CANES FILM FESTIVAL SHOWCASES STUDENT FILMMAKERS’ TALENT
Although it’s more than 5,000 miles away from its more famous cousin in Cannes, France, the University of Miami’s Canes Film Festival also showcases the works of talented filmmakers.

What: Free and open to the public, the Canes Film Festival will showcase more than 50 short films and documentaries written and directed by students in the University of Miami’s graduate and undergraduate film programs. Films featured in the festival cover a wide variety of genres and were shot on locations ranging from Miami to Honduras to Moscow. The festival will also feature readings of scripts from students in the screenwriting program. Sample films include “Mooncalf,” a reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”; “In the Banya,” a story about female relationships shot on location in Moscow; “Advent,” a futuristic look at the evolution of the human race; and “Seeking: Ginger,” a comic ‘dance-ical’ about two senior citizens looking for love.
When:
6 – 10 pm, Fri., April 26
6 – 10 pm, Sat., April 27
5 – 10 pm, Sun., April 28
Where: The Bill Cosford Cinema Second floor, Memorial Building University of Miami’s Coral Gables campus Contact: For schedule, directions or more information, call the University of Miami Motion Pictures Department at (305) 284-6902 or visit www.canesfilmfestival.com. Contact: Heather Sokolow at (305) 662-7154 or (305) 284-6902

DISCOUNT PARKING SPACES ADDED
Beginning Fall 2002, the UM will offer 1,800 discount parking spaces at the Ponce Garage, Metro Lots North and South, Red Road Lots North and South, and Scodella and Liguria Lots, each with fast, convenient Hurry ‘Cane Shuttle service to points across campus. These discounted permits can be purchased when Parking Permits go on sale Monday, July 29. Questions? Call 305-284-3096, option 1.

APRIL IS NATIONAL STI AWARENESS MONTH
The Wellness Center will be distributing condoms and educational information in the Breezeway every Thursday during April between 11-a.m.-1p.m. to celebrate national STI Month. For more information on STI’s or condoms distribution, please contact 305-284-6524.

MENINGITIS VACCINATION CLINICS OFFERED IN BREEZEWAY
Student Health Center will be offering meningitis vaccinations in the Breezeway throughout the month of April for $49.99 (compared to the regular price of $70). Clinics are scheduled for April 11, April 18, and April 25 between 11:30a.m. to 1:30p.m. Cash or check will be accepted at the breezeway Clinics. Vaccines will be offered at the Student Health Center throughout the month of April for students who can not attend clinics.

PONCE GARAGE CLOSING FOR CONSTRUCTION
The Ponce Garage will be closed to all traffic and parking as of Friday, May 3, due to construction, which includes adding two floors of parking. The project is expected to be completed by August 2002. Alternate parking will be available at Coral Gables Municipal Lots 42 and 43, on Ponce de Leon Blvd. across the street from the Ponce Garage and Mark Light Baseball Stadium, as well as the Scodella, Liguria, Albenga, and Red Road North and South Lots. The Hub of the Hurry ‘Cane Shuttle service will relocate from the Ponce Garage to the Metro North Lot.

Sign-up for on-campus housing!

Today
CAC Film, “Lord of the Rings.”
Graduate Student BBQ from 12-2p.m. on the UC Patio.
Games night at Rat from 7-9p.m.

The ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha [AKA] raised their pinkies in support of their sorority during their annual skee week.

“We wanted to let people know about our sorority,” said publicity chair Latisha Rowe, “we are here for the campus, and this is our time to show it.”

Pink and green are the sorority’s colors and the pinky-finger, their sign. Playing off of the current popularity of the Outkast song, the sisters of AKA made the theme of their week “So fresh, so clean, with pink and green,” in order to symbolize their new beginning.

After nine members graduated a few years ago, AKA fell into a slump of low membership, members said.

Up from last year’s three members, this year’s 12 are happy to be a part of AKA’s rebirth.

Along with a new beginning, AKA wanted to raise awareness of their organization on campus, as well as give back to the students and community at the University of Miami.

Skee week for the sisters consisted of a series of events, which they held daily in different locations, and went along with their overall theme.

The event that seemed to draw the biggest crowd was the male auction, which the sisters held on Thursday night at the International Lounge in the University Center.

Twenty five male student volunteers, who came in all colors, shapes and sizes, were auctioned off by AKA to the highest bidders in order to raise funding for the Agape Domestic Violence Center.

“I got there and I knew it was going to be wild,” said a smiling Rowe. “There were only 25 men being auctioned off and more than 100 females had already bought bidding paddles. It was a huge success and we were able to raise $1000 for our charity.”

The sisters hosted a wide variety of events, including everything from social activities to an educational forum, in order to create a well-rounded schedule of events.

AKA sponsored a pool party; a barbecue; a movie in the Eaton lobby for their leisurely events; an open mike poetry reading; a car wash; and even a health forum at the Wellness Center, which helped to make students aware of issues like date rape, safety on campus, and breast cancer.

In order to spark interest and draw attendants to the week’s series of events, Latisha Rowe took on the tough task of publicizing skee week.

She made sure that there were banners and flyers all over campus, as well as the widespread word-of-mouth publicity.

After the conclusion of skee week last Sunday at morning mass, the sorority members of Alpha Kappa Alpha felt that their week was a great success.

They had pulled large numbers of people to their events, made money for their charity, and attracted the attention of many possible new members for next year’s fall rush.

Rowe said she expects that membership will double by next year.

AKA hopes to continue making a difference in the UM community and are already excited about next semester.

More information about the iota chapter of AKA can be found at www.miami.edu/studorgs/iotanu.com.

It all started with a soccer game, said world record-holder and UM track team member, Dan Andrews.

“There was a breakaway. A man passed our defense and tried to score. I tried to stop him by sliding out but he slid into my leg,” he said.

Dan’s left leg was instantly broken-broken so badly that the muscles began to swell, preventing his blood from circulating.

Doctors were forced to amputate.

At the young age of 14, Dan Andrews knew immediately that his life would change forever.

Doctors were initially very skeptical about Dan’s sports career. The incision they made on his leg took a long time to heal and made it difficult for him to walk about freely.

“The first two-month period was the hardest, I became frustrated at how slowly time was passing,” Dan said.

And not only was time passing, but the possibility of Dan’s future in sports was fading as well.

Being a true sportsman and soccer fan, Dan’s first words to the doctor after his operation were: “Will I ever play soccer again?”

He was, in fact, able to adjust to his new leg.

Instead of taking his doctor’s advice by waiting an entire year to get back in the game, Dan only waited for a couple of months before beginning practice again.

He soon began walking, then running, and finally training, but it wasn’t until he attended the Para Pan-Am Games in Mexico City that Dan realized his track career beginning to unfold.

“My senior year in high school I had my first big international meet at the Para Pan-Am Games in Mexico City. That meet made me decide I wanted to get back into track. I had a really good time,” he said.

Before that event, Dan only ran at the local track meets.

However, since then, Dan has raked in a lot of attention.

In Sydney, Australia, Dan recently broke the world record for the para 800-meter circuit.

Soon after, he beat his time at Florida International University.

Furthermore, Dan is the only amputee that’s competed in a Division I track level.

“I race against everyone,” Dan says, “not just amputees.”

Most of all, however, Dan races against himself.

“I beat my personal best in two out of my last three races for the 800M. I can also run faster than what I used to, but I haven’t been able to put a solid race together yet,” he said.

Because of Dan’s unwavering spirit, he’s also received a lot of attention from TV networks as well.

Recently HBO hung out with Dan for the weekend at his house and followed him around for an upcoming segment called HBO Real Sports.

Dan said that he was never, “really planning on running here.”

When he came back from Sydney he asked if he could train with the team.

The coaches got together and Coach Ward said he should come along.

“He gave me a chance to not only train with the team but to run with the team as well.” Dan said. “I was pretty pumped and surprised when I heard that – not many people get a chance to compete in a division one school; it’s a big honor.”

“Before I met Dan the coach told me there’s a new 800 [meter] guy that’s going to kick my ass,” said fellow UM distance runner, Matthew Mulvaney.

“People wouldn’t think you’d participate in a sport, especially running, after that. And the kid just bounced back,” he said.

“Dan’s unbelievably fast. He’s an incredible athlete,” said another team member, Billy Bludgus.

While Dan is receiving a lot attention for overcoming a series of adversities, he still manages to remain humble.

“I like being the underdog,” Dan says, “I’m not big into the whole publicity thing. I just enjoy running with my teammates – they offer me no special treatment. I like that.”

Coming to UM’s Storer Auditorium, direct from Broadway, is Eve Ensler’s world-renowned play, ‘The Vagina Monologues,’ and its anti-violence campaign, V-Day.

‘The Vagina Monologues’ is a play based on conversations that Ensler had with different women all over the world.

“Eve Ensler went around the world talking to women,” said Becky Stead, one of the organizers. “She was moved by their experiences, so she put them in a monologue form to share their stories.”

“She [Ensler] listened to their stories and found common threads,” said Farryl Rosenberg, a junior and one of the performers. “The monologues deal with all aspects of being a woman-from rape to periods.”

This year’s performance will be directed by Patricia Dolan, the same UM theater professor and BA program advisor, who directed the play last year.

“It’s pretty amazing what she does with that show,” said Tricia Shatley, Director of the Women’s Resource Center.

The joint venture between the Counseling Center and the Women’s Resource Center is geared towards alerting and discouraging people about violence towards women.

“It’s all about violence against women,” said Shatley. “We want to educate people on campus; we want to raise awareness.”

“I saw the play on HBO and realized there was more to it than just the play,” said Gabriela Guzman, a member of V-Day’s marketing committee. “Fighting the violence is really important. Women need to stop being victimized-I just think this is really empowering.”

The V-Day college campaign, the longest-running and most far-reaching of V-Day’s global campaigns, is responsible for hundreds of colleges and universities around the world giving benefit presentations of “The Vagina Monologues” to raise awareness and money to stop violence against women and girls.

“There’s a lot of things going on, not just this,” Stead said. “We’re trying to bring awareness to all types of abuse, not just against women.”

“We want women to be comfortable with their own bodies; we want them to be comfortable saying ‘vagina,'” Shatley said.

This year’s V-Day campaign includes a march and a letter-writing campaign to protest female genital mutilation, which is still legal in Florida, among other events.

“I think it’s important for everybody to understand what’s going on-once people know the information, it’s more likely the violence will stop,” said Swenson. “Once I heard the statistics, I felt like I needed to be a part of it and to inform women of what’s going on.”

All profits from both performances are being donated to Safe Space, a shelter for women and children running from domestic violence.

“It will really be most of our proceeds, since we have so many sponsors like the residence halls and student government,” said Stead.

This is the second year The Vagina Monologues comes to UM. It is, however, the first time such an elaborate production is being organized.

“We just felt it was such an amazing show,” said Shatley. “We got such a good response last year, we felt urged to bring it back this year.”

“I can’t wait to see it,” said Lauren Swenson, one of the organizers.

“I’ve learned a lot from helping here-you don’t realize how people don’t speak up. By being aware of what’s going on it’s easier to talk about. Plus, it’s funny,” said Kimberly Needahm, a senior involved in the organization.

The Vagina Monologues will be performed at the Storer Auditorium tonight and tomorrow, at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $8 for UM students, and $25 for non-students. Tickets are available either in the UC Breezeway or at the door. For more information call Tricia Shatley at 284-5646.

Come next fall, UM students will be the recipients of Category 5’s generous gift to the university center-a new sound system.

Category 5, a branch of student government and the spirit programming board on campus, began thinking about buying a new sound system after their first pep rally last year. They are responsible for putting on all the pre-game events on campus for boosting school spirit.

“The sound system now is antiquated. The purpose of our pep rallies are that they’re supposed to be loud, fun, interactive,” said former Category 5 co-chair and current member, JD Barbosa. “We’ve been thinking about it since our first pep rally last year, but we didn’t have the budget.”

Barbosa said that it is very difficult to hear anything on the current sound system.

“There is no sound system. Activities will be better than before and every club can use it,” said Category 5 co-chair Carlos Echeverri, a sophomore majoring in psychology and mathematics.

Echeverri believes that with the new sound system improving the activities on campus, more students will get involved in events.

“It will promote school spirit overall,” he said.

The system should be installed in the Rock area sometime this summer, Barbosa said. The speakers will be hidden in the trees and the control panel will be located in the UC.

“We’re doing our shopping. We’re getting quotes. We’ve contacted the contractors,” he said.

The people responsible for getting the system are Barbosa, Category 5 co-chair Kimberly Racciato, and Category 5 advisor Webb Morgan.

Category 5 is looking at a price range between five and eight thousand dollars, which they can easily afford, Barbosa said, with the $30,000 annual budget that the student activities fee provides for them.

“We try to spend our budget as wisely as we can,” Echeverri said. “You can say we’ve been stingy with the money over the year so we had a lot left over.”

“Since this is the first year that Category 5 has a budget we thought we should make a capital investment. We feel like it’s going to be an investment for us and the university,” Barbosa said.

“We’re going to do our best to get it done before next semester,” Echeverri said.

The University of Miami men’s and women’s basketball teams will not play any games in the Ryder Center next year.

The convocation center currently being erected on the east side of campus will be completed in time for the 2002-2003 season, it will simply bear a different name, officials said.

In a joint statement first issued to The Miami Hurricane, Ryder System, Inc. and the University of Miami announced Thursday that Ryder was returning the naming rights of the convocation center to the university.

“They are simply giving us the opportunity to resell the name,” UM President Donna Shalala said.

“The Ryder Corporation has been a tremendous supporter,” UM Athletic Director Paul Dee said. “Their stepping forward when they did [in 1994] made it possible.”

Ryder made a commitment to pay $9 million towards the construction of the convocation center in 1994.

“Ryder has paid a substantial amount of that money,” Dee said. “They will complete their obligations under the agreement that we have.”

According to the statement issued to The Hurricane: “Ryder’s funding support to the University of Miami remains unchanged. The company, however, has shifted its marketing strategy away from a consumer audience to an approach that targets business-to-business audiences.”

“The focus of their business changed,” Dee said. “It was no longer retail.”

Both Shalala and Dee said that Ryder approached the university a few months ago about the redirection of their advertising and the redirection of their focus.

“Over that time we’ve come to an agreement,” Dee said. “They were just about ready to make an announcement in a week or two, but I guess this made it come a little sooner.”

“[Ryder] has been among the best friends the university has ever had,” Shalala said.

Shalala and Dee said there are a few possible corporate sponsors in mind, but they are not ready to release their names as yet.

“We have some people that we plan to talk to, but those are usually kept private before we have the opportunity to contact them,” Dee said.

If any of the corporate sponsors were to say no to the opportunity to rename the convocation center, their declination might reflect poorly on them publicly, Dee explained.

The process for finding a new sponsor will remain the same, Shalala said.

“It’ll take a significant gift,” Shalala said. “It’ll be in the same range as the Ryder gift, and based on when Ryder’s gift was made, it might be a bit higher.”

The money from a new sponsor will go directly to paying off the costs of the construction, according to officials.

“We borrowed money to build the Ryder center,” Shalala said.

“It’ll help us pay it off sooner,” Dee said. “It’ll help us pay down the mortgage a lot faster.”

Overall, officials said they are thrilled with Ryder’s announcement.

“It’s a good deal for the university. We’re pleased we were able to work it out. I can’t say enough great things about Ryder,” Shalala said.

“It was [Ryder’s] goodwill to let us remarket the name. It was a tremendous gift by them,” Dee said.