In order to produce a better final product, the Ibis yearbook staff has pushed back the publication and distribution of its 2001-2002 edition.
The Ibis, usually distributed to University of Miami students in late April or early May, is now slated to appear in early September of 2002.
“This is a yearbook,” said Mark Puskarich, editor of the Ibis. “It’s supposed to cover the events of the year. It’s not going to be a six-month-book, as it has been in the past.”
“With a fall deadline we get more spring activities,” said Randy Stano, editorial advisor to the Ibis. “In particular, we can cover Funday, Religion Week, graduation, spring break and alternate spring break, news events that affect the campus in the spring and a complete scoreboard for the sports teams-which will be the first time that’s been done in, I think, 22 years.”
The yearbook will be distributed after Labor Day in the fall, just after Greek Recruitment for fall 2002, Stano said.
“They asked us to wait until after rush,” Stano said, “so that rushees wouldn’t look to find out what fraternities and sororities certain people were in.”
“We’ve included all the Greeks this year,” Stano said. “They hadn’t all been included in the last few years.”
Students around campus do not seem to mind waiting the extra few months for a better yearbook.
“I don’t mind waiting for the fall as long as they mail it to me,” said Joanna Wahl, a Biology student who graduated in December.
“I guess it’s a good idea,” said Karen Sloan, a senior majoring in journalism. “They can cover baseball if they win another National Championship. If the book is more complete, it’s okay.”
In the future, the Ibis staff plans to release the book in the fall again, Stano said.
“A lot of groups around campus are very active in the fall so we focus in on them and it’s not fair to the other groups we miss out on,” Puskarich said.
The 2001-2002 Ibis will have twice as many images as last year’s edition and for the first time will include underclassmen, Stano said.
The original submission deadline would have been Feb. 19, but with the changes, the new deadline will not be until after finals.
“This book will be very good-more images, more complete cutlines, and more text,” Stano said.
Seniors will have an opportunity to pick up a copy of the annual by registering online at www.miami.edu/ibis.
If registered before May 1, the book will be shipped free of charge directly from the printers.

UM Commencement exercise redesigned
Students graduating from UM this spring will experience several new traditions introduced by President Donna E. Shalala. In place of the single, large ceremony that included all undergraduates and most graduates (except the School of Law and Medicine), this year the university will hold four individual ceremonies giving each student the opportunity to be recognized. Each student will walk across the stage and receive their diploma. In addition, students will also have the opportunity to invite an unlimited amount of guests to participate in their graduation as well as have their photograph taken receiving their diploma.
“Commencement is one of the most important days in the lives of our graduates,” said President Shalala. “The smaller ceremonies are designed to be more personalized. They will allow us to announce each graduate individually and personally hand them their diploma. These will not be ticketed events-graduates are encouraged to invite as many family and friends as they wish.”
“Other traditional activities-the academic procession, the commencement address and the musical accompaniment-will remain,” explained President Shalala. The undergraduate and graduate Commencement ceremonies (except Medicine and Law) will still be held on the Campus Green.

“Umtv this morning”
“UMTV This Morning” is a 30-minute live interview based purely student run and produced television show focusing entirely on University of Miami life. The show is still in need of a few positions, mainly crew, so if you are interested please reply to xyplex5@aol.com. Please respond ASAP, our first show is this Friday the 15th.

FSU Trip offered by category 5
The University of Miami School of Law is pleased to announce The Multicu-ltural Admissions Fair on Saturday, February 16, 2002 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Law School Campus. For further information or to register for this event visit the University of Miami School of Law’s webpage at www.law.miami.edu/admissions/fair or call the Office of Admissions and Recruiting at 284-6746.

Parking and Transportation
With an important enhancement of the easy system, Parking & Transportation Services announces that as of Friday March 1,2002, Commuter and Residential students may apply for current standard spring term parking permits via EASY. For more information contact David Voorhees at 305-689-5021.

Black Awareness Month

today
Friday Grove on UC Patio from 11:30am-1pm-Rhumboogie.

Ethics Presentation for Honors and Pre-Law students at Pearson Residential College, Prof. Micheal Fischl Master’s apartment. From 12:30-2:30p.m.while a light lunch is served. To RSVP call Honors Office at 305-689-5384.

Happy Hour at the Rathskeller from 4:30-8pm.

UM’s Young Democrats will be holding their General Meeting today at 6p.m. in UC room 237. Guests will include Miami-Dade Young Democrats’ Sandy Wayland and Natalia Villatoro. All students are welcome.

Today is the last day to apply for Summer 2002 graduation and have your name included in the Commencement Book.

Sat 16th Feb
Funday! Check-in on UC center patio.

The UM Equestrian Team is hosting its second annual IHSA Hunter Competition, at Tropical Park, today. The show will begin at 9 a.m. and runs all day. Admission is free and the show is open to the public. If you would like more information, contact Maria Angeles Linares at
305-284-2237 or e-mail mailto:mlinares@miami.edu.

Sun 17th Feb
WWF No way out! The Rathskeller from 7-9pm.

The Institute for Cuban and Cuban American Studies (ICCAS) will celebrate the third annual Cuban Film Festival from 1 – 5 p.m. today at the Bill Cosford Cinema. The festival is open to the public and there is a suggested $15 donation. Seating is limited. For reservations, call 305-284-2822 (CUBA). For more information on the films visit http://www.miami.edu/UMH/CDA/UMH_Main/

Mon 18th Feb
Info Fair and Sex Carnival today from 11am-4pm at the UC Patio. Come out and join the condom taste test or one of the other many games!

Quilts Processional today at 10:45am at the Rock-come and carry a quilt made to recognize someone who has died from the aids virus.

Tues 19th Feb
CAC film, “Monster’s Inc”.

Candlelight Vigil, today at 7pm at the Rock-join us for a quiet moment of reflection upon the lives of those living with aids, those we have lost to aids, and to renew a sense of advocacy and activism.

The Department of Psychology is hosting its second annual Community Lecture Series: Psychology in Film. The next film and discussion will be Tuesday’s with Morrie at the Storer Auditorium in the Business School. For more information call Undergraduate Academic Services for Psychology at 305-284-3303 or visit www.psy.miami.edu.

Wed 20th Feb
Comedian at the Rathskeller at 9pm.

A week for Life will host Jeanne White, the mother of Ryan White who became the face of AIDS in the 1980’s as one of the earliest reported child cases of the disease. Students, faculty and staff are invited to come and hear her speak today at the Wesley Foundation at 8pm.

The 1st Annual MBA & Law Day will be held today from 11a.m.-3p.m at UC 1st floor. All students interested in an MBA program or Law School should make plans to attend.

Thurs 21st Feb
African Students Union (ASU); Come learn about African culture, dances, and songs. Open to all UM students. Meetings are every other Friday in UC classrooms. Next meeting will be today in UC233. For more information contact Alta Louissaint at 305-689-9699.

Coffee House. The Wesley Foundation is the place to be every Thursday night. Come and enjoy live bands, free coffee, and a relaxing atmosphere. Tonight the Coffee House will be welcoming the wonderful jazz combo, “Apple Juice” to the stage. So take a study-break from 9-11p.m. on Thursday nights at the Coffee House.

Amnesty International: Interested in Civil Rights and Human Rights? Join Amnesty International today and make a difference. Our next general meeting will be today in UC room 233. Looking forward to seeing you there! For more information call Alta L at 305-689-9699.

Delta Sigma Pi; One of the Nations Largest Professional Business Fraternity is sponsoring a T-Spot (Thursday night party) at the Rathskeller tonight from 9p.m.-12a.m..

Toppel Career and Internship Expo from 11a.m.-4p.m. at the Wellness Center.

Communication Week

Fri 22nd Feb
Friday Groove from 11:30a.m.-1p.m.; “Tower of Power Ensemble”

Happy Hour at the Rat with a DJ from 4:30-8p.m.

Life Party tonight at 10p.m. at the Rathskeller-come party! They are celebrating Life! There will be music, food, and fun

As the jumble of concrete and steel on the east side of campus finally begins to resemble what will soon be UM’s new athletic center, minor problems in construction cause a minor delay in scheduling.

According to Mark Pray, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications, problems with attaining steel for the installation of the roof of the Ryder Center have caused delays in the work schedule of the construction crew.

“There are going to be things that come up,” Pray said, explaining that small problems are routine with large projects.

“[The lack of steel is] slowing the roof being put on in its entirety,” Pray said, “but it will not really have any effect on the total project.”

The target date for the opening of the Ryder Center was scheduled for fall 2002, but the date has been postponed until late this year or early 2003, Pray said.

The Ryder Center may not be finished in time to host the beginning of the Men and Women’s 2002-03 basketball seasons as they begin in November.

Pray said the future home of Hurricane Basketball will definitely be ready before the end of the season though.

Although the construction has come a long way since it first began in April 2001, many more adjustments need to be made.

Workers will finish other projects while waiting on delays in the roofing process, Pray said.

The Ryder Center, slated to be the future centerpiece of the campus and a valuable link between the University of Miami and the South Florida community, will be the first sports arena located on campus.

In addition to hosting home basketball games, the center will be used for academic and community

events.

With a total area of 196, 800 square feet, the Ryder Center will offer 7,000 seats, 1,000 of which will be available for students with hopes of attracting more student interest in both men and women’s basketball in upcoming seasons.

After years of traveling downtown to the Miami Arena for basketball games, the Ryder Center will provide the University with one of the top five facilities in the nation and a place for the Hurricane Basketball program to finally call home.

UM junior Mary Clark was recently awarded a summer internship in Washington, D.C. to work on the campaign team for U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kennedy Shriver.

Only twenty students from the United States are awarded this internship.

Clark is double majoring in history and political science, with a goal to attend law school. Clark says she is very familiar with the Kennedy family.

“I love the Kennedys,” she said. “I am really looking forward to working directly with a member of that family.”

Clark will be performing numerous publicity duties for the campaign team, including making phone calls and going door-to-door with Shriver.

Clark will stay for free with democratic supporters who have opened their homes to interns in order to help the campaign.

There is no actual pay, but Clark said she does not mind.

“The experience is worth more than any amount of money they could offer me,” she says.

Clark got the internship only with UM’s help, she said.

“I wouldn’t even have known about the internship opportunity if I hadn’t gotten an e-mail about it from the University,” she said. She applied for the internship online after reading about it in a school-wide e-mail.

Gregory Singleton, Assistant Dean of Students, wrote her a recommendation.

“I’m the only reason she got the internship!” Singleton joked. “No, really, Mary has all the characteristics needed for a project like this, and lots of leadership experience. I had nothing but positive things to say about her.”

Clark said the real reason she got the internship was because of the leadership skills she obtained while at UM.

She is a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, current vice-president of Panhellenic, co-chair of Greek Week, and has served on UM’s Senate.

“Mary is a proven leader in the Greek community. In addition, she is an outstanding student leader,” Singleton said.

These activities indicate that Clark possesses the exact qualities needed for this kind of internship: public relations skills, a knowledge of politics and law, and a good work ethic, Clark said.

“I owe it all to UM,” she said. “My professors, friends, and older student role models helped me develop my leadership skills in so many ways.”

Clark said she especially admires Jose “Pepi” Diaz, president of UM student government.

“Pepi is such a great role model. He is involved in everything and does it all well,” Clark said.

Diaz was accepted early admission to Columbia law school, which is also Clark’s graduate school of choice.

“I’m hoping this internship will give me the leading edge when I’m applying to grad school,” she said.

Clark plans to study intellectual property, or copyright law. She will begin her internship in May.

University of Miami administrators announced early this week the School of International Studies [SIS] will cease to exist as of next fall.

The undergraduate and graduate academic programs will be transferred to the College of Arts and Sciences.

Andy Gomez, interim dean of the School of International Studies, said he was notified of the decision on Monday at noon.

Most faculty and staff members were told on Tuesday afternoon, Gomez said.

SIS undergraduate and graduate students were told at two separate meetings held on Wednesday afternoon.

President Donna Shalala, said Gomez made the decision “based on strengthening international studies and international affairs within the University of Miami” and better serving the needs of the SIS student body.

SIS was founded in 1997, after the geography and international studies majors offered by the College of Arts and Sciences merged with the masters and doctoral degrees offered by the then Graduate School of International Studies.

SIS has about 300 undergraduate students, 115 graduate students and 22 faculty members, Gomez said.

It offers two majors, one in international studies and one in geography and regional studies.

Its graduate programs include a master’s and doctorate in international studies and a master’s degree in international administration.

The school is also home of the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies, the Sue and Leonard Miller Center for Contemporary Judaic Studies and the recently established Miami European Union Center, which it co-runs with Florida International University.

“By incorporating [the programs into the College] we will be able to save money at the administrative level and put it into the academic side of the house,” Gomez said. “The college of arts and sciences is the backbone of any undergraduate program at any university. This is a positive move. I have no doubt this is the right decision.”

Gomez said he had been reviewing the possibility of the transfer for about six months.

SIS, Gomez said, has been a deficit school.

Under the College of Arts and Sciences, the programs will have more money to expand. Students and faculty members will have access to more resources, such as more scholarships and research grants, he said.

More funding, he said, will also allow the programs to hire more faculty members and have smaller classes.

Gomez said the undergraduate and graduate degrees would not change.

Faculty members would not lose their rank or their tenure and staff members will not be affected either, he said.

Several professors said they were surprised and “insulted” by the decision.

Thomas Boswell, chair of the department of geography and regional studies, said he was “surprised by the decision to abolish the School of International Studies, but supported Shalala’s decision.”

Boswell was concerned about the future of the programs’ abilities to attract and retain professors and graduate students.

“Being a part of SIS has proven to be an important recruiting tool for some of our young and very talented faculty,” he said. “Now I am concerned about being able to keep them here at UM when SIS no longer exists.”

At the meetings, Gomez assured students they would not be affected and promised students he would do his best to look after their interests.

The changes, he said, would be structural.

The students, however, were outraged.

At the Wednesday meeting in the Bill Cosford Cinema for undergraduates, students vehemently and angrily voiced their disdain.

Many of the nearly 90 undergraduate and graduate students who attended the meetings said they had chosen to enroll in the international studies program at UM because the degree had its own school.

Others complained that they would get lost in the “bloated bureaucracy” of the College of Arts and Sciences, with over a dozen majors and over 3,200 students, is the largest among the 14 schools and colleges at UM.

The students said they were upset because they would lose “personalized service” they received from the staff.

Some also complained that Gomez and Dr. Patricia Whitely, vice president for student affairs, did not answer any of their questions.

Gomez and Whitely said they will try to set up two separate meetings between Shalala and 24 graduate and undergraduate students so they could discuss their concerns.

“To me, symbolically, this means that we, as a university, are not committed to international studies,” said senior Nuri Haltiwanger, 21. “Personally, I would have never applied here if it was just a major within Arts and Sciences. The students who came to this school, didn’t come to be part of Arts and Sciences.”

“[The move] is a scar in the program,” said SIS sophomore George Metellus. “It’s like we lost the luster because we don’t have our own school.”

Kenneth Lewis, a first-year master’s student, said he favors the change if it helps, like “funding for graduate assistantships or scholarships.”

Loss of prestige, Lewis said, does not worry him.

“We still have the same teachers, who will still have the same contacts,” he said.

The transfer of the programs still has to be ratified by the Faculty Senate, which is scheduled to vote on it next week, Gomez said.

The student who found Maria Paola Ramirez lying on the floor after falling from a staircase is shedding new light on the accident.

Amber Lee Condray, freshman, was about to go to bed early Thursday morning when she heard a knock on her door.

“The girl who lives directly below me was banging on my door,” Condray said.

“She said she heard a girl screaming ‘God, help me!'”

Condray, a third floor Mahoney resident, opened the door and heard screams coming from a female.

She and the other girl, a second floor Mahoney resident, ran downstairs, rushing past the nighttime security guard.

“I forgot my ‘Cane Card upstairs and explained to him that someone was hurt and we were going to help her,” Condray said.

The security guard called for help, while Condray and the other resident rushed out and found Ramirez.

“She was lying face down, flailing her arms about,” Condray said. “She said she had fallen and couldn’t move her legs.”

Condray poked Ramirez’s legs, but Ramirez said she felt nothing.

Condray noted alcohol on Ramirez’s breath.

“I asked her if she was on anything and she said she wasn’t, but that she was just drunk,” Condray said.

Condray remained with Ramirez until paramedics arrived, she said.

According to Condray, Ramirez’s roommate, who chose not to comment, said that Ramirez got stuck on the second floor fire escape and climbed up to the third floor ledge , hoping to get down and regain entry into the building.

As of now, Ramirez remains at Jackson Memorial Hospital in good condition.

Condray wanted to visit Ramirez in the hospital, but Ramirez’s roommate, who had already been for a visit, said it was not a good sight.

“She said that Maria couldn’t move and that she had wires everywhere,” Condray said.

“Come on! Give me a little more hype here!” said Ian Adams, United Black Students [UBS] Vice-President and the master of ceremonies for the third Annual 2002 Black Awareness Month [BAM] talent show.

The annual event is part of the BAM festivities and incorporated its theme NEXUS, allowing multicultural performers.

There was a mix of jazz, pop, rap and soul.

“We tried to have a variety of acts and diverse talents,” said Kiaira Bell, chairperson of the event.

A jazz group named Innovation won $500 cash for placing first in the competition.

The group is a classic mix of bass guitar, piano, drums, and trumpet.

“It is a nice reward after hard and creative work and it’s nice to have jazz appreciated,” said Quincy Garner, the trumpeteer for the band.

The second prize of $300 went to Unison, an all-boy band that composes, arranges, and produces their own music.

Hasina Brinson and Alvin Jackson won third prize with their rendition of pop singer Mariah Carey’s “One Sweet Day.”

Last year’s winner Serina Guirantes did not place in this competition, but still won the crowd over with her vocal performance of Brotha, complete with a slide show of prominent Black leaders in the background.

“Serina is someone who always goes past the call of duty, she sings, writes, and produces,” Jackson said.

Faculty members served as judges for the show.

“It was very hard to judge, as there was a lot of talent. It was very classy,” said Heather Lancin, a judge.

The turnout was less than expected and Lancin hopes for a larger audience next year.

The organizers attributed it to being a Monday night and many people having late classes.

“I was pleased with the turnout and since it was an intimate place, it didn’t seem too bad,” said Farrah Fontaine, UBS event committee member.

The talent show planning and practices had been going on since October.

The organizers said the event was as good as hoped for.

“I am so proud. It blew me away and I am very pleased with the way the show turned out. The event came together beautifully,” Fontaine said.

There were nine acts, and the audience enjoyed a variety of musical instruments and styles.

” It was very entertaining,” said Chris Whiteman, a junior at the School of Music.

“We definitely didn’t disappoint the audience,” Bell said.

There was also an appearance by “Baby Usher” as Adams introduced Rodney Rouzard. He performed the hit song, U got it bad, by Usher.

“It was like watching the video all over again,” Adams said.

There was also a quiz at the end of the show, where the contestants were randomly picked from the audience.

The questions were based on prominent black leaders and the winner, Gilbert D. Cuffy, won a book about black history.

The money raised from the event will be used to produce similar events for United Black Students organization.

A fashion show is planned for tonight, and the Royal Heritage Ball is set for Saturday.

The ball is a black tie affair with the theme, Escape The Chocolate City.

Students can pick up flyers and tickets for upcoming events at the UBS office in the UC or contact them at 305-284-2583.

Police issued two male solicitors on the UM campus a trespass warning for attempting to scam several students out of money.

Robert Wander, 23, and Jason Elster, 22, approached junior Danielle Scott as she drove home and told her they operated a body shop, and would repair her car for $450, she said.

Scott who confessed she initially fell for the men’s offer to fix her bumper, and scratch out a few oxidation marks on her 1993 two-door red Honda Civic for $350.

“I gypped the gypsies,” joked Scott.

After she declined the initial offer, they lowered the price to $350, arguing that other mechanics charge double that amount.

Scott phoned her father, Monty Scott, who lives in Trinidad for advice.

He spoke to one of the solicitors and gave them permission to work on his daughter’s car under the mistaken assumption that the two men were acquaintances of his daughter, and thus, trustworthy, Danielle Scott later learned.

Once the nomadic mechanics got their tools out of the trunk of their 2001 metallic brown rented Mercury Sable and got down to work, Scott’s father became uneasy about the situation.

He urged her to get in touch with her boyfriend in order for him watch over the mechanics’ job.

Unsure of how payment arrangements would proceed and concerned for her safety, Scott was relieved to see a UM police car approach the scene.

“The officer told me Public Security had received a call about a suspicious car at Eaton,” said Scott, who briefed Sergeant Mike Arwood about the turn of events.

Soon, a second officer riding a bicycle joined Arwood, and the two policemen confronted the solicitors, inspected their car, and asked them to leave the premises after filing out a couple of trespass warnings, and taking Polaroid shots of the two.

Junior Erin Lynch came close to doing business with the same individuals a few days before Scott.

One of the solicitors offered to remove a dent on her car for $200.

When she told them the price was too high, they lowered their rate several times before offering to fix it for $30.

Hesitant to allow the strangers to work on her car, Lynch asked them for a business card, which they failed to provide.

That was the end of the deal.

Solicitors of that nature don’t prey exclusively on college students.

“It’s happened to me a couple of times,” said UM’s Lieutenant Bill Gerlach, who also told the Hurricane South Florida is a popular spot for solicitors who walk up to strangers with business propositions that are often fraudulent.

“If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is,” added Gerlanch, who said he encourages students and others members of the University to call public safety immediately if they find themselves in a situation similar to Scott’s.

“UM is a private entity. University officials have the right to refuse people they don’t want on their property,” explained Coral Gables Police spokesman Ra?l Pedroso.

“People need to be leery of unsolicited propositions such as this one,” said Pedroso. “If you didn’t solicit the repair, you need to be extremely careful.”

When all was said and done, Wander and Elster said their work on Scott’s car was free of charge, and told police they wouldn’t return on campus.

“I was probably a fool to let gypsies work on my car but all’s well that ends well. My mistake got solicitors kicked off campus and my car fixed for free.” said Scott.