(U-WIRE) LAWRENCE, Kan. – Blame your parents for that hangover you had last weekend – binge drinking could be in your genes.
In a study released this month, college students with a particular version of a common gene tended to have more harmful drinking habits than students with a different version.
Researchers say the link could possibly lead to future medications for those with a drinking problem.
“Obviously it’s going to take a lot more work,” says Paolo D. DePetrillo, National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse clinical investigator and co-author of the study.
For the study, researchers surveyed 204 male and female Caucasian college students, all between the ages of 17 and 23. The participants answered questions about their drinking habits and provided saliva samples.
Researchers used the saliva to look for the serotonin transporter gene known as 5HTT. The gene is responsible for recycling serotonin in the brain. DePetrillo says that this gene was targeted because of its known connection to anxiety.
Everyone is born with either short or long versions of this gene. This leaves the possibility of three combinations: two long strands, two short strands or one long and one short strand.
Researchers with the NIAAA found that binge drinking was more prevalent in students who had two short strands of the gene. These students reported binge drinking twice as often as students with different forms, DePetrillo says.
This isn’t to suggest that 5HTT is the only gene involved with the binge drinking habit, DePetrillo says. But the research does prove a strong relationship that could lead to a possible cure for serotonin imbalance.
“It wouldn’t be a magic bullet,” DePetrillo says. “But perhaps this could lead to a remedy of the problem.”
Binge drinking, defined as five drinks in a sitting for men and four drinks for women, is a common problem on college campuses. Barbara Ballard, head of the University of Kansas’ alcohol task force, says that the University of Kansas is no exception.
“We know our students have a problem,” Ballard says. “But we’re providing education and alternatives for them.”
All KU residence halls have alcohol education programs in place and the school’s health center also offers educational programs to various campus groups.
The alcohol task force began Hawk Nights in 1998 as an alcohol-free alternative to Lawrence, Kan., nightlife.
“Drinking isn’t the only kind of recreation that students have,” Ballard says.
Lisa Matchulat, a sophomore from Milwaukee, Wis., says that activities like Hawk Nights are good for students who don’t want to drink, but she doesn’t think the programs discourage drinking.
“If people want to go out and drink on the weekends, they’re going to go out and drink,” she says.

During last week’s meeting, Student Government Senate allocated money to the Mr. UM contest for Homecoming, ratified four elections commissioners and heard reports from all standing committees.
Senators had the opportunity to speak with Chuck McConnell, director of parking and transportation. He explained the new measures being taken to ensure that those who have classes over in the new Ponce Garage add-on will be able to make it to and from class on time.
McConnell also explained the current status of the parking situation on campus. He mentioned that quite possibly in the future pending the appropriate funds, the Pavia garage could have two additional floors built on to it.
As for the parking space sizes in the Memorial Building and the School of Communication lots, McConnell confirmed the fact that some of the spaces do not comply with the Coral Gables section 33 zoning ordinance which states:
“A regular parking space shall mean an area of not less than 171 feet with a minimum width of nine feet, and minimum depth of 19 feet, which is specifically designated for, and used for, the parking of an automobile or light truck.”
Until other parking issues are resolved with the city, however, the spaces will not be changed. McConnell affirmed during the meeting that he and his department have the best interest of the students in mind.
If anyone has any complaints, problems or concerns, inform your SG senator and he or she will contact the proper individuals.
For more information on SG, visit the SG website at www.miami.edu/sg. To contact SG, e-mail them at studentgovernment@miami.edu.

Peter Groverman can be contacted at stalemelon@aol.com

It’s that time of year again. Greeks everywhere, old and new, are sporting their best themed clothing to get together and “mix.”
“Mixers are a great opportunity for people to meet others within the Greek community and relax in a comfortable setting,” said Dave Fenster, chair of the Association of Greek Letter Organizations [AGLO].
Greek Gossip went out to explore what happened this weekend as Greeks hopped on the “Homey Express” bus and had a night of fun.

Friday night:
Zeta Tau Alpha and Lambda Chi Alpha began getting ready to party like it was 1989 on South Beach.
“We were very ’80s in South Beach. It was quite a site,” Callie Simon, new member educator for ZTA, said.
Meanwhile, in Coconut Grove, Kappa Kappa Gamma and Zeta Beta Tau dressed to impress for an all-out “Stoplight” mixer, where singles wear green, those dating someone wear yellow and those who are spoken for wear red.
Part of the festivities included a karaoke sing-along.
“Karaoke can spice up anything – it is the key,” Lauren Stevens, a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma, said.

Saturday night:
The women of Sigma Delta Tau and the brothers of Sigma Chi gathered for an athletic themed mixer.
Concurrently, the sisters of Delta Delta Delta and brothers of Sigma Phi Epsilon gathered to save the day as the “Emergency Mixer Patrol.” Guys and gals donned their best ER-inspired garb and danced the night away while cheering the ‘Canes on to a 33-14 victory.

Sunday afternoon:
New members rose out of bed to attend BANG! Bringing Awareness to New Greeks, the new member symposium education program presented by AGLO. Already in its sixth year, the program is designed to help new members adjust to their new lives as Greeks.
“We put a lot of planning into [the symposium] to make it more interactive and interesting for the new Greeks,” Natasha Garrett, president of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, said.
If you have any gossip-worthy news, contact greekhurricanes@yahoo.com. Greek Gossip will run in every Tuesday issue of the paper.

UM recently began work on a series of construction projects throughout campus, including the new School of Architecture and the relocated psychology department. Many other projects remain under construction and some, like the Schools of Nursing and Communication, have not yet been finalized or approved by the City of Coral Gables.

Department of Psychology
The expansion of the Department of Psychology consists of three new floors in the Flipse Building next to the Ponce garage. The department can already be found at this location because the construction project is almost complete.
According to Dr. Rodney Wellens, chairman of the Department of Psychology, the new facilities will consist of “state-of-the-art” classrooms and offices, including space for advising and academic services as well as a mental health clinic for the community and a center for autism and related disabilities.
“We will now be able to house our faculty and graduate students under one roof fostering greater collaboration,” Wellens said. “This will also allow us to move our training clinic and other community outreach operations from rented space off-campus to the new building.”
The construction for this multi-million dollar project was initiated in order to meet the needs of the psychology department, which, according to Wellens, houses the largest Ph.D. and second-largest undergraduate program at UM.

School of Architecture
The construction project in the School of Architecture consists of an 8,000-square foot building to be built between Buildings 35 and 48. The building will house a lecture hall, an exhibition area and a classroom.
“We need all these spaces because, right now, in order to get all our students together in a class, a lecture or to see a guest speaker, we need to go across campus,” Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, dean of the School of Architecture, said. “Also, our enrollment is on the rise.”
According to Plater-Zyberk, the new building will cost over $3 million and will be ready in about a year and a half.

School of Nursing
The School of Nursing is awaiting the final approval of building permits to begin construction for the new M. Christine Schwartz Center for Nursing Education, to be built between the Memorial Building and Allen Hall. The four story, 53,000 square foot center will allow all students and faculty in the school to be in the same building for the first time ever.
“The building will include technologically advanced classrooms and seminar rooms, clinical practice labs with simulators, an advanced computer center and research labs for cutting-edge nursing research,” Dr. Lois S. Marshall, assistant dean for student affairs for the School of Nursing, said.
According to Marshall, by creating this facility in the center of the Coral Gables campus, the School of Nursing hopes to provide a more diverse educational community to prepare more culturally sensitive nurses. The Center will help the school meet its goals of addressing the current nurse shortage and preparing nurses for leadership positions.
The $5 million for this project was a gift from Ted and M. Christine Schwartz.

School of Communication
The design work has been completed for the planned expansion to the Frances L. Wolfson Building in the School of Communication. This 25,000-square foot addition will include faculty offices, classrooms, student laboratory space, a large lecture hall and areas for student activities.
“The emphasis is on student lab space because we are getting more and more students,” Edward J. Pfister, dean of the School of Communication, said.
Construction for this project will begin once the plan is accepted by local authorities.
“We now estimate that the project will cost $9.2 million,” Pfister said. “We are waiting for approval from the City of Coral Gables.”
However, Pfister was unable to tell The Miami Hurricane how long it will take for the city to approve the design.

The Hurricane will continue to report on construction projects throughout campus as information about them is released.

Patricia Mazzei can be contacted at pmazzei@umsis.miami.edu.

There’s a new face on campus, and her job is to listen to complaints: Mariana Valdes-Fauli is the new assistant to the vice president for Student Affairs and will also serve as University Ombudsperson, the person to whom students can go to file school-related grievances relating to dorm issues, concerns about course grade or financial aid difficulties, among other things.
Valdes-Fauli serves as a mediator and uses open communication to solve problems. Whether a school or non-school matter is at hand, she said she will make every attempt to make recommendations to students regarding the best way to resolve a problem.
Valdes-Fauli wants to make clear exactly what her role is.
“The Ombudsperson is not to be mistaken with a counselor, though sometimes it is necessary to act as one when problems such as health issues or other personal problems are brought to my office,” Valdes-Fauli said.
Valdes-Fauli is a UF Law School graduate who previously worked in the Department of Interior in Washington, D.C., as the alternative dispute resolution person.
Since she arrived at UM, some of the issues brought to her have ranged from the common roommate problem to major health problems. As the Ombudsperson she can also answer any questions students may have concerning school policies.
“It is sometimes overwhelming for students to find themselves in such a big place,” Valdes-Fauli said. “With too many departments they don’t know where to go for help nor do they have the time.”
“We try to make everything much easier,” Valdes-Fauli said.
Despite the fact that her duties include helping students and trying to find the best possible solution, she admits that she is not above any departments and does not have the power to change policies or overrule any final decisions made by the University.
Although Valdes-Fauli has already started to help students, she admits she is still getting used to her new responsibilities.
“I’m still in the process of getting to know the University, especially all the departments and their staff,” Valdes-Fauli said. “It is necessary to know them well, because I’m required to work with all of them.”
Valdes-Fauli also mentioned the Troubleshooter Program, which allows students to speak with a qualified Troubleshooter staff member who can also offer assistance with disputes. The purpose of the Troubleshooter staff is to try and solve a problem without having to go through the Ombudsperson.
Students are strongly encouraged to see the proper academic or area troubleshooter administrator before requesting to see Valdes-Fauli.
During the process, a student’s rights will be considered along with those of the other party involved. Most cases are confidential.
Valdes-Fauli is looking forward to a productive year and wants to get the word out to students that she is a valuable resource on campus.
“I just want the students to know that I’m here to help them – it’s important for them to know that they have an advocate here,” Valdes-Fauli said.
For more information regarding the Ombudsperson and Troubleshooter programs, visit www.miami.edu/student-affairs/ombudsperson.

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

UMTV’s ‘NewsVision’ wins award
On Sept. 13, the Society of Professional Journalism (SPJ) named NewsVision, the student written and produced news program based at the School of Communication, Best Non-Daily College Newscast in the country. The national award was given at the SPJ national convention in Tampa, which drew nearly 2,700 entries in print, radio, television and online college journalism. To win the honor, a school must demonstrate year-round excellence. Judges review three randomly chosen newscasts. They chose those produced and anchored by students Maureen Capasso, Stephen Webster, Jessica Kiss, David Hamilton and Alina Masenya. Faculty advisors are Carolyn Cefalo and Andrew Barton. The award-winning NewsVision is broadcast on UMTV on Tuesday and Thursday nights at 7 p.m. on cable channel 40 on campus and in the Coral Gables community, on AT&T Broadband cable channel 96.
Five new plays come to Ring Theatre
The University of Miami Department of Theater Arts invites the South Florida community to its 2003-2004 season, which commences Oct. 9 at The Jerry Herman Ring Theatre and includes five riveting theatrical works. Back by popular demand is Totally Tuesday, a students-only night with free admission. The season begins with Noises Off, a behind-the-scenes slapstick comedy. With breakneck pace and a rich gallery of daft characters, this brilliantly physical farce follows the on and off-stage antics of a second-rate British touring company as they stumble from dress rehearsal to disastrous closing night while performing the fictional sex comedy, Nothing On. Noises Off runs Oct. 9-18. Totally Tuesday is Oct. 14 at 8 p.m.

Free champ consultation available
Do you ever wonder how fit you are? Do you need direction in starting a fitness routine? If yes, make an appointment for a CHAMP consultation. Specially trained peer counselors provide a fitness assessment and lifestyle questionnaire for students. Peer counselors work with students to develop personalized wellness plans. To make an appointment, call the Wellness Suite at 305-284-LIFE.

Lowe free for UM students & staff
The Lowe Art Museum is extending a special invitation to the UM Community – students, faculty, staff and alumni have FREE admission with a valid ‘Cane Card or UM Alumni card. The Lowe, established with the generous support of philanthropists Joe and Emily Lowe, first opened on Feb. 3, 1952 and is South Florida’s oldest museum. It is home to a collection of over 10,000 objects, including European and American paintings and works on paper and Asian, African, Native American and Ancient American art. The Lowe offers a wide array of both temporary and permanent exhibits together with educational programming that enhances the visitor’s experience.

TODAY
Hispanic Heritage Month continues with a breakfast to allow students to interact and network with Hispanic faculty, administrators and staff. The event will be in the James W. McLamore Dining Room from 8:30 to 10 a.m. RSVP to 305-284-2855.

Join the staff at the Wellness Suite for a free Meditation class with the topic of “Mind, Body, and Spirit.” The class will be held in the Wellness Center classrooms from 7 to 9 p.m. For more information or to reregister, call the Wellness Suite at 305-284-5433.

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 24
Hispanic Heritage Month presents Professor Ilan Stavans of Amherst College. Dr. Stavans will host two lectures:
“Are Graduate Students Failing Latino Students?” from 12 to 1:30 p.m. at Miller Center.
“Jews and Latinos: An Unlikely Partnership?” from 8 to 10 p.m. at Miller Center.

CAC presents Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle at 8 p.m. in Cosford Cinema.

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 25
Council for Democracy presents “Choose Your Party.” The Florida chairmen from the Democratic, Republican, Libertarian and Green parties will be speaking at the Rat about the platforms. The event begins at 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.councilfordemocracy.org.

The 2003 Career Expo will be in the Wellness Center from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Representatives from a variety of companies and organizations will be on campus to share employment and internship opportunities with you. For a list of the companies attending, visit www.miami.edu/careerexpo.

Patio Jams continues with Emily Easterly on the UC Patio from 12 to 1:30 p.m.

Catch some live music at the Rat from 7 to 10 p.m. as part of Thirsty Thursday.

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26
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.

Canes Night Live presents Casino Night with tables set up all night, a movie and a DJ.

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.

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 1
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
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.

MONDAY OCTOBER 13
Hispanic Heritage Month continues with a presentation from Dr. Jessica Damian tiled “Hispanic Community, Making a Difference” in the UC Ballrooms from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Refreshments will be served.

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 15
Don’t miss Hispanic Heritage Month closing ceremonies on the UC Patio from 12 to 2 p.m.

The National Society of Collegiate Scholars induction ceremony will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Storer Auditorium. The keynote speaker will be Jeanne Batridge.

Incident third sexual crime alert issued this semester

Last week, The Miami Hurricane reported that 39-year-old Frank Thomas Galloway, a UM School of Education doctoral student, was arrested and charged with the sexual assault that occurred in the Wellness Center. Galloway has since been released on $50,000 bond.
A court date has not yet been scheduled. UM administration has not reached a final decision regarding Galloway’s graduate status.
“We are both shocked and saddened,” Dr. Jeanne Shay Schumm, head of the doctorate program for the Teaching and Learning Program at the School of Education, said.
Dr. Schumm went on to say that Galloway had a clean record and there was no way to predict that Galloway could have been involved in such an awful crime.
In another development, authorities have now been able to rule out a connection between Galloway and the simple battery that was reported by Stanford Drive last week. Local and UM police are still investigating that incident.
In yet another case, a suspicious incident was reported last Wednesday at approximately noon in Parking Lot 441 between Building 41 and Building 37.
According to the crime alert emailed to UM students, a white male suspect sitting in his car tried to entice three female students to approach his vehicle. At first the women thought the man was lost and needed directions. They approached cautiously as he tried to get them to tell him their names and kept summoning them to get closer to his car.
Then, as they got closer, they could see that the man was fondling himself through his pants, at which point the victims preceded to contact UM police. The witnesses described the subject as a white male; approximately 20 years old; 5’8″ to 5’11” tall; 170 lbs.; medium build; dirty blond, short, spiky hair; tan complexion; clean shaven; with a scar under one eye [possibly his right eye].
The witnesses also said the suspect spoke in a seductive tone and was wearing a red t-shirt.
He was driving a white, two-door Mercury with Florida tag H94QLU.
The Coral Gables Police Dept. and Public Safety officials say they will continue to gather information and follow leads regarding the incident.
All of these reported crimes have caused students to be more vigilant of their surroundings in order to protect themselves.
“These crime alerts are troubling,” Honeylit Cueco, senior, said. “I always try to walk with a friend, especially at night.”
“I’ve noticed there’s been more crime reports than ever,” Maureen Mendoza, senior, said.
Anyone with information regarding the simple battery at Stanford Circle or the suspicious incident in Parking Lot 441 is asked to call the Coral Gables Police Dept. at 305-442-1600 or Crimestoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
Public Safety officials encourage students to be aware of their surroundings at all times and to request a UM campus security escort by calling X8-6666 from a campus phone, by using an emergency blue light telephone located throughout campus, or by calling 305-284-6666 from any cell phone or off-campus phone.
The Miami Hurricane will continue to follow up on these cases as more information becomes available.

Jorge Arauz can be contacted at um_newspaper@yahoo.com