Get out your softball mitts, hula-hoops and competitive spirit – it’s Sportsfest time again.

Sportsfest, the annual weekend-long competition between residential colleges, will kick off its 19th run Friday, Feb. 6.

Only Hecht and Stanford were involved in the first Sportsfest in 1986. A new dorm was added to the mix each of the following three years, until the apartment area and all dorms were eventually included.

It has been said that Sportsfest should be renamed “Sex Fest” because of the highly sexual, never subtle, aspect of many of the team names, and the fact that many of the teams cut their T-shirts to be more revealing.

There are over 60 teams this year, each with its own self-defining, often highly suggestive, name.

“My floor’s first idea for a name got vetoed by the officials,” David Birrow, Stanford RA, said. “We were going to be the Walsh Jackson 5. Our caption was, ‘Kids love us.’ But now we’re the Walsh 5 Truckers, and our caption is ‘Unloading our big rig in the rear.'”

The general theme of Sportsfest hasn’t changed: teams compete against each other in sports events for the title of overall champion. Events range from the serious sports- football, basketball, volleyball, track and field and others – to the outrageous – mystery events, board games and human bowling.

There are several new events in this year’s Sportsfest.

A torch run, similar to the one in the Olympics, will begin at 5:15 p.m. at the bridge over the lake near the UC and end at the Rat.

Each leg of the race is run by the Masters, Associate Masters and Resident Coordinators from each residential college.

Maryann Barber and the Hecht folks will run the last leg as defending champions. They will light the flame, which will be moved to the IM fields. The Sportsfest flame will burn all weekend.

Opening ceremonies will be held inside the Rat.

Other changes this year include the cancellation of the traditional canoe race. For some reason, no one wanted to sign up to row across a crocodile-infested lake.

New sports events this year will include dodgeball, mini golf, a slingshot contest and badminton doubles. The “couch potato contest” also has some additions, including a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors and Playstation 2.

Students say the most highly anticipated new event is the Dance Dance Revolution competition.

Some students have expressed concern about the fierce nature of the competition. Often, students take their events a bit too seriously, and pitting fellow UM residents against each other seems to go against the original purpose of Sportsfest, which was to bring students together.

“There’s definitely a lot of animosity between Stanford and Hecht,” Birrow said. “But it’s really all about having a good time.”

“As the nature of the beast of any competition, some participants will always take it too far. With the addition of the great awards that we offer I think the level of competition has gone up,” Jason Carroll, head of Sportsfest, said. “But for the most part I think that most of the students that participate enjoy the weekend and look forward to it the following year.”

To motivate students to play fairly, a sportsmanship award is given out each year.

“Sportsfest is one of the few times everyone comes out for an event,” Michelle Steele, Stanford RA, said. “It’s a huge bonding time. The competition is all in fun.”

Sportsfest, primarily attended by freshmen and sophomores, provides an energized atmosphere for students to get to know each other better. According to Birrow, it is also a chance for prospective RAs to show themselves worthy by being team captains.

“I’m excited to see how many people will show up and what it’s all like,” Emily Huggins, freshman, said. “I’ve never participated before, but from what I hear, it seems pretty obvious that Stanford is going to win.”

“I don’t even know what events I’m doing yet,” Elizabeth Tedford, freshman, said. “I’m just looking forward to being involved. I’ve heard the whole weekend is a lot of fun.”

Jaclyn Lisenby can be contacted at j.lisenby@umiami.edu.

It is no longer impossible to picture President George W. Bush being dragged behind a car, eyes staring straight ahead, pants on fire. This was the strange sight that greeted all those who passed by Stanford Circle last Friday afternoon.

A large statue of President Bush was on display for approximately one hour, the trademark of Pants on Fire campaign. According to the Pants On Fire website, this is “a campaign to make Americans aware that George Bush has lied about many of the most important issues facing our country.”

A small protest accompanied the statue, with students holding anti-Bush signs and passing out flyers. Signs included such slogans as “The State of the Union should be about the State of the Union” and “It’s clearly a budget – it’s got lots of numbers on it.”

Eventually, a police car drove into Stanford Circle and students disbanded while the statue was driven away.

These kinds of events are expected to become more prevalent on campus as the 2004 presidential elections draw near. UM is the site of the first presidential debates on Sep. 30.

The key issue of last week’s Student Government [SG] meeting was the closure of the International Studies [INS] Department, and the consequences thereof.

Senior Senator Christian Wilson and President of the International Studies Students Association Andrea Echavarria co-authored “A Resolution Concerning the Dissolution of the International Studies Program.”

The resolution advocated the official notification to students of the dissolution of the program.

Roughly 40 INS students, both undergraduate and graduate, turned up at the SG meeting, each bringing their own perspective to the table. Reactions varied from confusion to betrayal.

“We’ve been lied to too many times to take word or good will seriously,” Adele Bagley, junior and INS student, said.

Never before had students illustrated such a plea for help and support from SG, and the majority of Senators handled the issue well.

Student presence illustrated that the claim of “lack of interest in International Studies” was unfounded.

Several senators expressed that they were “disgusted” by the way the situation had been handled and felt a lack of respect was shown to students by the administration.

“Students finding out the fate of their academic future from a student flyer is shameful on the part of the administration,” Wilson said. “The lack of communication between students and administrators is deplorable.”

With a deficiency of information available at the time, many students were confused by the unclear distinction between official information and rumor.

The resolution was passed unanimously with only one abstention, IFC Senator Scott Rubenstein.

At least three non-INS student senators were present at the INS official meeting the following evening to show their support for their constituents affected by the decision.

The issue is now clearly focused on the future. What is the fate of the current INS students? How will promises made be policed? And how will students be protected in the future?

“The reason I authored and fought for a passage of a resolution condemning the administration for this action is to make sure this sort of misleading circumstance never happens again,” Wilson said.

The Hurricane will continue to follow this issue as more details become available.

For more information visit the UM Department of International Studies website at http://www.as.miami.edu/international-studies/

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

After months of planning, the long-awaited Ibis Ride to Coconut Grove on Thursday nights will be launched as a pilot run for the spring semester.

Ibis Ride is UM’s safe ride program and currently runs on Friday and Saturday nights. It is intended to reduce alcohol-related accidents by providing sober transportation. The Thursday shuttle service is scheduled to begin on Feb. 5 and will run from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Student Government [SG] President Scott Sadowski does not take credit for the idea. The idea stemmed from surveys given to students about their use of the Ibis Ride and requests made by students during last year’s SG elections.

Dr. Patricia Whitely, vice president for student affairs, says the idea was approved by President Shalala last August. SG, the Dean of Students Office and PIER 21-Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Education have been working together to launch the extension.

The new service will increase the cost of the Ibis Ride by 50 percent, requiring $15,000 in additional fees. SG petitioned the Student Activity Fee Allocation Committee [SAFAC] to provide supplemental funding. A $10,000 donation from Gold Coast Beverage Distributors and the Miller Brewing Company last year helped to alleviate the cost.

The press release from Gold Coast Beverage Distributors states that the company “accepts its role in promoting alcohol responsibility and in giving back to South Florida’s communities.”

According to William Sandler, Jr., dean of students and director for the PIER 21 program, the expansion provides a safe alternative to drunk driving.

“We feel the shuttle serves to prevent and reduce alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents,” Sandler said.

Sadowski said the ride is not to promote going out or drinking, but it is a matter of convenience.

“We most importantly addressed the need to provide students with safe transportation to help them go to where they have been going all year,” Sadowski said.

Freshman Eric Halper drives to the Grove with his friends frequently but says he never considered catching a free ride.

“I have never really thought about it,” Halper said. “Now that I do know about it I’ll probably use it. The rides save people money and helps for a safe drive.”

“It’s good for students on campus who don’t have a car,” Tara Gregorio, junior, said. “They will save the money that they use to take a cab.”

The pilot run will evaluate how many students use the service and whether they will respect the Ibis Ride workers as they have in the past.

“We are providing it so that students will not have to drive to go to the Grove,” Whitely said. “We expect students to [use] the Ibis Ride responsibly so that we can provide a safe ride.”

Marquita Bell can be contacted at m.bell3@umiami.edu.

TODAY
In honor of Black Awareness Month, the Black Awareness Month Committee presents the film Black & White as part of the Black Film Series at 8 p.m. in Pearson. For more information regarding Black Awareness Month, please contact United Black Students at 305-284-2583.

The Academic Development Center hosts a Brown Bag Workshop on “Psychological Tips for Academic Success” in UC 241 at 12:30 p.m. Reservations are required no later than 24 hours in advance. For more information, or to make a reservation, call 305-284-4790.

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 4
The Public Relations Student Society of America is holding its first general meeting of the semester in Eaton 148 at 6:30 p.m. New members are welcome, as are all majors. This short, introductory meeting will explain the benefits of being a member of PRSSA and discuss the agenda for the semester.

Commuter Student Affairs presents the Commuter Student Luncheon with President Shalala from 12 to 1 p.m. at the Rat. Sign up before Tuesday, Feb. 3 in the office of Orientation and Commuter Affairs in UC 236. Space is limited to 20 participants and food is FREE.

The Academic Development Center hosts the Brown Bag Workshop on “Psychological Tips for Academic Success” in UC 241 at 12 p.m. Reservations are required no later that 24 hours in advance. For more information, or to make a reservation, call 305-284-4790.

UM medicine professor named a Local Legend

Marilyn Glassberg Csete, M.D., assistant professor of medicine at the UM School of Medicine, has been selected as a Local Legends award winner for the state of Florida. She is being honored for her commitment and innovation in her chosen field of specialty, pulmonology, and for her contribution to the positive image of women in medicine. All of the Local Legends winners from across the country will be featured in an exhibition called “Changing the Face of Medicine: Celebrating America’s Women Physicians” and on a website dedicated to the project. The winners will also be honored next month during the American Medical Women’s Association’s annual meeting in San Diego.

Hispanic Heritage Month seeking board members

Interested in being involved with Hispanic Heritage Month 2004? Advisor Ms. Nanette Vega, Assistant Director of Multicultural Student Affairs [MSA], is currently accepting applications for the executive board. For more information, please contact MSA at 305-284-2855 or at nvega@miami.edu.

Outstanding seniors sought to be featured in yearbook

The Ibis is still looking for candidates for “Senior Spotlight” features on outstanding seniors in the 2004 yearbook. In order to nominate or apply, pass by the Ibis office, UC 229, and pick up a form. Forms are due in the office by Feb. 13.

Intramurals are back

Start getting your team together for another exciting round of intramural sports. Entries are now being accepted at the Wellness Center for basketball, arena football, flag football, and kickball. If you don’t have a team, then sign up on the free agent roster. To find out more about the intramural program, call Jason Carroll at 305-284-8518.

Wellness classes open

Registration is now open for spring instructional classes at the Wellness Center. Classes are open to both members and non-members. Instruction varies from dance classes to martial arts. You must register in person. For more information, call the Wellness Center at 305-284-5433.

Library hours extended

In response to requests from students and faculty, the Richter Library will stay open until 10 p.m. on Saturdays during the spring semester. Use will be analyzed to determine whether Saturday hours should be expanded permanently. For more information, please see www.library.miami.edu.

High school students accompanying UM students was a common sight around campus this week as Hurricane for a Day, a new program implemented by Student Government [SG], began on Monday.

Students accepted to UM Early Decision were invited to shadow a student leader for a day to experience the life of a UM student.

The program was inspired by an idea from the SG Executive Board, who wanted to use the program as a strong recruiting tool. Initially, the idea was to invite top prospective students who had not yet decided where they wanted to go to school. It was eventually decided that Early Decision applicants [who had already decided to come to UM] would be the group invited to participate.

The effort was spearheaded by Billy Bludgus, chief of staff external SG. “I was confident that if we showed these students what we’re about, they would choose UM,” Bludgus said.

Program organizers also mentioned that in order for UM to move into the top tier of universities, top students must be attracted.

“Our University always talks about how we are improving over other universities,” Scott Sadowski, SG president, said. “I feel that this program is a prime example of us going the extra mile to help students experience Miami.”

The list of students accepted Early Decision was provided by the Office of Admissions. Student Government then sent letters to the students, inviting them to come to campus this week. Overall, 234 students were invited and approximately 60 are participating. Of these 60 students, about 25 percent are from out of town. Some students even flew in to be a part of the program.

Students spent one day on campus, with hosts meeting them in the morning, taking them to class, lunch and maybe a few meetings in between. Special overnight accommodations have been made for students flying in from out of town. Student leaders, mainly from the different parts of SG, volunteered to act as hosts.

“The response from students willing to act as hosts has been overwhelming,” Bludgus said. “The participants really enjoyed their visit due to the efforts on the part of the student hosts.”

At the end of the week, the SG Executive Board will gather feedback and determine whether the program is feasible financially and logistically. The next goal is to invite prospective students who have applied Early Action and are not bound to matriculating at UM. This program could be implemented as early as later this semester.

Minal Ahson can be contacted at m.ahson@umiami.edu.

“We recycle?” Luis Valdes, junior, said when asked about his thoughts on the recycling program.

Many UM students share this reaction. The recycling program on campus is, in the minds of students, lacking in presence. Save maybe one or two bins in the library for paper, which are essentially utilized by the library staff, recycling is not very visible at UM.

With the importance of recycling being stressed in all aspects of life, why is it that UM is having problems with its own recycling program? As far as many students are concerned, recycling on campus is nearly non-existent.

“I think that it’s really sad that UM lacks in recycling,” Vanja Majkic, junior, said. “I don’t remember putting any cans in the recycling bins because I can never find any. All of the cans end up in the regular trash. UM really needs to do something about this.”

There’s no question as to whether there is a recycling program at UM. The main problem, however, is exactly how effective it is, and how much effort and money the University spends, or is willing to spend, on it.

The fact remains that the majority of the student body does not know about the few recycling bins placed around campus. This displays that efforts might need to be made to reinforce the recycling program and spread the word of its existence.

The University claims to be doing something about it.

UNICCO, the company contracted to handle janitorial and waste-management services, including the recycling program, claims to have placed recycling bins in at least seven of UM’s academic schools.

Irving Kohen, former director of UM’s recycling program, refused to answer any questions about the program.

According to Alan Weber, associate director for Facilities Administration, the reason that the recycling program at UM has not made any advancement is that students do not effectively utilize the facilities provided.

“[During] a trial system for the last year in Eaton. . . people threw trash into the recycling-only bins,” Weber said. He added that un-recyclable waxed cardboard, used for carrying frozen foods, is often thrown into the bin for recycled cardboard.

In response to this, according to Weber, UNICCO is making plans to print a brochure that will be given out to students stating what UNICCO does at the University, outlining its strengths and weaknesses. Weber also stated that UNICCO is looking into putting in a compressor in Hecht and Stanford Towers where students could discard their recyclable wastes in the near future.

When asked how much funding was going into UM’s recycling program, Weber responded, “Actually, I don’t think it’s my place to tell you. I think you are going to have to contact one of the higher level associates to tell you.”

Meanwhile, other universities have these numbers displayed on their school websites.

UM’s recycling program is not as extensive as that of some other universities. At Boston College, for example, recycling bins can be found almost everywhere, from the residence halls to the athletic facilities. The college system has a bin for recycling paper goods, such as magazines and newspapers, and another for plastic, metal and glass containers. They also have a system for recycling old batteries, which cannot be recycled with everything else.

To take recycling a step further, Boston College has a page on its website dedicated to helping the students and faculty recycle. The page includes charts specifying designated recycling areas where the bins can be found, what materials go into which bin and the schedule for pickup times. A link that presents updated recycling statistics of the school is also provided to encourage students to continue recycling.

Harvard University School of Public Health [HSPH] spent more than $30,000 to improve its recycling program in 2001, of which $9,000 went towards the purchase of more recycling bins.

According to the HSPH website, “on every floor of every building in the main HSPH complex, there are bins for batteries, cans, glass and plastic bottles, and plastics. In addition, bins marked ‘White Paper Only’ in offices. . . now accept mixed paper.”

The Hurricane will continue to follow up on any new developments in UM’s recycling program.

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

Vanessa Krause can be contacted at v.krause@umiami.edu.

By Minal Ahson

News Reporter

This past week, high school students accompanying UM students was a common sight around campus. Hurricane for a Day, a new program implemented by Student Government [SG], began last Monday. Students accepted to UM Early Decision were invited to shadow a student leader for a day to experience the life of a UM student.

The program was sparked by an idea from the SG Executive Board, who wanted to use the program as a strong recruiting tool. Initially, the idea was to invite top prospective students who had not yet decided where they wanted to go to school. It was eventually decided that Early Decision applicants [who had already decided to come to UM] would be the group invited to participate.

The effort was spearheaded by Billy Bludgus, chief of staff external SG. “I was confident that if we showed these students what we’re about, they would choose UM,” Bludgus said.

Program organizers also mentioned that in order for UM to move into the top tier of universities, top students must be attracted.

“Our University always talks about how we are improving over other Universities,” Scott Sadowski, SG President, said. “I feel that this program is a prime example of us going the extra mile to help students experience Miami.”

The list of students accepted Early Decision was provided by the Office of Admissions. Student Government then sent letters to the students, inviting them to come to campus this week. Overall, 234 students were invited and approximately 60 are participating. Of these 60 students, about 25 percent are from out of town. Some students even flew in to be a part of the program.

Students spend one day on campus, with hosts meeting them in the morning, taking them to class, lunch, and maybe a few meetings in between. Special overnight accommodations have been made for students flying in from out of town. Student leaders, mainly from the different parts of SG, volunteered to act as hosts.

“The response from students willing to act as hosts has been overwhelming.” Bludgus said. “The participants really enjoyed their visit due to the efforts on the part of the student hosts.”

At the end of the week, the SG Executive Board will gather feedback and determine whether the program is feasible financially and logistically. The next goal is to invite prospective students who have applied Early Action, and are not bound to matriculating at UM. This program could be implemented as early as later this semester.

Minal Ahson can be contacted at m.ahson@umiami.edu.