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Do not get sucked in to the fifth year fraud

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I’ve yet to meet a student who has successfully graduated in four years. What is the cause of this fifth year foible? Why is UM so plagued with a surplus of super-sophomores, borderline-juniors and perpetual-seniors? Does fault lie with the lackadaisical students who have fallen slave to the ever-strengthening pull of Thirsty Thursdays, so familiar to us all?

Or, is it possible that there are more sinister motives prowling just beneath the surface of our meticulously maintained landscape, crowned with infinite new structural developments and palm trees where parking spaces should be? How does UM fund those lovely campus condominiums? Well, we can thank our perpetual-seniors for that.

After all, with food stands, couches and internet cafes galore, why would we ever want to leave this luxurious tropical oasis, separating ourselves from this heavenly haven of higher learning. The reason no one graduates isn’t primarily due to faults of their own, rather, it’s due to the fact that it is much more beneficial to the university, for students to stay and fork over another year’s tuition. We’re better off right here, with monthly bills, parking tickets, book fees, and cancelled classes until “payment received.”

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been misadvised by advisors, or had a class pulled out from under me. We all face the anxiety of second semester senior year – will both of the only two classes I need to graduate be held only once – simultaneously? It’s not an uncommon practice.

Fear not! There are ways to safeguard against the onslaught of administrative mishaps, advisor miscommunications and credit deficiencies. We must take the initiative to ensure that we are not sucked in to this fifth year fraud.

Keep track of requirements listed in the undergraduate bulletin from your year. If you’ve lost it, the admissions office in the first floor of the Ashe building has copies of back issues.

Double-check your advisor’s “advice”; ask dean if you’re uncertain about courses and requirements.

Get everything in writing. Regardless of who tells you what, if you don’t have written proof, it may be nothing to someone else.

It’s time we take control of our education at UM – and to the administration – those wonderfully difficult and unyielding piranhas, I will be graduating this May, so you might want to hold off on your plans for more campus additions.

Whitney W. Friedrich is a senior majoring in Advertising and English.

Is North Korea next on the United States’ hit list?

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Recently, North Korea admitted that it is in the process of making weapons of mass destruction, and it seems fairly safe to say that their confession wasn’t exactly friendly. In times like these, I only wish we had a president I could trust. However, I am simply unsure of what is going to happen next.

Allow me to draw out some of the implications of North Korea’s confession, as I see them. First, Bush has bitten off more than he can chew. In the case of Iraq, he and his administration staunchly advocate making war on any nation that is thought to be developing weapons of mass destruction. However, does he or anyone in his administration honestly expect the United States to attack both Iraq and North Korea at the same time? Their policy calls for it, and to simply let North Korea go unpunished would be hypocritical, embarrassing, and wrong.

But say we do attack both nations, what then? Can we practically sustain a war against both of them, especially when we have so little support in the rest of the world? Would it be prudent to involve ourselves in what could far too easily become the third world war when we only have the express support of Britain? Yet good old George W. still seems to be gung-ho on rushing headlong into the war with Iraq.

We all know that any war with Iraq will not be easy. Hussein has already said that if we attack, he will make us fight in the streets of Iraq, and that will be bloody as all hell. It will be Vietnam without the jungle. With that in mind, I do not see how we will have the resources to go to war with North Korea at the same time. And just for fun, consider what will happen if another nation admits that they too are developing nuclear weapons. What then?

For the benefit of this country, and indeed the whole world, we need a president and an administration that do not ignore the sentiments of the rest of the world and rush into wars. We need a diplomat, someone who will pursue every avenue to peace and disarmament until war is quite literally the last option. Unfortunately, we do not have such a leader or such an administration.

I fear for this country. I fear for the world. We are fighting countries that hate us and would have little problem garnering widespread support in their regions to destroy us. It is simply not smart to pursue this situation with such a heavy handed, might makes right mindset.

As ridiculous as this may sound, I am actually counting on Bush to have enough intelligence to back off just a bit. I know he really wants a war to take the country’s mind off of his deplorable domestic policy, but I desperately hope that he will make the right choice for the good of the world.

Travis Atria is a junior majoring in English Literature.

Letter to the Editor

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I wish people like Ms. Freidrich would realize that racial profiling is not something that should be valued and encouraged in this country. I’m not denying that we live in trying times and yes, national security is of the utmost importance. However, it is also important to view our history as a lesson. Our government has singled out a race, nationality or religion as a basis for persecution too many times. Just because we made a mistake in the past, doesn’t mean we should do the same now, or in the future. Nowhere does our judicial system say “guilty until proven innocent”. In fact, it says quite the opposite.

Ms. Freidrich, mentioned that has Swede with blue eyes and blonde hair had something to to do with the WTC attack than that’s who we would racially profile. I tend to disagree because of these blatant facts. Most serial killers our white males over 35. Timothy McVeigh, the man responsible for the Oklahoma City Bombing was white and Christian. Most blue-collar crime is done by white males. So pray tell, where is the racial profiling Ms. Freiderich? The answer may surprise you, it’s nonexistent.

Humans have a tendency to stereotype. We make judgments upon others based on their looks. That said, we also must realize that we cannot arrest anybody based purely on their race. That is simply implausible, and frankly, its racist. This false sense of security we lull ourselves into is what got us into the problem in the first place. If we want stronger security we need to look upon all people with the same degree of scrutiny.

In other terms, stereotyping can be analogous to crying wolf. We focus all of our attention on one ethnicity or race and we keep on accusing them of wrongdoing. However, when we finally do capture somebody that actually committed the crime, how likely is it that this person couldn’t get off on a technicality, such as racial profiling. This magnification lessen our efforts and makes us blind to others that are capable of crimes. Racial profiling is wrong. Don’t let yourself believe that it makes you safer. It doesn’t.

We live in a free nation. We allow KKK members, Communists, and religious extremists of all sorts, protest and let their voices heard. Why should we ostracize one type of person based on their creed, race, or ethnicity? That is not an UM value and it certainly is not an American one.

~ Shree Chaucan

EDITORIAL

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The University of Miami spends a good deal of money every year on security around the campus. There are police officers, security guards, blue light phones, and countless other things that are meant to give students a feeling of safety. And our campus should be a place where students feel safe whether they are in their dorm rooms or walking to the library late at night.

However, recently, a student was attacked with a possible intention of rape near the baseball field parking lots. Thankfully, she was able to fight the attacker and get away without harm, but what if the next person is not so lucky? What if someone attacks again? Indeed, what if we are not as safe as we think on our campus?

The most important question seems to be, is this the administration’s fault? Perhaps the attacks were made possible because there is simply not enough security or it is not accessible in a dangerous situation. After all, if someone is being attacked, they might not have enough time to stop at a blue light phone and call for help. Even more likely, there might not be a blue light phone anywhere near them, and then they are left to defend themselves.

No matter how much money the administration pumps into extra security, there will always be at least one place that will not be safe to go to at any given time. There is no way to protect every square foot of campus. So what can be done? Perhaps, with the overabundance of cell phones, an easy number could be created that the students would be able to call from their cell phones to access the on campus police or security. In essence, every student would be like a walking blue light phone. This would solve the problem of being in places where no phones are easily accessible, and it would give students access to security that is already on campus, ensuring quicker arrival than dialing 911 would bring.

Also, more lighting in parking lots might be helpful. Even in the Memorial Building Parking lot, the lights are highly ineffective. The abundance of trees in the lot effectively blocks out much of the light given off from the light poles that do exist, and the lot is usually alarmingly dark. The corners by the Learning Center seem to be especially dangerous, and with the increase of night classes in the school curriculum, it seems appropriate to increase security. Students who have night classes this semester often complain of having to walk out into a nearly deserted and poorly lit parking lot late at night.

This fear is certainly justified. The Memorial Building parking lot and many other places on campus could easily be breeding grounds for crime. They afford the cover of night, they are fairly isolated, there is an easy entrance and escape, and there is no readily available access to security if you are in the aisles of the parking lot looking for your car. In fact, it seems surprising that there have been so few problems since these places on campus are literally a criminal’s dream.

But what can be done to make our campus safer? For starters, an increase in patrolling security and police officers would be very helpful. The mere presence of these people doing regular rounds would make many more students feel better about walking into a dark parking lot late at night. Also, the lighting is in dire need of improvement. There should be no reason that a criminal would have the advantage of darkness to facilitate them; not in the lots by the baseball field, and especially not in a place as central as the Memorial Building parking lot. This is especially egregious when the relative simplicity of installing extra lighting is taken into consideration. In the end, whatever is done, it needs to be done soon.

‘Canes oppose decision to attack Iraq

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The UM community has spoken out against President Bush and Congress’ resolution to use American military force against Iraq.

Last Tuesday, Hecht Residential College hosted a lecture on the Iraq crisis. The guest speaker was Hossein Alizadeh, coordinator of the Campaign of Conscience and part of the Fellowship of Reconciliation [FOR].

Once a part of Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Alizadeh advocated peaceful resolutions and emphasized an end to the suffering of innocent people in Iraq and other war-torn regions.

“[If the US goes to war with Iraq], we’re going to have more civilian casualties,” Alizadeh said. “Saddam Hussein has made it clear that this war will have an urban fight in the cities rather than in the deserts.”

After a long debate that cut across many party and ideological lines, Congress passed a resolution last Thursday that approved the use of force by America’s military against Iraq in order to end the country’s nuclear, chemical and biological weapons research.

The House approved the resolution by a 296-133 margin. The Senate vote, coming early Friday, was 77-23. Bush now has the authority to use force with or without the UN’s approval, although Congress stressed the need to first work diplomatically with the UN to avert war.

Throughout campus, most students and faculty said that they feel the decision to go to war would be a misguided and shortsighted one.

“As a Quaker and a Taoist, I think going to war with Iraq would be one of the most embarrassing things the US has done in a long time,” sophomore Jeff Block said. “I can’t believe we are this stupid to think that we can solve the world’s problems by bombing them.”

For the past several months, this impending war on Iraq has been the subject of controversy within the government and population of the US. With the economy declining, the general public opinion is that now is not the best time for an attack on Iraq.

President Bush, however, feels that the use of force has become unavoidable, and that all sanctions on Iraq have failed. He said that Iraq must be prevented from inflicting “massive and sudden horror” with weapons of mass destruction, which Baghdad denies having.

“On one hand, I wonder why we are acting like bullies threatening to bomb Iraq, but ignoring the innocent lives,” junior Kunal Patel said. “However, it is also a question of ensuring our safety- I’m pretty sure war would be detrimental to our economy, especially after 9/11.”

“The US should force the Iraqi government to accept the UN Weapons Inspections teams and lift the sanctions that have been imposed,” Alizadeh said. “However, the US cannot expect the problem to be solved overnight.”

Dr. Pete Moore, assistant professor of political science who lived in the Middle East and conducted research there, believes that attacking Iraq would only escalate violence.

“If Iraq is what the administration says, an immediate threat to the world and the maker of weapons of mass destruction, then why did we have these sanctions imposed for so many years?” he said.

Only one student interviewed was in favor of the US going to war with Iraq.

“I believe at this point there are no other options,” said sophomore Mike Sznatsteajer. “It is time that Iraq had a change in leadership. They have not complied with our demands to search for weapons of mass destruction.”

Congressional candidates contend for students’ votes

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The two U.S. House of Representatives candidates for the new District 25 battled it out on the debate field last Tuesday with the Republican candidate, Diaz-Balart, coming out on top, according to the UM students who attended.

The nascent University of Miami organization Council for Democracy hosted a U.S. Congressional debate between the two candidates, Democrat Annie Betancourt and Republican Mario Diaz-Balart, in the Bill Cosford Cinema.

District 25 was created this year as part of the congressional redistricting process that occurs every 10 years following the Census.

The district’s boundaries encompass a diverse range of areas that stretch from West Hialeah to Immokalee and down to Homestead. The Everglades covers a gigantic and invaluable area of the district.

Over 100 audience members watched as School of Communication Associate Dean Robert Hosmon moderated the hour-long debate.

After a round of four-minute opening speeches by Betancourt and Diaz-Balart, 10 UM students asked questions prepared by the Council for Democracy to which each candidate had two minutes to respond.

While questions ranged from the drive for war against Iraq to corporate responsibility in the wake of the year’s accounting scandals, the issue that most clearly divided the candidates coming into the debate was the U.S. embargo on Cuba.

Republican Diaz-Balart likened giving free-trade money to Cuban dictator Fidel Castro to aiding Saddam Hussein and called for a strengthening of the embargo.

Betancourt, a Democrat, called for taking a closer look at the “outdated and incoherent” policy, as several U.S. politicians and businesses have suggested in the past year.

“I think that Betancourt beat around the bush too much. Diaz-Balart was very specific about what he will do and specific in his reasons why,” said junior Lorri Neuman, who posed the question about the U.S. embargo on Cuba. “Betancourt didn’t have as much clout throughout the debate.”

Education was another key issue for both candidates. Diaz-Balart churned out a long list of statistics about the amounts of money he has worked to secure for public schools and local colleges, including $220 million for UM, a majority of which went toward the School of Medicine.

Betancourt promised to continue securing scholarships for students and opposed school vouchers that funnel public money into private schools.

While both candidates favor enhancing protection for the Everglades, Diaz-Balart mentioned protecting the Everglades in a way that is conducive to welcoming new people.

Betancourt expressed concern for a looming water shortage and the idea of “playing God” with allowing vast construction that encroaches the Everglades habitat in western areas in South Florida.

“I wholeheartedly believe that Annie Betancourt genuinely has a care for the protection of the Everglades without giving credence to developers just waiting to carve out more commercial centers,” junior Christian Wilson said.

In contrast to Betancourt’s first debate at UM last month against Democratic opponent Lorna Virgli, whom she defeated by a large majority in September, Betancourt was not hesitant to fire barbs at Diaz-Balart.

She slammed him on enabling “corporate greed” through his work in the Florida legislature and in an unclear attack on Diaz-Balart’s interest in hindering the selection of UM’s president during its search two years ago.

“She spends her time on personal attacks, but that’s okay. People are wise when they listen to debates; they will see that I offered positive results and not just proposals,” Diaz-Balart said after the debate.

Many students noted that Diaz-Balart was quick and energetic in his responses, especially when compared to the more sedate Betancourt.

After several rounds of debates with Diaz-Balart, Betancourt still feels inspired about her prospects of winning the District seat.

“It’s a fascinating race and I think that voter turnout will be a large factor in determining the outcome, because this seat belongs to the people,” Betancourt said. “I think we should send a ‘Cane to Congress.”

UM hears some Premiere Winds

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Rape defense courses, support available to U

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Students who may be worried about attempted sexual assault Oct. 14 must be reminded of the services and resources available on campus so that they may gain education and prevention techniques regarding the prevention of sexual assaults.

“Many departments on campus such as the Student Counseling Center, Student Health Service, Women’s Resource Center and PIER 21 are tremendous assets to students,” said Janet Tiberian, assistant director for student wellness.

“I think that the University has a lot of resources for students,” sophomore Rebecca Smith said. “I think that more students should take advantage of them.”

“I took a self-defense course with my mom before I came down here,” Smith said. “We bonded and learned so much information. It helped her feel better about me being away.”

The Wellness Center offers two different self-defense programs throughout the semester, SAFE and RAD (Rape Aggression Defense).

Both programs aim to instruct participants to trust their instincts, be prepared and practice simple strategies in their everyday life and to provide instruction about risk awareness and avoidance strategies as well as practical self-defense tactics.

“We work with the Department of Public Safety to offer a comprehensive self-defense class called RAD (Rape Aggression Defense),” Tiberian said. “We also are very involved with the SART Education Team; therefore, we disseminate information on rape, dating violence and stalking,” Tiberian said.

“I’m going to talk to some of my friends about taking one of the self defense courses,” said junior Maria Vasquez. “I think it will be a lot of fun and beneficial at the same time.”

“I’ve heard that the RAD course is really fun,” said Kate Robinson, senior. “You get to beat up someone in those big suits. It’s really cool!”

“I want my girlfriend to learn about some of the safety tips,” said Adam Kennedy, sophomore. “I always worry about her going to the gym and the grocery store at night.”

Additionally, the Counseling Center has a 24-hour telephone response line for students called the Sexual Assault Response Team, or SART. SART volunteers include UM advocates, trained faculty, graduate students and staff. They can answer questions and provide support anonymously.

“The best advice I can think of for victims of sexual assault, sexual battery and molestation is calling the SART line,” Tiberian said.

According to Tiberian, SART advocates are specially trained to verify that the victim is safe.

Advocates also provide referrals to important services for victims such as the Roxcy Bolton Rape Treatment Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital, the Student Counseling Center and Student Health Services.

“Advocates impart basic post-rape education, such as testing for sexually transmitted infections, emergency contraception and preserving certain types of evidence,” Tiberian said.

According to organizers, SART has an education and prevention program in which volunteers speak to groups regarding rape facts, statistics, prevention and sexual communication free of charge.

The Women’s Resource Center also provides resources to students.

“This department provides a wealth of information on rape as well as other forms of violence against women,” Tiberian said.

Another organization on campus is PIER 21.

“PIER 21, the center for alcohol and other drug education, is constantly teaching students to control substances, as the majority of acquaintance or date rapes involve substance use,” Tiberian said. “Further, it is difficult to fend off an attack from a stranger if you are under the influence.”

Victims of sexual assault need to contact the local authorities immediately after the attack.

The Rape Treatment Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital also provides medical services to adult victims, regardless of police involvement.

The Rape Treatment center can give an exam to obtain evidence in the event that victims change their mind and choose to report the crime.

SAFE programs are scheduled to take place Oct. 22 and Nov. 5 from 5 -7:30 p.m. They are free to students.

RAD course is scheduled to be offered Dec. 10, 12, 17 and 19 from 6 – 9 p.m. at the Wellness Center. The cost is $25 for students.

Campus Calendar and News Briefs Briefs

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TODAY
Ten Spot at the Rat, 10 – 11 p.m. Join students at the Rat for Casino Night and catch MTV’s Real World Las Vegas.

OCTOBER 23
The Women’s Resource Center presents the annual Clothesline Project at the Rock from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in honor of Domestic Violence Month. The project facilitates the healing process for people who have lost a loved one or are survivors of violence.

The Wesley Foundation introduces its “Last Lectures” series for the fall semester. Guest speaker Steven Clark, director of Multicultural Student Affairs, will answer the question, “If this were your last lecture, what would you tell us?” The series’ purpose is to give students a chance to get to know professors and staff members outside of the classroom and university environment. The series will begin at 7 p.m. at 1210 Stanford Drive, across from Mahoney/Pearson.
The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and the School of Medicine invite the University community to attend the Gail F. Beach Memorial 2002-2003 Visiting Lectureship Series. The first lecture in this series, “Methylprednisolone for Acute Spinal Cord Injury: Taking Down a Standard of Care,” is at 12 p.m. at the Lois Pope LIFE Center Apex Center, 7th Floor, on the Medical Campus. The lecture will feature R. John Hurlbert, M.D., chief of spine surgery at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. Dr. Hurlbert has conducted multiple prospective clinical trials in the field of spinal surgery. Call 305-243-7108 or visit http://www.miamiproject.miami.edu/vls2003.pdf.

OCTOBER 24
UM Architecture Professor Samina Quareshi will lecture on The Living Traditions of Coconut Grove exhibit on display at the Lowe Art Museum from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Quareshi is the Henry R. Luce Professor in Family and Community and founder of INUSE, UM’s Initiative for Urban and Social Ecology, which oversees the interdisciplinary initiative involving many areas of UM concentrated in the West Coconut Grove area. This initiative is the subject of the multimedia exhibit on display at the Lowe until November 3. The lecture is free and open to the public. Call 305-284-3438 for more information.

Do you play an instrument, tell jokes or write poetry? If yes, participate, or be entertained at Open Mic Night in the Storm Surge Cafe, 8 – 10 p.m. in the UC.

OCTOBER 26
Today there is a Rally against U.S. War in Iraq for the Day of the National March of Protest in Washington, D.C., San Francisco and other cities around the U.S. The rally is from 2 – 5 p.m. at the Torch of Friendship in Downtown Miami at Biscayne Boulevard and NE 3rd Street. Speakers will include clergy, community leaders and activists opposed to the US War in Iraq. The rally is sponsored by the Concerned People Opposed to War in Iraq and the Miami Coalition Against the War. For e-flyers or info, contact oct26rally@yahoo.com or 305-544-0303.

The Department of Multicultural Student Affairs will offer a free practice test for the MCAT, LSAT, GRE or GMAT. RSVP by calling 800-2Review.

Warm Water is showing at the Cosford Cinema at 5:30 p.m. Japan’s everyman Koji Yakusho stars as Yosuke, a recently laid-off businessman whose personal life is in shambles. Following the advice of a homeless wanderer, he heads to a small fishing town in search of a Golden Buddha Statue, but instead he finds romance with a mysterious kleptomaniac whose orgasmic “water” has the power to make flowers bloom out of season and to draw fish out of the sea.

OCTOBER 26 – NOVEMBER 2
QuantUM Entertainment will present the Rocky Horror Show at the Hillel Center. Call 786-262-3779 or visit www.gotoquantum.com for ticket information.

OCTOBER 30
Looking for adventure, international work, travel and a challenge? Come learn about the Peace Corps in an information session and video presentation, from 12 – 1 p.m. in UC 233. For more information contact Erin Seiler at 305-284-5398.

NOVEMBER 8
Want to work and study at the Cannes Int’l Film Festival or learn the Hollywood terrain one-on-one? Be part of The American Pavilion/Kodak Student Filmmaker Program or The American Pavilion’s L.A. Intensive Program. For information come to the meeting at 11 a.m. in Wolfson Studio 1008A. Representatives from The American Pavilion will discuss student programs and answer questions. You may also visit the web site at www.ampav.com, then link to Student Program or L.A. Intensive.

The U. S. Department of Education will soon mail Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) to you and your parents to complete the FAFSA online. This PIN is used to sign the FAFSA electronically, so be sure to keep it confidential. Make sure you have updated your contact information with the government so they can send your PIN. You can update it at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Your parents can also sign the FASFA electronically by requesting a PIN at www.pin.ed.gov. It will take 7-10 days to arrive by mail. If you plan to apply for a Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) you must file a FAFSA as part of the application process, even if you have had a PLUS in previous years. Students who want to be considered for need-based aid MUST submit the FAFSA every year. The preferred date for submission is March 1 for students. The University’s federal school code is 001536.

Protests marking the start of a national day of action against ExxonMobil by environmental, human rights and pro-democracy groups began Oct. 19 with the shutdown of a Mobil gas station in Beverly Hills and an Exxon station in Manhattan. Peaceful protesters chained themselves to gas pumps and dropped a banner that read, “Stop Global Warming, Don’t Buy ExxonMobil.” Greenpeace documented ExxonMobil’s efforts to prevent action on global warming in a report, “Denial and Deception: A Chronicle of ExxonMobil’s Corruption of the Global Warming Debate.” Despite appeals from Greenpeace and others, ExxonMobil has refused to change its policy. The company is using its sizable resources to support top politicians, like President Bush, to stifle U.S. action on global warming. See the report at http://www.greenpeaceusa.org/exxonmobil/pdfs/exxon_denial.pdf.

Alternative Spring Break offers students the opportunity to make a week last a lifetime. Applications are available in UC 240. Help with issues such as HIV/AIDS, animal rights, domestic violence and youth issues. For more information call 305-284-GIVE. Applications are due Oct. 25.

CANEzine is a Web-based magazine that will feature non-fiction and creative writing by UM undergraduates. Faculty members are urged to encourage their students to submit exemplary nonfiction writing. The magazine will be produced in the 2003 spring term by students taking English 306, an Advanced Composition course. Nonfiction submissions should be sent to Gina Maranto (creative writing samples will be selected separately from English 209 sections). For further information, call Gina Maranto at 305-284-5436 or Margaret Marshall at 305-284-3090.

UM mascot Sebastian the Ibis needs your vote for Capital One’s All American Mascot Challenge. Make Sebastian the National Mascot of the Year. Visit www.capitalonebowl.com to vote.

Sexual Assault: A Fact Sheet

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Wellness Center (305) 284-6524
Counseling Center (305) 284-5511
Student Health Center (305) 284-5927
SART (305) 789-6666
Jackson Memorial Rape Treatment Center (305) 583-RAPE (7273)

 Every two minutes, somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulted.

 College students are in one of the most vulnerable age groups for sexual assault.

 In nine of 10 sexual assault cases, the victim knew the perpetrator.

 About four of 10 sexual assaults occur at the victim’s own home.

 Two in 10 sexual assaults occur in the home of a friend, neighbor or relative.

 One in 10 sexual assaults occur outside, away from home.

 About one in 12 sexual assaults occur in a parking garage.

 One out of six American women has been victimized by a completed or attempted rape in her lifetime.

 Victims of sexual assault often demonstrate self-destructive behaviors such as development of eating disorders, abuse of alcohol and/or drugs, chronic depression and attempted suicide.

 Approximately 75% of male college students and 55% of female students involved with acquaintance rape and sexual assault had been drinking at the time.

 On a national basis, the probability of a female college student being sexually assaulted over four years is approximately 25%.

 Most but not all sexual assaults are perpetrated by men against women.

 Rape is often referred to as “the most underreported violent crime in America.” According to the 1999 National Crime Victimization Survey, only 28% of rapes and sexual assaults were reported to law enforcement officials-fewer than one in every three.

CAUGHT OFF GUARD

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The Coral Gables Police Department is actively investigating an attempted sexual battery that occurred at UM near the 6100 block of San Amaro Drive Monday, Oct. 14, between 7:30 and 8 p.m.

According to the official police report, a female student reported that she was attacked by a man who came up from behind and grabbed her as she was walking by the baseball stadium. The man then allegedly dragged the victim behind some bushes in an attempt to sexually assault her, but the victim physically resisted and was able to escape.

The man fled on foot and is described as a six-foot tall, heavy-set unshaven white male with short hair who was last seen wearing tan shorts and white sneakers.

According to Officer Martin Barros, a Coral Gables police spokesman, the woman suffered only minor injuries.

A sketch of the attacker’s tattooed hand was released to the public Friday afternoon.

It depicted a tribal tattoo and was posted in every residence hall and student union area and around classrooms and buildings throughout the UM campus.

“I really appreciate how the University has gone ahead and acted so quickly to this incident,” student Maria Rivera said. “I feel like all of these efforts will yield an eventual arrest of this scumbag and will prevent others like him from committing similar offenses.”

Despite the efforts taken by UM and local authorities, some students remain concerned.

“I have a class until 7:40 p.m. on Monday nights and usually walk to my car by myself,” sophomore Justine Rich said. “After the assault last week I’m not sure how I’ll go to my car. I don’t want to walk by myself.”

“I no longer feel safe at what I once considered my second home,” junior Natalie Gilinski said. “I now carry Mace wherever I go.”

“We urge all students to report any suspicious behavior immediately,” said Henry Christensen, director of public safety.

Some students feel the security on campus should be heightened to avoid potentially serious situations from ensuing.

“Our security guards on campus should spend less time giving parking tickets and more time patrolling the campus,” senior Stacey Goldman said.

“There should be security guards stationed on the pathways from classrooms to parking areas,” senior Amanda Goldberg said. “In addition, it seems as though extra security should be placed in the parking garages.”

Other students disagree.

“There is normally security by the baseball field where the attack occurred,” senior Tracy Aschenbrenner said. “That’s partly why I’m so shocked that this happened.”

Last March, Coral Gables police arrested an alleged serial rapist, Willie Rolle, who preyed on two UM students around the San Amaro Drive area in 1998 and other women in Coconut Grove and West Miami.

According to Dr. Pat Whitely, VP for student affairs, and representatives from public safety, the administration is working closely with public safety to increase the security around campus.

“I am working with the director of public safety [on this issue],” Whitely said. “Security has been increased and students are urged to use the security escort system.”

“We’ve extended the police patrols around campus,” Christensen said. “We’re stressing that students utilize the escort service and blue light phones around campus.”

Local authorities and administrators ask that students avoid going anywhere alone after dark.

“People need to be aware of what’s going on around them at all times,” Sgt. Raul Pedroso, Community Affairs Supervisor for the Coral Gables Police, said. “Don’t walk or run alone – go in pairs or groups and don’t let yourself be distracted by cell phones or head sets.”

“Many times people say that a little voice inside them was telling them that something wasn’t quite right,” Pedroso said. “Some people ignore it because they feel like they’re acting paranoid, but we must learn to listen to our instinct.”

“The area where the attack occurred is heavily traveled,” Pedroso said. “We are asking anyone who may have noticed a suspicious person or vehicle in the area to contact the local authorities immediately.”

According to Pedroso, anyone who provides any information that leads to the arrest and ultimate conviction of the attacker will be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 by calling Crimestoppers, an anonymous tip hotline that offers rewards for tips leading to an arrest.

Anyone with information regarding Monday night’s attempted rape is asked to call Detective C. Park of the Coral Gables Police at 305-460-5439 or Detective Ray Santiago at UM Public Safety at 305-284-1918 (office) or 305-753-5553 (cell).

You may also call Crimestoppers at 305-471-TIPS [8477].

To request a campus security escort, call 305-284-6666 or use one of the blue light security telephones located throughout the campus.

I Am the World Trade Center: The “80s high school prom” you never attended

The Miami Hurricane
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By the time I Am the World Trade Center took the stage at Revolver late Friday night/early Saturday morning, it was obvious that the sizable crowd was ready let the dance party begin.

Appealing to punk rockers and computer nerds alike, the duo of Dan Geller and Amy Dykes danced their way through a 40-minute set of New Wave-influenced music, making everyone feel like they were at an 80s high school prom that they never wanted to leave.

While the live show consisted of a bare keyboard, a mixer (played and operated by Dan Geller), and the vocals of Amy Dykes, the band successfully created an atmosphere that conducted as much energy as any rock band.

In fact, Dan Geller dreamt up the idea of I am the World Trade Center in the late 1990s as a solo project, but ultimately decided to add vocals in order to spice up live performances.

” In my head I had this vision of me on the stage with my laptop, and one day I thought ‘that would be really boring to watch. The vocals are something people can connect to with their heart, as well as with their head,” he said.

“What really happened is Dan was originally writing songs as instrumentals, and he had one song that had me singing on it, and everyone liked that song better,” Dykes counters.

Either way, both members agree that composing songs on laptop computers and performing them on a keyboard and a mixer makes their lives more organized and technologically savvy.

“I was just recently on tour with my other band and I wrote two songs in the car,” Geller said. ” And because writing is the same as recording, once a song is done, it is done.”

With the band’s creation coming prior to Sept. 11, 2001, their name’s recent taboo has unavoidably played a huge role in their existence in the past year. The two originally chose the name because the towers symbolized their romantic and professional relationship, which allowed them to exist as two separate entities, but also as one bonded unit. The band decided to shorten their name to I am the World until the conclusion of 2001.

“We kind of did that as a show of respect, like flying the flag at half mast,” Geller said. “We never really had an intention of changing it for good though.”

“We talked about it, and we would write down names, but it is kind of like changing your kid’s name,” added Dykes.

While there is no avoiding the initial second glance at the band’s name, with music reminiscent of New Order and song titles such as “Pretty Baby” and “Dancing Alone,” it is clear that there are no political motives involved.

By the time I Am the World Trade Center announced their last song, the stage was filled with dancing tambourine players and strips of confetti raced through the air. The dance party was clearly in full effect, and by its end the duo had rocked out hard enough to give their computers hangovers.

For more info visit www.kindercore.com.

Turner Sparks can be reached at turnersparx@hotmail.com.

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