely with the subject matter in Williams’ lecture.

“As a woman of color, I’m very interested in identity politics,” she said. “This is what makes a college a college and not party central.”

The next speaker in the Presidents’ Lecture Series is Maya Angelou.

Jillian Bandes can be contacted at j.bandes@umiami.edu.

The Hurricane recently sat down with Scott Sadowski, SG president for 2003-2004, to look back upon his term and discuss the highlights of the year.

Sadowki listed what he felt the most notable projects under his reign as president:

Among them, the 24-hour library during finals, the new SG website, the Hecht dining hall renovations, the extension of the Ibis Ride Thursday night shuttles, the incorporation of the sushi stand in the food court, and the planning of an off-campus retreat for all of SG. He commended his chiefs of staff for instituting such programs as “Cane for a Day” and a medical mentoring program.

Sadowski feels his biggest accomplishment as SG president was instituting the new 24-hour library schedule.

“That was kind of my first big success,” Sadowski said. “Sometimes you are always most proud of your first accomplishments.

When asked what he would remember most about the year, Sadowski replied without hesitation that he would take with him memories of the people on his SG board. “This was the first time that there wasn’t any dissent among the ranks,” he said. “The team thing doesn’t get played up enough.

According to Sadowski, one of the strengths of this year’s board was its ability to pick up new projects. Sadowski’s concentrated on fixing SG from the inside, making it more efficient and organized. “The Senators have power again,” Sadowski said.

He feels that this is the most notable asset of his board.

“Last year, it was definitely like the Mike Johnston show, which was good and bad,” Sadowski said, referring to the 2002-2003 SG executive board. Sadowski was proud that he took less of a role as an individual and worked more as a team with his board.

Any surprises during his term?

“Getting repeatedly blasted by the newspaper,” Sadowski immediately said. “Under such a spotlight, it’s so easy to criticize.” Sadowski cited The Hurricane as the only problem he dealt with during his presidency.

While he was pleased with the newspaper’s role in promoting SG elections, Sadowski was particularly offended by The Hurricane editorial endorsing an SG candidate. The editorial did not endorse any of the current executive board members. “It was tough to see the newspaper ruin the lives of three students,” he said.

When asked about any changes he would have made, Sadowski said, “Quite frankly, I think there needed to be someone from the newspaper on my exec board.”

In June, after he graduates with a degree in finance, Sadowski will begin work in asset management and institutional sales at a corporation in New York. He said he will take away with him many of the skills he learned through SG.

“I felt like the CEO here, and I can’t wait to apply what I’ve learned.”

Sadowski has been meeting with new SG president Vance Aloupis three to four times a week to ensure that Aloupis is brought up to speed in a timely manner and that the transition between SG boards will be as smooth as possible.

“I don’t want to be telling Vance what to do,” Sadowski said. “That’s what’s going to make them successful – finding their niche.”

Sadowski left some advice for Vance. “Cherish the relationships that you have with both administration and students in SG.”

Megha Garg can be contacted at m.garg2@umiami.edu.

In perhaps the largest congregation of the “stars of UM” on campus, everyone from President Shalala to Brock Berlin came out to the Rat as the Student Government [SG] executive board for the 2004-2005 school year was inaugurated last Thursday.

Shalala spoke about her relationship with SG during the opening of the ceremony.

“You got me to do things I really didn’t want to do,” Shalala said, reflecting on Scott Sadowski’s term as president. “That’s my test, Vance, for a leader.”

“SG makes us better administrators – it makes us more responsive to the students,” she continued. “At the end of the day, that’s what we’re here for.”

Outgoing SG President Scott Sadowski took the podium after Shalala, reflecting on the year and thanking administration and his board members for offering him insight and advice throughout the year.

“As a board, we were true complements – we were the true definition of a team,” Sadowski said. “We all had the passion to make this university a better place.”

Sadowski especially thanked Vice President for Student Affairs Pat Whitely, saying she “set them apart from other SG’s around the country,” and SG Staff Associate Gloria Cooper for being “the passion of SG.” He advised the new board to foster the talent of future UM leaders.

In addition, during the inauguration, Whitely announced the “hot breaking news” that incoming SG President Vance Aloupis had been selected as the new student representative to the UM Board of Trustees. This is the first time in UM history that the undergrad SG president has been named as a voting member of the board.

Mike Abrams, Board of Trustees member and SG president of 1969 worked toward giving students full representation on the Board of Trustees. This kind of endeavor is virtually unheard of in the private university arena.

“It only took 35 years,” he joked.

After SG Chief Justice Hans Grunswaldt swore in the new SG executive board, Aloupis spoke about the upcoming school year.

“I can’t tell you how excited I am,” Aloupis said, after introducing the new executive board. “It’s time for out exec board to put our money where our mouth is.”

Aloupis reviewed his board’s platform for the upcoming year and talked about the spotlight that will be on UM as the national Presidential Debates come to campus in September.

“I just want to let you know that The Storm will be representing the student body for the 2004–2005 school year,” Aloupis said. “We are really going to focus on that.”

Megha Garg can be contacted at m.garg2@umiami.edu.

sity arena.

UMTV named best newscast

UM won an award for best newscast at the Florida Associated Press Broadcasters College Contest. Congratulations to UM student winners Stephen Webster, Mike McCormick, Catherine Chubb, Jason Kennedy, Erin Resnick, and Lena Fernandez. Awards will be handed out on April 24, at the FAPB’s college luncheon at Universal Orlando’s Portofino Bay Hotel.

UM teams up with

IMG Academies

UM has entered into an exclusive educational partnership with the prestigious IMG Academies in Bradenton, Florida. Already underway since January, the University of Miami is teaching language courses through its Intensive English Program on campus at IMG Academies. The University plans to offer more courses of study on site.

Harvard sex mag

funding approved

U-WIRE Boston University

In spite of opposition from some if its members, the undergraduate council at Harvard University decided Sunday to grant $2,000 to H-Bomb, a controversial student sex magazine that now will soon be published.

“We try to give money to all recognized students groups,” said Matthew Mahan, president of the Harvard Undergraduate Council.

Mahan said there was “some lively debate” during the council’s regular meeting last Sunday and that some students felt “a moral imperative to censor” the magazine, particularly because of the talk of rape fantasies being included in H-Bomb. The $2,000 allocated to the magazine will not come from Harvard University’s general funds, but instead from the Harvard Undergraduate Council, which manages a separate set of funds. Mahan said there is a possibility that the magazine crosses certain lines.

“In that case,” he said, “we won’t fund them again.”

Around the world in 80 days? Nix that. The international student organizations and clubs of COISO will be taking you through a journey around the world in a record-breaking seven days, and you won’t even have to leave campus.

“This year is the 37th annual International Week [I-Week], and it’s a tradition at UM,” Pat Whitely, vice president of Student Affairs, said. “It brings together all the student organizations in the international arena and it’s a wonderful way to showcase the diversity at UM.”

With “Seven Wonders of the World” as a theme, I- Week boasts 30 cultural, ethnic, and religious organizations and clubs that will come together to exhibit their cultures through representative food, music, and activities.

“I think that I-Week in general is one of the most exciting weeks we have on campus – it really enables the students to show the diversity of all our student population in all the country’s that are represented in our student body,” said Richard Walker, assistant vice president of Student Affairs.

I-Week started off on Thursday with “Hometown USA,” which included a pie-eating contest and a performance by a high school Navajo choir who taught students how to dance their native dance. Popcorn, hot dogs, and snow cones were given out.

Opening ceremonies took place on Friday along with Asia Day, where student organizations paraded their flags through the UC patio.

“I’m very honored to be chosen to be Chair of International Week, because it allows me not only to educate other cultures, but to work hand in hand with other organizations that I wouldn’t be able to work with otherwise,” Kelsi Mercado, I-Week Chair, said.

Every I-Week day will be raising money for measles vaccinations in Africa, as well as competing for the titles of Best Performance, Best Dish, and Best Day.

During Asia Day, sumo wrestling, Chinese calligraphy, and a mock Hindu wedding gave students a glimpse inside the world of Asian culture.

“I thought it was a great show all around. I got to learn about the different cultures in Asia,” Anand Vakharia, freshman, said. “It’s just a great show to put on for the public to show diversity on campus.”

“We’re so fortunate to be in such a diverse campus,” Minal Ahson, president of COISO, said. “So for students being able to experience going around the world right here in Miami at the University of Miami, that’s amazing to me.”

For more information about I-Week and other COISO events, visit www.coiso.com.

Christine Dominguez can be contacted at c.dominguez3@umiami.edu.

TODAY
The Academic Development Center is hosting a Brown Bag Workshop on issues surrounding plagiarism and cheating at 12:30 p.m. in UC 241.

Kaplan Test Prep will be hosting “Law 101- Secrets to First Year Success” at 6:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn. For more information on this free event, call Ana Calvo at 305-284-0092 ext. 2005.

WEDNESDAY
The Sexual Assault Response Team [SART] is hosting the “Take Back the Night” walking vigil at 7:30 p.m. beginning at the Rock. For more information, contact Veronica Dumas at 305-284-5511.

The Academic Development Center is hosting a Brown Bag Workshop on issues surrounding plagiarism and cheating at 12 p.m. in UC 241 and at 6 p.m. in ADC.

THURSDAY
April Fools Day! Take this chance to play jokes on your friends and get away with it. And be creative!

Best selling author and journalist Richard Cohen will speak as part of the Robert Groves Lecture Series at the School of Communication at 7:30 p.m. in Studio A.

Deadline for applications for Gubernatorial Fellows is today. Applications are available on the program website. For more information, please visit www.myflorida.com/fellows.

MONDAY
Stop by the Wellness Center between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. to donate blood. For more information on donating blood, visit the South Florida Blood Banks website at www.sfbb.org.

THURSDAY APRIL 8

FRIDAY APRIL 9
Come join Intervarsity for their Rap and Poetry Slam featuring DJ Obadiah at 7:30 p.m. at the Rat. For more information, contact Patrick Clements at 305-302-1980 or at Ibisfan33@yahoo.com.