HOUSING SIGN-UP
The deadline for current students to sign-up for on-campus housing for the 2002-2003 academic year is today. Beginning on April 22nd, current students requesting on-campus housing will be placed on a waiting list should a vacancy become available. To apply for on-campus housing, visit the Department of Residence Halls office-Room. 153 in Eaton Residential College. For more information, call (305) 284-4505 or e-mail housing@miami.edu.

GREEK APPLE POLISHING AWARDS

The greek Apple polishing Ceremony took place Tuesday at the Faculty Club. Certificates were given to all greeks maintaining above a 3.5 GPA. president Shalala and Dr. Patricia Whitely, Vice President for Student Affairs were on hand to congratulate students and faculty.

The Professor of the year award went to Dr. Alexander Perez-Pons from the Business School and Tricia Shatley from Orientation and Commuter Affairs received the award for Admistrator of the Year.

GRADUATE PROGRAMS MAKE MAGAZINE “BEST” LIST

UM’s School of Education was ranked in the top 50 in U.S. News & World Report’s annual list of the country’s “Best Graduate Schools.”

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.
Sign-up for on-campus housing!
All week, April 16-22 there will be an Alumni trivia contest from 10a.m.-2p.m. in the UC Breezeway for a grand drawing for a $100 gift certificate to All Sports. Stop by the UM Ambassador Table for entry forms.

Conference on Current Debates in Puerto Rican Culture and Politics

The Center for Latin American Studies, The Puerto Rican Professional Association of South Florida, and Frances NegrUn-Muntaner is hosting The Puerto Rican “VacilUn,” A Conference on Current Debates in Puerto Rican Culture and Politics in the Storer Auditorium. The three day conference (18-22) includes speeches and panel discussions from professors from around the country and special events. This conference is free and open to the public. To register or for more information, contact Diane Just at 305-284-1854.

Today

Alpha Kappa Alpha is having a Pinkyland at the Rock from 11:30a.m.-2:30p.m. as part of their “So fresh and so clean with pink and green” skee week.

The last speaker of the Department of Art and Art History’s Euro Art Today lecture series will be Barbara Steiner, who will discuss Contemporary Art in Germany, 6:30 p.m., today in room 180 of the Whitten Learning Center. Steiner has studied Art History at the University of Vienna, and is currently the Director of the Gallery for Zeitgen^ssische Kunst in Leipzig. For more information call 305-284-2542.

Friday Groove on the UC Patio from 11:30a.m.-1p.m. “SmokingPit”

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

Sat April 20

Alpha Kappa Alpha is having a B-B-Q at 2-5p.m., location to be announced.
Free Princeton Review practice tests (MCAT, LSAT, GMAT, GRE) at 11a.m. Please RSVP the Princeton review at 305-662-1464.

Tues April 23

CAC Film, “Lord of the Rings.”

The last PRSSA meeting of the semester will meet at 4:30 p.m. in UC 245. Guest speaker will be Mark Pray, Assistant Athletic Director for the Hurricanes. Executive board elections will be held and refreshments will be served.

Wed April 24

Arab-Israeli Conflict: Fact vs. Fiction talk in the Flamingo Ballroom B at 5p.m.
Games night at the Rat, 7-9p.m.

Fri April 26

Finals are approaching and so is crunch-time stress. If you are feeling overwhelmed with your studies, we can help! Join the folks at the Wellness Center for a relaxing day of movies and popcorn at the center Atrium. For more information contact 305-284-6524.

Friday groove on Patio from 11:30a.m.-1p.m.

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

Classes End at 11p.m.!

If you’ve ever had a class in the art building, you might have noticed that no one is allowed to go up to the second floor.

The second floor of the two-story art building, located in the upper corner of campus near the film school, was condemned a year ago.

Classes that previously took place in the art building have been relocated to other classrooms, often quite far from the art building and the rest of the department.

“Drawing and painting classes are in the Rainbow building,” said graphic design major Steven Waller. “It’s behind the Circle K, next to Pizza Hut. I didn’t even know that was part of the campus. And the 3-D classes are over by Hecht.”

Although rough plans have been made to build a new facility for the art department, nothing is definite.

“I don’t know what the plans are, much less the time frame we’re looking at,” said Dr. Perri Roberts of the art and art history department. “Honestly, I don’t think anyone knows.”

There are currently classroom spaces for all art classes somewhere on campus, but some of those classrooms are very far apart, meaning that the art and art history faculty and administration may not be able to communicate as well as they did when they were closer to each other.

“The art building has character. The balcony is ideal for drawing. But the Rainbow building, besides being far away, is uninspiring. White walls, no windows, fluorescent lighting,” said freshman Angela Wilcox, enrolled in Art 101. “With such a beautiful campus to draw, we need windows.”

“I think it’s a big problem,” Waller said. “We’re spread out all over the place. It’s hard to have a department if there’s no unity in location.”

However, Dr. Roberts says the faculty is coping well with the inconvenience,” he said. “There’s strength in having us in one place, but we can do our jobs separated too.”

Dr. Marian Jefferson, associate chair of the art and art history department, agreed.

“We’d love to have a new building,” she said. “But we understand it could be three or four years. We just don’t know where the funding is.”

“The art department doesn’t appear to have the same funding as other departments. If the University would like to keep the program and attract talented students, it will need to provide better resources, such as an un-condemned building,” said sophomore art student Marc Johnson.

Some art students speculated that the university is currently focusing its attention on aesthetic problems more than education issues, therefore funding is going to things like the new parking garage and landscaping before the art building will be considered.

“The degree of the University’s support is evident from the state of the art department’s buildings and their location at polar opposites of the campus,” said Johnson.

Other students, however, are optimistic about the plans.

“Dr. Shalala seems interested in our problem,” Waller said. “So I have hope that the problem will be fixed.”

In the meantime, classes will remain spread out over the campus, and hopefully students and faculty alike will keep up the good attitude they are showing now.

“Yah! Go Greeks!” was the cry, as they walked away with the grand prize of a check for $7000 at the first ever UMIQ game show.

The taping for the final $10,000 championship game between the Greeks and the Apartment Area was held Wednesday at 8 p.m. at the School of Communication courtyard.

“It’s nice to have some spending money and be part of this whole experience,” said Lizette Vila, a member of the Greeks team.

To get to the finals, the Greeks defeated Eaton and Pearson while the Apartment Area defeated Stanford and the Commuters.

The Greeks won a $1000 each to spend at the UM bookstore, while the Apartment Area got $250 each.

“I’m so happy I got $250 so I don’t need to worry about buying textbooks next semester,” said Lauren Walker.

Each team originally consisted of 8 members but due to unavoidable circumstances, two members of the Apartment Area were absent.

The Greek team members were Carly Bobar, Lizette Vila, Monica Vila, Jose “Pepi” Diaz, Jason Guercio, Vil Assuncion and Roger Alvarez.

The show consisted of four rounds-the in-depth questions, the buzzer round, the pop culture round and the final 90 second round.

“The format of the show incorporates the students, professors and the entire UM campus and this has never been done before,” said Rachel Brill, the producer of the show.

The Apartment Area started off well, winning the first round.

In the second round, the Greeks fought back to claim the lead and after that there was no stopping them.

“We are very proud. You were terrific and we are very lucky to have you. I’m sure everyone at the university is very proud,” said Edward J. Pfister, Dean of the School of Communications who presented the checks.

The idea for the show was put forth last October and actual production began last semester. “It’s been a long labor of love. Many long hard hours have been spent in putting a final product on the air,” said Brill.

“You definitely learn a lot and gain great hands-on-experience. You have to pay great attention to detail,” said Mileyka Burgos, the Production Manager.

The turnout wasn’t very large but organizers attributed it to insufficient advertising.

“We need greater advertising and its very hard to get players for a new show. It’s a new idea and hopefully it will expand next year,” said Deanna Sudikoff, the Associate Producer.

Involvement in the production of the show was entirely voluntary and consisted of a large cast and the latest hi-tech equipment.

“You have to be willing to put forth all your time and energy and you have to love what you’re doing,” said Brill.

The edited one hour long show will be aired on Wed. April 27th at 7 p.m. on channel 24 on UMTV and channel 96 on AT & T Cable in Coral Gables.

The stage was set for peace.

A rabbi, a reverend and a Muslim doctor conversed while the organizers and peace-wishers socialized and set up for the candlelight peace vigil on Wednesday, to promote peace between the UM community and the Middle East.

Sounds of nature played and the Merrick fountain served as both backdrop and accompaniment to the event.

Sophomores Emily Horowitz, Lily Asfour and Oded Ashkenazi came together to organize the vigil, in collaboration with COISO-the Council of International Student Organizations-after tensions arose during last week’s International Week.

“There have been problems here in the past week and this has been one of the main forces [behind the vigil],” was all Ashkenazi would say about last week’s disagreements.

“The three of us were discussing what happened. It’s based off of rumors,” Asfour said.

“Lila and I have been friends since the second grade. We see each other as friends, not as a Jew and a Muslim,” Horowitz said.

Although no one really wanted to comment on the incident-the vigil was after all, about coming together-organizers agreed that the end result was a good one.

“The same tensions half a world away found their way here,” said Nikki Chun, outgoing COISO president. “I’m glad that this was the response.”

“I’ve seen in my own family the pain. I went to New York City and I have seen the pain in people’s eyes,” Ashkenazi said. “When I saw the pain in people’s eyes on my campus, I felt it was time to do something.”

Reverend Frank Corbishley, Rabbi Russel Fox, Dr. Moiez Tapia, chairman of the Institute for Islamic Education and Research, as well as COISO president-elect, Cory Cain were the guest speakers.

“We had speakers from three different religions because we wanted to neutralize, have a balance and include all,” Horowitz said.

Each gave their two cents about what it would take to bring and keep peace alive today.

“I have my own vision about what peace would look like,” Corbishley said. “I might be wrong. We need to come together in our willingness to take one step back from our opinions and defer to God and it will be right.”

Rabbi Fox spoke about the difference between being a lover of peace and a pursuer of it.

“We can agree that peace is a good idea. The hard part is to pursue peace,” he said. “That means taking a risk. The true battle is not between those on the one side and those on the other. It is between those who love peace and those who do not.”

Dr. Tapia spoke in agreement stating, “When you deny any person his or her basic rights, it is against God’s law and it is not peace.”

“Both Muslims and Jews are required to greet each other ‘Assalama’ or ‘Shalom’-Peace. It means you have nothing to worry about from me,” Tapia said.

Cain felt that his job as speaker was perhaps, not to speak, but to get the audience to listen.

“I’m not going to talk anymore,” Cain said.

He then initiated a moment of silence for the crowd to contemplate everything that has happened to them lately.

The only sound to be heard was the gentle waterfall of the fountain. Some people had their eyes closed. All of them seemed to be concentrating only on what was going on inside their minds.

As the sun began its descent and a light breeze began to blow, the organizers starting lighting the candles. The light breeze, however, proved to be a problem as the candles began to blow out.

“It’s good this way that they’re hard to light. That way you have to get really close to one another,” Fox said. “Just like with peace.”

COISO advisor and director of International Students and Scholar Services, Theresa de la Guardia gave the opening and closing remarks.

“All of our speakers have given us a lot to think about, a lot to contemplate, and I’d really like us to keep it in our hearts,” she said as the vigil came to an end.

Organizers were pleasantly surprised with the turnout of about 40 people.

“It’s an excellent turnout,” Ashkenazi said. “I thank COISO for their sponsorship and their efforts to help in all the ways they can.”

“Someone brought an American flag,” he added. “I wouldn’t allow it in the ceremony. I’m against nationalism. That promotes wars.”

“More people showed up that expected,” Horowitz said. “People had really great appreciation for the event.”

“I think it’s important we all get together and generate some positive energy for all people in the world,” said continuing studies student, Alina Soto. “By showing up here it’s my contribution to positive energy.” “I’m not Muslim or Jewish so it was great to hear other religion’s opinions,” said senior Paul Stout. “God is peace. It was universal throughout all the religions.”

The Federacion de Estudiantes Cubanos [FEC] rejoiced Wednesday afternoon after an overwhelming majority of Student Government senators voted in favor of their maintaining a senate seat.

The recommendation to remove FEC’s seat came from the SG Supreme Court who ruled against them five to one at a hearing that took place April 10, 2002. Every three years student organizations represented in the senate must appear before the Supreme Court to have their seat reviewed.

“The court felt that the needs of this organization were not compelling enough to substantiate a continued organizational senate seat,” said Silia Herrera, Chief Justice to the Supreme Court.

Herrera said that the court believed the senators representing the school, year, or residence of a particular group could continue addressing the needs of this constituency, and that the Council of International Students and Organizations [COISO] could also represent their interests well.

Other supreme court justices agreed.

“To promote unity and equitable diversity on campus, there is no need for FEC to have distinct and unique representation while other ethnicities are content with COISO representation,” said supreme court justice Wilson.

Justice Makowski, who offered the only dissenting vote, argued that: “COISO is a conglomerate organization that cannot possibly meet the specific needs of Cuban Students on this campus.”

“If we look at where we stand now-America in 2002-removing FEC from the Senate would serve absolutely no purpose,” said Makowski. “It would be extremely near-sighted to vote to remove this seat.”

FEC representatives said that COISO is an umbrella organization, FEC would be the thirty-fourth group involved, and there would be no hope of adequate representation.

In a compelling speech given at the meeting, senator Mike Holt representing the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Community, pointed out that if FEC should come under the umbrella of COISO, other smaller organizations within COISO would run the risk of being misrepresented because the Cuban population comprises an overwhelming majority and would overpower other organizations.

Other justices argued that FEC claimed to need the representation in the senate mainly for funding purposes.

Vice President of FEC, Cristina Arriaza, said that arguments made by the FEC senator defending their position were taken out of context and misinterpreted by the justices who used their points to argue in favor of removing them from the senate.

“We never said that our sole purpose in senate was to get money,” she said. “This is an option that we have but that to this day we haven’t used.”

Arriaza said FEC was very happy with the result of the meeting.

“It is unjust to have such a large population of students, such as Cuban Americans, be underrepresented in the senate,” she said. “We encourage other organizations to get a seat in the senate- but they have to fight for it!”

Arriaza explained that any undergraduate student organization that is duly registered, receives funding from a mandatory fee source, and demonstrates a substantive need of representation that could not be met otherwise is able to obtain a seat by a two-thirds vote of the senate.

Over the past three years the FEC has grown into an important student organization that currently holds between 40 and 50 members.

Arriaza said that FEC won first place in the “Hurricanes Help Home Town” event, which means they had the largest number of participants involved in proportion to the total number of members in the organization.

The FEC has also promoted activities like Three Days of Cuban Culture and participated in Homecoming winning several awards.

“We do not just represent the Cubans in our club,” Arriaza said. “We have an open door policy and we put on activities for the entire community.”

President of FEC Roberto Castro said he was very happy they were able to keep their seat.

“This is very important because we represent so many minority communities,” he said.

“I think the senate made the appropriate decision,” said Holt. ” I congratulate FEC for their success.”

As the sky faded into a deep blue Wednesday evening, the students of UM piled into the UC patio.

They crowded around the standing area in front of the stage and took up every seat.

Following Hurricane Production’s Spring Concert’s opening act, UM’s own Active Ingredients, G. Love and the Special Sauce began the first song of their two-part set.

G. Love and the Special Sauce, a trio of laid-back guys, hail from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The ingredients that make up the band are “G. Love” or Garret Dutton, who sings and plays the guitar and harmonica (though not simultaneously) and the Special Sauce-“Jimi Jazz” (King Kane), the bassist and back-up vocals, and “Houseman” (Jeffery Clemens) on drums.

Their unique eclectic style blends together a touch of rap, jazz, blues, country, and R&B. Their tunes have been compared to those of such legendary acts as Bob Dylan (by whom G. Love claims to be influenced), the Rolling Stones, the Beastie Boys, and Beck.

It must be their little-bit-of-everything attitude towards music that drew flocks of people, since there was something for everyone’s tastes.

Or perhaps it was their stage-audience relations.

The trio charmed the crowd with its soulful groove and G. Love’s witty rappings.

G. Love and the Special Sauce’s first set was a mix of their more rap, jazz, and R&B-esque songs. The host of students moved and swayed to the upbeat music, turning the standing room into a dance floor. The band toned down their style in the second set.

G. Love brought out his acoustic guitar and played “country-style”, although he often free-styled with his rapping capabilities with mass approval. The audience cheered and laughed at G. Love’s comical lyrics.

The crowd screamed and begged for more as G. Love exited the stage.

One student even shouted, “Take off your clothes!”

The band returned, as is their tradition, for an encore and finished their set with the famous Cold Beverage. The house lights came up and the students dispersed, some to the side of the stage for a closer view of the trio, some to the set-up table to buy t-shirts or CDs, and some just back to their rooms.

G. Love began his music career in high school, singing in his South Street neighborhood. He later met up with future bandmates Jimi Jazz and Houseman, and the trio got their big start in 1994 with their self-titled debut album.

Their single Cold Beverage warranted them the hearts of many high school and college students, along with a video on MTV.

They followed up G. Love and the Special Sauce with the more mature Coast to Coast Motel in 1995, and have since put out three more albums: Yeah, It’s That Easy, reminiscent of their first album, in 1997, Philadelphonic in 1999, and their more sultry Electric Mile in 2001.