As the centennial celebration continues, this year’s Homecoming is extra special. Buses are expected to be filled with students and alumni on their way to the game , but not everyone is going to make it to Hard Rock stadium.
Even if you didn’t secure a football ticket or make the bus, you can still create a meaningful celebration from your dorm.
Prepare snacks, decorations and football jumbotron games to take your watching experience to the next level.
Get together with friends
A big part of the experience is who you watch the game with. Friends can make even the most mundane activity a good time. Be sure to ask friends in advance so you can prepare for the occasion.
Invite the biggest ’Canes fan you know to scream with you or explain why Carson Beck keeps running the ball. What does running the ball mean? They can explain that to you too.
Show school spirit
Cheering for the team can look different for each person, but everyone can show school spirit by dressing up. Wear orange and green colors proudly to show support for the team. Represent your favorite player by wearing their number. You can also choose to represent the team by wearing 100 to celebrate the centennial Homecoming.
Decorate your space with orange and green. You want to set the environment for the game before it even begins. Creating a space where others can see ’Cane pride will encourage everyone to cheer while watching the game.
You can use cups, posters, table covers and even banners to fill your dorm with school spirit.
Get your stadium snacks
No football game is complete without classic football foods to snack on. Wings, pizza and hot dogs are part of every stadium’s menu. Bring the classics to you by visiting the Hurricanes Food Court or places near campus.
Having the sole responsibility to order food for everyone can feel intimidating. As the host, consider asking each person in the group to bring an appetizer of choice.
You can also create your own version of the “movie night snack challenge” trend. Bring a group of friends with you grocery shopping to decide on an appetizer, entree, a salty snack, sweet treat and drink for the group.
Each person can choose what they want for the category, then the group decides on which item they will choose for the category. For example, each person can grab the chip they want for the watch party, then the group comes together to choose one chip to buy and take for the game.
Play fun jumbo-tron games
Keeping your party entertained can be a challenge, but you can recreate the jumbo-tron games from Hard Rock in your dorm.
Make a list of football trivia questions. With the questions ready, you’ll be able to choose how to present them to your guests in an engaging way.
You can create teams and ask sets of questions throughout the game, giving teams the opportunity to answer using a whiteboard and marker. Or, you can make it digital by creating a Kahoot with the questions.
Having a game will bring out each person’s sense of competitiveness, which helps create an exciting watch party.
Prepare for clean-up
Once the game ends, the thought of cleaning up might make you regret hosting the watch party. Before the mess starts, set clear expectations before the game so each person picks up after themselves.
You can use paper plates and have a large garbage bag to put the trash in. This will make the clean-up easier, so you can worry less about the mess left behind.
Your dorm can bring in ’Canes fans to enjoy this Homecoming. Your party will appreciate the effort you put in creating a space to watch the game together. However you choose to set up your watch party, enjoy the game and time with friends.
While students count down the minutes to the big game, freshman cheerleader Ryen Mandell is preparing for her biggest performance yet.
Mandell is a freshman from Toronto who’s been dancing competitively since age 7. It had always been her dream to attend the University of Miami. After taking a two-year hiatus to focus on her studies, she was accepted to the University, auditioned for the Hurricanettes and earned a spot on the team.
Despite being new, Mandell always felt welcomed by the cheer team.
“The first night that I walked in, I felt enveloped by the group,” Mandell said. “Every single person on that team is so sweet and so loving.”
She’ll be performing at several events with her team this Homecoming like the Hurricane Walk Pep Rally, a volleyball game, an Alma Mater competition and most importantly, the Saturday football game.
Cheering for UM out on the field makes Mandell “extremely proud to be part of the school,” but it’s no walk in the park.
Mandell typically needs to arrive at practice at 6 a.m., making her week long and the days longer.
“Our amazing captain preps us so well, with a to-do list before practice or game day,” Mandell said. “I pack my bag up the night before, so I’m calm and ready.”
Even in her free time, Mandell trains to become a better dancer and up the ante at any University event.
“Our videos from practice are set and we have to review it and practice and make sure you are showing up for your team as much as they are showing up for you,” Mandell said.
With her dance background, Mandell is used to the pressure, but nerves still hit before a performance until the adrenaline takes over. But, Mandell takes comfort in knowing her fellow Hurricanettes have her back. The team encourages one another every step of the way.
“We perform not because we’re trying to win something or gain anything,” Mandell said. “What we gain is our friendship. It’s the value of the team that pushes us so much.”
Catch Ryen Mandell and the rest of the Hurricanettes on Monday as they welcome the football players. And if you can’t make it, no worries, they’ll be here all week.
The moment the music starts, Hard Rock Stadium erupts, drums skating, crowd roaring, lights blinding. The kind of adrenaline that would send most people straight into a blackout. But for freshman Brooke Walsh, it’s where everything clicks into place.
“You look up and see thousands of people cheering,” Walsh said. “It’s one of the best feelings ever.”
Walsh is a journalism major from Chicago and one of eight newcomers on the 23-member Sunsations team this season. She has been dancing since she was three years old, but college-level performance brought an entirely new routine.
“Sometimes it’s hard to balance everything,” Walsh said. “But I try to find pockets of time for myself, put away my phone and stay focused on school. Dance is when I get to let loose.”
Her weekly schedule is intense: lifting sessions at 6 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, practices from 6:45 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. three nights a week and full-day game days every Saturday.
With the Universal Dance Association national championships approaching in January, the Sunsations have added long Sunday practices to clean up choreography for their jazz and hip-hop routines.
“We’re not under the NCAA, so we don’t have limited hours,” Walsh said. “People don’t always realize how much work we put in, we’re athletes too.”
Game days start long before kickoff. If the game is at 7 p.m., Walsh and her teammates are on the bus by 2:15. They start getting ready around noon, warm up, mark routines on the field, eat Chick-fil-A in the Dolphins’ cheer room, take photos and then join the band and cheer team for Hurricane Walk.
With so much time spent practicing, traveling and performing together, the team formed a close bond.
“I felt accepted really fast,” Walsh said. “We spend so much time together, it’s like an instant bond. Even as a rookie, I never felt out of place.”
She credits head coach Jonni Rodgers for building a culture where dancers feel supported, not just pushed.
“She’s unlike any coach I’ve ever had,” Walsh said. “She’s both a coach and a friend. I can tell her anything. It makes me feel more connected to the team.”
Homecoming Week brings a special kind of excitement. Alumni dancers return to perform alongside the Sunsations, sharing the sidelines and the ’Canespride.
“It’s such a full circle moment,” Walsh said. “You realize how much being a Sunsation means to people.”
Her proudest moment so far came at the Notre Dame game when ESPN College GameDay featured the team.
“Seeing myself on TV was crazy,” Walsh said. “People were texting me and I was like, ‘Wow, this is real.’”
Walsh hopes to continue dancing beyond college — and maybe on an NFL cheer team like the Miami Dolphins, where many of her coach’s connections could open doors.
Still, Walsh remains grounded in the present, balancing her journalism studies, dance commitments and the joy of performing for her school.
“I’m just so grateful,” Walsh said. “Being here, doing what I love — it’s everything I hoped for.”
For Walsh, every eight-count and each step onto the field, is proof that passion and perseverance can coexist.
“When I’m out there,” Walsh said, “I know I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.”
UShift, UM’s automotive club, is the first club of its kind designed specifically for UM students and alumni. Although the club is only two years old, it has rapidly grown in popularity and hosts monthly car meets in the red parking lot near the University’s school of communication.
UShift welcomes any UM student or alum who wants to learn more about cars or show off their own vehicles.
Max Crozier, UShift’s president, displays his 2017 BMW M3 Comp with Eventuri intakes, Eventuri charge pipes, upgraded intercooler, BBS wheels and a GAD wing at the meets.
“It was built for the racetrack, really, and it just feels like it has a soul, but a lot of cars don’t,” Crozier said. “There’s more of a driver to car connection than most cars out there.”
Founded in 2023 by Parker Fallesen and Jakob Brown, the club began as a small Snapchat group chat and has evolved into an official campus organization. The club now has more than 600 Instagram followers and 200 active members.
Vice President, Ashton Yadegar, said the club’s first car meet had about 10 to 15 cars, but now they average 25 to 30 each meet.
“I’ve been here the past few times and I’d say it’s definitely a great experience, not only the nice cars you see in the parking lot, but it’s people to talk to. It’s a community,” said Alvand Fallahi, UShift member and photographer.
The club hosts five car meets per semester, held monthly on Wednesdays from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Information about specific dates can be found on their Instagram or Engage page.
“I love cars. I love my car, too. And I thought I might as well come and see what other cars are around, get out a little bit,” said Alvaro Bayer, senior UShift member and car owner.
The meets are a chance to look at cool cars, but they are also an opportunity to reconnect with the UM community
One of the flashiest cars at a meet was a decked out 2024 Toyota Supra owned by Gabe Ruiz, a faculty member of the Miller School of Medicine who also completed his residency at UM.
Ruiz discovered UShift from an Instagram post sent to him by his daughter, who is a freshman at UM.
“There are a lot of young people, which I love and I’m starting to see really nice cars,” Ruiz said. “The car community in college is something that I didn’t know existed, but it’s great that people are growing up with their cars and keeping their cars.”
The club’s executive board, including Crozier, Yadegar and Treasurer Ciara Bower, plan to expand the group’s activities beyond monthly car meets.
They are currently seeking University funding to host go-karting days, private collection tours and trips to a racing simulator in Wynwood. With this funding, they hope to host these events with discounted rates for these experiences to students.
It’s hard to miss Shelton Douthett decked out in a complete’Canes football uniform in the stands at Hard Rock Stadium.
The 37-year-old Miami Gardens native goes all out for the ’Canes every home game. You can say it’s because he’s one of the biggest UM fans, but it’s also because he’s a bigger fan of his brother, who passed away 16 years ago.
The brothers had gone to home games since the 1990s when his mother Gloria was given tickets in return for doing a security detail at the Orange Bowl. Wayne Kevin Douthett Sr., Shelton’s dad, took him and his brother, Wayne Jr., to a Miami vs. Syracuse game.
“It was like, love at first sight, and ever since then, it’s been all ’Canes, all the time,” Douthett said.
After years of home games, Shelton and Wayne took their first away trip to the Miami vs. FSU rivalry game in 2009.
“We won that game — Jacory Harris led that comeback in the fourth quarter. It was such a special moment, because that game ended up being the last one my brother ever saw alive.”
After the game, his brother Wayne was hospitalized with a case of pneumonia.
The brothers watched the Miami vs. Georgia Tech game a few days later on the TV in the hospital room while Wayne was being treated. That moment led to Shelton making a promise he would never forget.
Shelton Douthett at a Miami Heat game with his brother Wayne Kevin Douthett Jr. Photo Courtesy of Shelton Douthett.
“He pointed to the TV, and I was trying to get him to say [what he wanted] in his own words, because he was mentally handicapped,” Douthett said. “And I was like, ‘You know what? As soon as you get out of the hospital, I’ll wear [the ’Canes football uniform] to one game with you.’”
Wayne was discharged from the hospital, but the fluid returned to his lungs days later and he was readmitted to the hospital.
On Oct. 17, 2009, Shelton received a phone call at 3 a.m. that changed everything. Doctors told him Wayne had passed away.
“I felt lost, because my brother was my best friend,” Shelton said. “Even though he had a mental disability, I really didn’t see that. I just saw him as my brother.”
In the weeks after his brother’s death, Shelton said he felt lost. Between college, a full-time job, and long nights spent at the hospital, life suddenly felt empty without Wayne beside him.
The Douthett family created the Wayne Kevin Douthett Jr. Memorial Scholarship foundation, which benefited the school that supported Wayne throughout his life. But Shelton wanted to find his own way to keep his brother’s memory alive.
Shelton decided to keep his promise. Later that year, he drove up to Orlando to watch Miami play Wisconsin. He was filled with butterflies, and when he got to the game, dressed in a ’Canes football helmet, jersey and shoulder pads for the first time, he had no idea what was to come.
“I was a little nervous and I got a lot of stares,” Douthett said. “But once I told them the story, I ended up with almost $500 in donations for my brother’s scholarship fund. And the rest is history.”
Now, 16 years later, he is still turning heads in the stadium and inspiring more than 11K followers on his Instagram, @da12thman.
Over the years, Shelton has collected custom made cleats marked with the phrase “gentle giant,” and an official ’Canes No. 72 jersey. The 72 jersey was the ’Canes jersey number Wayne would wear to games and the one he was buried in.
“When I suit up, it’s almost like he’s giving me a hug,” Shelton said. “He comes with me every game in spirit.”
This year, Douthett lost another ’Canes fan who had inspired him his whole life. In August, Douthett’s father, Wayne Sr. passed away. Both Waynes are buried together, and both in their ’Canes jerseys.
Wayne Sr.’s funeral was held on Aug. 30, the day before UM’s home opener against Notre Dame. Shelton grieved in the best way he knew how — by attending the game. His father’s family came down for the funeral and supported him as he got dressed for the game.
“Its been really hard these past few weeks,” Shelton said. “But I get to share the love I have for my brother and for my father with everybody I come in contact with.”
Both the UM community and rival fans have embraced him and his mission of continuing his family’s legacy. Some parents have even told him he’s a big reason why their children have grown into ’Canes fans.
And he’s heard all of the jokes before — that someone missed the bus, or people questioning why he’s not on the field warming up. When he’s caught at a tailgate eating, he jokes to people that he has to get in his protein.
Through it all, his family has been his foundation. He describes his mother as an “unwavering rock of support,” and he says his sister, though she lives in Tampa and is an Auburn fan, supports him every step of the way. His wife, Jacqueline, has embraced the tradition, too.
“She’s my backbone in everything that I do,” Shelton said. “When we started dating, I told her ‘Oh, by the way, this is what I do with my Saturdays,’ and she said “Oh, I already knew. I Googled you.’”
The tradition has become bittersweet. It reminds Douthett about the happiest memories he had with his brother and father and also how he can’t make new ones with them.
He leans on the support of his family and his community when things are extra tough, knowing that every laugh, photo and memory keeps their spirits alive.
“I’ve thought about stopping sometimes, but something always tells me, ‘Keep going,’” Douthett said. “I love making people smile. And this is how I honor my brother.”
Junior Kaleb Beek realized there was a lack of R&B and hip-hop at the Frost School of Music in fall of 2024. He and two members of his class, Natacha Chacin and Ethan Bowden, decided to change that last October.
The trio performed a sample R&B and hip-hop set during their contemporary studio class. Afterwards, the eager artists told their audience they were still searching for a drummer and bassist. Bass player Isabella Heck and drummer Mateo Gaviria jumped on board and Poster Child was born.
A year later, Poster Child is gearing up for its biggest performance yet: opening for the University of Miami’s Centennial Homecoming concert on Nov. 9.
Several student-led bands competed in “Battle of the Bands” for the chance to open for A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, the highly-anticipated headliner for this year’s Homecoming concert.
Students voted for their favorite band, and Poster Child came out on top.
“Everybody else in the band had stuff that they had to immediately do after we played, so I was the only one still there,” Beek said. “I really wasn’t expecting it, but I was so incredibly excited.”
Poster Child is no stranger to the stage. The upcoming Homecoming concert may be the band’s biggest gig to date, but it’s far from its first. The band played their fair share of gigs at local venues and on-campus events, including the Titanic Brewery and Patio Jams.
Their performances radiate electricity. Beek is usually at the forefront, though he never stays in one place for too long. He raps with a soulful motivation laced in every step and every word.
He trades vocals with Chacin, who offers indie melodies while moderating the keyboard. To Beek’s left, Bowden keeps the beat and the background consistent with his guitar and Heck punctuates rhythm whilst her fingers sing across her electric bass. Last but not least, Gaviria keeps the music lively with his quick skills at the drumset.
Sometimes, they’re accompanied by their “hype-man” — a small, animatronic Elmo doll.
While the songs Elmo sings don’t quite fit with Poster Child’s current repertoire, there’s always room for him to learn. After all, the band members each came from their own unique musical upbringings.
“All of us came from very different genres,” Heck said. “I initially was very Motown heavy, and then I started playing this. We all kind of connect through this music, but we all come from very different places.”
Poster Child sought to combine all five members’ stories when choosing their genre and theme. According to Bowden, they settled on “a live, sort of rock or indie band [with] a modern-day hip hop rapper over it.”
For most of the members, joining Poster Child marked their first time performing as part of a group. That meant that apart from perfecting their own musical skills, they had to learn how to collaborate — a skill which has proved to be extremely rewarding for all of them.
Though many members are solo artists as well, they have been able to join forces to improve musical storytelling through collective instrumentation and new perspectives.
Of course, it isn’t always smooth sailing. They have creative disagreements and rehearsals where lyrics just don’t come. One of the most prevalent struggles they collectively face is time management.
“Yes, I’m busy. Yes, I feel like I’m running around like a chicken without a head, but I’m doing music,” Beek said. “This is what I’ve dreamed of doing my whole life. I can’t be anything but grateful for it, you know?”
The band has reached heights none of the members could have ever predicted. They perform regularly, and they’re well-known across the Frost School of Music. But apart from musical fulfillment, they’ve gained something far greater through their involvement: a group of friends.
“Something I’m surprised about would probably be how fast we clicked together in the sense of how well we get along with each other,” Bowden said.“It can be something that we can all enjoy. I feel like we definitely built a kind of family vibe.”
What’s next for Poster Child? Ahead of Homecoming, they’re finalizing the mastered recording for the first single entitled “Miss Misfortune,” which they hope to release in the coming weeks.
The University of Miami was recently ranked No. 229 out of 257 colleges and universities in the FIRE 2026 College Free Speech rankings, dropping almost 40 spots since 2024. This is the lowest ranking of any Florida university on the ranked list.
The University received an overall score of 51.6 out of 100 points for overall free speech, a grade of “F.” Political tolerance, self-censorship and administrative support all received scores of “F.” Comfort expressing ideas scored a “D-”, and openness received a “D+.” Disruptive content was the only passing grade at a “B-”.
Although zero controversies at UM have been reported to FIRE between Jan. 3 and June 5 of 2025, two incidents made national news shortly before and after the FIRE data was compiled.
Dr. Michelle Bravo, a former neurologist at UM’s Miller School of Medicine, left her job at the University after a post she shared on X after the assassination of Charlie Kirk caused widespread controversy.
In another incident that did not make national news, UM’s Black in Business was instructed by the university to rename to “Belonging in Business.” The University followed guidance from a Department of Justice policy limiting “discriminatory language” and DEI programs, which was implemented by the Trump Administration.
One anonymous student who was quoted in the Free Speech Rankings said that UM’s campus climate limits students’ ability to express themselves.
“The University of Miami is extremely hesitant to allow speech that jeopardizes its financial interests,” the student said. “Protest rules have been altered to be extremely repressive, not allowing protests without permission from the University and requiring police officers (and a payment to support them). I have faced backlash for wanting to protest climate change, Christian right ideology and Zionism.”
Despite the low free speech ranking and faculty expression controversies, the University of Miami prides itself on its commitment to the First Amendment.
“At the University of Miami, we have and will continue to embrace the values of freedom of expression and the freedom of speech,” states UM’s Free Expression website. “With that comes the responsibility for each member of our community to treat each other with dignity and respect, and to be respectful of differing and diverse points of view and ideas.”
The University’s political demonstrations policy requires that all political demonstrations must be pre-approved by administration. The Dean of Student’s Office reserves the right to shut down, restrict or deny any demonstration “deemed inconsistent with the values and mission of the University.”
Associate Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students Ryan Holmes clarified in 2023 that there are no free speech zones on campus that allow for spontaneous demonstrations, emphasizing the need for prior University approval. This policy was clarified when a transgender rights walkout was cancelled after pushback by administration.
The policy furthers that demonstrations may not last longer than two hours. Encampments, a method of protest used by students across the country to protest the Israel-Hamas war, are entirely banned. Israeli and Palestinian demonstrations have been limited to vigils and community gatherings at UM.
Students gather to honor the lifes that have been lost in Israel hosted by Hillel and Students Supporting Israel on October 11. Photo credit: Reese Putnam
Students and members of the Miami community participate in candlelight vigil on Monday Oct. 23 at the Rock. Photo credit: Sydney Billings
In the spring of 2024, Columbia University students engaged in several encampment protests in response to the Israel-Hamas war. The University then authorized police to arrest any students participating in the encampment before completely shutting down the protest effort. This sparked controversy across other campuses, as more than 100 universities set up their own demonstrations in solidarity on the following day.
University responses to these protests differed based on the schools’ individual policies, some allowing encampments and others prohibiting them altogether. Columbia University suspended and expelled nearly 80 students participating in a pro-Palestine demonstration, according to the Associated Press.
The University of Miami is not one of 148 known institutionally neutral colleges and universities, according to a report by Heterodox Academy, a nonpartisan organization promoting the First Amendment. According to the report, the number of institutions adopting neutral policies has skyrocketed after the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel on October 7.
The report says that 97% of universities that implemented neutrality policies sought to “create more inclusive campus environments where diverse viewpoints can coexist.”
Of the 148 neutral colleges and universities, only 33 were private, “suggest[ing] that [private institutions] may feel less pressure to refrain from taking public stances on controversial issues.”
Universities that take political stances could have a chilling effect on student expression. Students not aligning with their universities may feel afraid to exercise their First Amendment rights out of fear of being punished. In the FIRE survey, 30% of UM student respondents say they have self-censored on campus at least once or twice a month.
Group of students protest the the Iron Arrow Society on Thursday, Oct. 24 2024.
Administrations at other schools have faced criticism for actions perceived as limiting students’ First Amendment rights. Indiana University recently cut the production of all printed products of the student newspaper and terminated its student media advisor.
According to The Nation, IU’s chancellor stated that the shutdown was “strictly business,” claiming there are insufficient funds for the paper. But both staff and student editors at IU argued that it was a blatant violation of their First Amendment rights and suggested that the University’s actions constituted censorship.
In FIRE’s ranking, UM is placed just 33 spots higher than Indiana University.
A 2024 Knight Foundation study found that students believe their ability to express contrasting ideas and use their freedom of speech has declined drastically in the last eight years. An increasing number of students also reported that “the climate at my school or my campus prevents some people from saying things they believe, because others might find it offensive.”
First Amendment scholar and UM professor Dr. David Weinert feels strongly that students should be able to discuss polarizing topics on-campus.
“As educators, we are tasked with presenting pertinent sides to important freedom of speech issues, then letting the students evaluate the same information,” said Weinert. “If we cannot discuss important, sensitive and controversial topics in a world-class university classroom, where can we discuss these things?”
Weinert emphasized that private institutions like UM are free to set their own speech and expression policies, as they are not government entities. However, he emphasized that restrictions should only be used when free speech is “materially and substantially disruptive to the educational process.”
He said that “Unwarranted censorship by university administrations raises free expression red flags.”
When asked if he believes students’ rights to free speech have eroded over time, he agreed.
The University of Miami Republican and Democratic clubs have each supported ideas of open expression and debate, believing that students must be aware of their rights and exercise them effectively.
“The right to speak freely, granted to us by our Constitution, must be preserved and protected in the classroom and throughout campus,” said the UM College Republicans in a statement to The Hurricane.
“We deserve to learn what free speech means in a real society,” said junior Bella Whitlock, treasurer of UM’s Young and College Democrats. “The mission of a university should be consistent: teaching, research and fostering critical thinking.”
Weinert emphasized that the First Amendment is crucial to establishing a marketplace of ideas in higher education and the United States at large, where controversial speech can and should be protected.
“I remind my students that the purpose of the First Amendment is to protect unpopular speech. If all speech was popular and pleasant, there would be no need for the First Amendment.”
A number of stray cats live around The University of Miami campus, and people from the community are wondering where they came from and how they are surviving in the chaos and construction surrounding the university.
Due to the demolition of Hecht Residential College in 2022 and the Stanford Residential College in 2024, many students expressed concern for these campus cats that were seemingly displaced.
However, a community member and UM alum who wishes to remain unnamed claims that these cats have been on campus for much longer than the past few years.
“When unique or protected wildlife or vegetation is found within a construction zone, the University follows best practices to safely relocate or rehouse it,” said the University of Miami in a statement to The Hurricane. “No animals — native or non-native — have required relocation for this project.”
The initial interest of the furry friends on campus was where they came from and how they are handling the construction, but the more interesting part is actually the state that they are in.
Most of the campus cats are spayed and neutered, and well fed, thanks to UPurr.
UPurr is a student-run organization here at UM that focuses on helping the cats on campus by hosting rescues and social events, all while creating a community of cat-lovers.
According to their TNR Coordinator, Isabella Gudin, the group hosts TNR events where they trap unsterilized cats on campus in groups called “cat colonies,” and take them to an on-site location through The Cat Network to get spayed or neutered and vaccinated.
The TNR Program is an effective and humane way to stabilize the population of the cat communities, as well as lower the number of cats euthanized in shelters.
TNR also helps the stray cats better coexist in the community because they are no longer looking for mates or marking their territory.
The UPurr Instagram posted photo slides of their latest TNR event on Oct. 4 with the caption, “Thank you to volunteers who came out to help during the September and October TNR events. We trapped and had seven cats spayed/neutered and vaccinated.”
The University of Miami states, “Their commitment to responsible care makes UPurr an essential contributor to the health and balance of the wildlife at the U.”
While TNR is an important part of taking care of the campus cats, it costs roughly $100 per cat, which can add up. However, this price is significantly less expensive than taking the cats to a traditional veterinarian.
UPurr’s website states, “Cats must be returned to their environment according to Florida State Statutes 828.12 and 828.13, in which relocation of a homeless cat or any animal in a public place or abandoning an animal that has been trapped is illegal.”
This means all cats trapped on campus must legally be returned unless they are friendly enough to be adopted or fostered. In order to ensure this, members carefully label the carriers of the cats sent to The Cat Network for TNR.
The cats are often seen eating from dishes filled with cat food around campus. Some of the cat food is provided by UPurr via donation money and given to “colony caretakers” to feed the cats, and some is bought and supplied by members of the community.
While the cats are an invasive species, most people find them to be a great addition to the wide variety of wildlife on campus.
“Going into Miami I always hated cats, but being here where there’s so many made me realise I want a furry companion for when I have an apartment next year, and I would love to have a cat,” says Amanda Donnelly, UM student.
UPurr President Kendall Arnold says, “I think a lot of people have this idea or stereotype that cats are mean or they just like to be alone and they don’t like you, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
The cats can also be recognized by names that students and community members have given them like “Jellybean” and “Tiger,” or the UPurr E-Board like “Susie,” “Simon” and “Shadow.”
“Seeing them on campus just makes me so happy. I think it’s nice to see little creatures on campus, especially little furry ones,” says Camila Goveo, UM student and cat lover.
Information about the cats on campus, cat adoption, TNR and upcoming UPurr events can be found on UPurr’s Engage page.
The University of Miami is known for its palm trees, vibrant campus life and strong academic reputation. But it’s also known as one of the country’s most expensive colleges. For prospective students, the question isn’t about the quality of education, but about the price tag.
The cost for tuition and fees alone is around $65,000 per year. With other essentials like housing and transportation, the total cost of attendance is almost up to $100,000 per year.
UM’s price tag makes the school unaffordable for average families looking to get a quality education.
The university gives scholarships and aid to students who demonstrate financial need on their FAFSA form. But many middle class families are left behind as more generous aid packages are given to lower class families.
“Once a student’s demonstrated financial need is determined, the University provides financial aid offers that include scholarships and grants designed to reduce reliance on loans and minimize student debt,” the University said in a statement to The Hurricane. “Students who do not qualify for need-based grants or merit-based scholarships can qualify for a small Federal student loan by completing the FAFSA; seek loans through the Federal PLUS Loan or through private lenders; or apply for private scholarships.”
The statement also said that all middle-income families with typical assets would qualify for significant financial assistance under University programs. If families experience a significant change in income, students can request a customized review of their financial aid package, according to the statement.
However, not everyone sees the process as smooth or fair.
“As someone who has worked at Cane Central, it is heartbreaking to hear what families have to go through just to prove a financial hardship,” said one anonymous student. “Sometimes a family member dies or a sudden emergency comes up, and the process to have your aid reevaluated still takes a minimum of two months — provided that everything is done perfectly.”
The student also added, “Many people don’t get all the documents in the right order or submit them correctly, which delays things to a point where they lose all chance to even have their aid reevaluated.”
Even still, students report that the numbers don’t always add up. Hardworking middle class families are often forced to take on private, high interest loans — increasing the likelihood of long-term debt.
“I definitely needed more aid, especially after they raised tuition. I had to take out a private loan,” said an anonymous student who responded to a poll posted to the @themiamihurricane Instagram account on Friday, Oct. 31
Complicating things further, the University of Miami is a need-aware school. This means that the admissions department takes into consideration the status of a student’s financial needs.
For many applicants, this can create pressure to downplay financial need, as not asking for aid might give them a boost for their chances at admission.
Need-aware admissions can pressure financially vulnerable students into not applying for aid, even when they truly need it.
“The “need-aware” policy feels unfair to me,” said another anonymous student. “It seems like it can discourage or disadvantage students who have financial need, even if they’re capable and motivated. Instead of focusing on whether a student can pay, I think UM should prioritize helping current students who are already doing well but are struggling financially because of changes outside their control—like tuition increases.”
This same student also said that while their financial aid package used to cover enough for the student to afford school, they now have to dip into a savings account that was made specifically for summer classes. The student said that their tuition has increased, but their appeals to increase their aid have been denied multiple times with no real reasoning.
However, another anonymous student said “I guess it’s good based on the description if it awards it to admitted students who need it the most and have potential.”
But beyond the campus, the city of Miami is one of the most expensive areas in the United States. Rent near campus can be upwards of $2500 per month and with limited public transportation, getting around anywhere without a car can be a headache.
To combat the growing prices in higher education, many universities have implemented free tuition for families making less than a certain amount.
Universities such as Carnegie Mellon and NYU offer families making under $75,000 and $100,000 respectively free tuition to attend their institution. Middle class families at these institutions can better afford to pay off their education while students at UM often have a harder time paying off theirs.
UM’s endowment is smaller than that of other universities offering free tuition. UM has to consider ways to reduce prices or expand its aid for students. Without addressing these issues, the university is at risk of losing many talented students who want to attend the school but can’t due to financial constraints.
The University of Miami offers a strong education but the cost of attendance creates a major barrier to those who wish to access it. Making UM more affordable will attract more talented students to the institution while at the same time not burdening these same students with lifelong debt.
In order for the university to remain as competitive as possible, it must take meaningful steps to make sure its education is accessible by all and not the few.
With the MLB postseason and World Series in full swing, the MLB announced on September 23 that “Robo-umpires” would be called up to the majors starting in the 2026 season.
While the term is misleading, “Robo-umpires” refer to the Automated Ball-Strike or ABS system. This system uses high speed camera tracking and computer algorithms to determine whether pitches are in the strike zone or not. It doesn’t replace humans entirely, but instead gives players the ability to challenge human calls instantly and let the system confirm or overturn them.
When news first broke that computers would help call balls and strikes, many traditional baseball fans were understandably concerned. However, upon further research the argument can be made that the addition of this new system can actually not only help the game, but usher in a new era of baseball and sports.
Since 2019, robo-umpires have been used throughout minor league games, including at Triple-A, the highest levels of the minor leagues, since 2022.
If one thing is clear in all of this, it’s that the ABS system is scarily accurate. The strike zone used by the ABS is actually rectangular as per the rule book, whereas umpires in the majors tend to use oval-shaped ones.
During this year’s spring training, MLB placed the system at 13 of their facilities which hosted 19 teams. During this time, teams found that when they challenged a call made by a human they were successful 52% of the time.
The success rate from spring training indicates that human umpires are far less accurate than robots. Calls had to be overturned over half the time they were challenged. This statistic alone demonstrates a need for the ABS system in the majors.
The new system will also likely eliminate controversy and those entertaining fights we see at home plate between the umpire and batter.
If used correctly, the system essentially helps ensure that accurate calls are made, which will leave batters with a much cooler head as they move to first. Safe to say we’ll probably never see a moment like Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber’s total meltdown at Angel Hernandez from 2022 again. Over time, ABS could make games smoother, reduce ejections and keep the spotlight on athletic talent and skill instead of controversy.
One concern that baseball purists bring up is that the human element of pitch calling is lost in this technological advancement. After all, umpires have been calling games since 1864. That’s over a hundred years of challenged calls, heated debate, outbursts and ejections. However, the system will still require human umpires to make calls to overturn in the first place.
That balance matters. It keeps the pace and feel of the game intact while introducing accountability that teams like the San Diego Padres and fans have been waiting on for decades.
If successful, MLB’s system may even become a blueprint for officiating reform across professional sports. The Hawk-Eye cameras the ABS system uses have been used in tennis since 2004. The three other major sports in North America — hockey, football and basketball — all use a system that requires an official to review video of the play being challenged. In theory, each sport could incorporate a similar system that would make challenging in each sport a whole lot simpler and less controversial.
By blending human judgment with technological precision, MLB is ensuring that games are decided by skill, not missed calls. Should the next MLB season go according to plan, the future of professional sports could change for the better.
Yes, Snapchat was useful and fun in middle school, and maybe even in high school, but it’s time for guys to stop asking for your Snap and start asking you out on a real date.
Ditch the filters, the black-screen snap-backs and the snap-score-stalking. It’s time to make genuine connections off a phone screen.
Men used to sweep girls off their feet, bring flowers, pay for dinner and drop her off back home. Today, the bare minimum basically consists of “How old are you?” and “wanna link?” But I think it’s time for girls to up their standards, and for guys to up their game.
Data shows that the primary age group that uses Snapchat ranges from 13 to 17 years old. So, let’s leave the high school tactics to those still in high school.
Girls want to be swept off their feet, not their feed.
“Men need to go back to the traditional nature of being romantic. Don’t expect the girl to do everything,” said freshman Audrey Booher.
Let’s be honest, pretty much every girl out there would rather live out their rom-com dream than be with the guy who only flirts over the phone. 10 Things I Hate About You, How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days and Pride and Prejudice all worked out because the man did a grand gesture and made himself vulnerable in a way that won him the girl.
There’s a sense of genuine connection that becomes lost when you only communicate over the phone. Essentially, you’re dooming your relationship before it can even begin.
According to a WFLA article, strictly online relationships “can lead to feelings of disconnection and resentment.”
Now that’s not to say you won’t have any success by adding a girl on Snap or sliding into her DM’s, but at least try to be a little creative.
It feels like a majority of guys aren’t even trying to put in any kind of effort these days. They either wait for the girl to take the lead, or do just enough to say “hey, at least I did (insert bare minimum activity here.”
No long-lasting relationship is ever going to work if one person is always putting in 100% of the effort, while the other does close to nothing.
So, ladies, what have we learned? Raise your standards. And guys, please think twice before doing the whole “can I get your snap” routine.
Recently, I broke up with someone I actually cared about because, apparently, his parents get a veto on his entire life. When we talked after the breakup, he got very emotional, shut down and repeated the same phrases over and over, like he was stuck in some sort of emotional trance.
Since then, he’s taken “avoidance Olympics” to a new level — wildly inconvenient detours, disappearing acts, early exits — and when he can’t avoid me, he gives me this sad “oops-I-still-feel-something” look. And now I hear he’s talking to someone else — a rebound? A distraction? Or just his usual way of pretending his emotions don’t exist? Controlled by his parents, let the best thing that ever happened to him walk away.
Sabrina Carpenter says it best — it was you who said goodbye, so you don’t get to be the one who cries. Who knew boys could feel so much?
From,
Survived His Parents’ Control
Hey Survived His Parents’ Control,
Girl, this is a lot to unpack on my Sunday post Halloweekend.
First of all, I like your style. Ending a serious relationship with someone is never easy and, coming from someone whose friends have terrible ex-boyfriends, I’m glad you did what’s best for you.
Honest opinion: I don’t know a single boy in college that listens to his parents over his own feelings in terms of a relationship. It might be time to accept that his parents’ “veto” was a major excuse.
The generational crash out he had when you talked after the break up also leads me to believe that he was simply just done. No matter what the reason truly is for the end of the relationship, it seems like you dodged a major bullet.
It’s totally valid to wonder what your ex might be doing post-relationship, but I think trying to ignore his early exits and puppy dog eyes might be best.
He seems to be avoiding confrontation because he clearly thinks you might be the one to confront him. After this whole sad phase turns around and he conveniently “runs into” you, don’t give in.
You should’ve known it was coming. Of course the lame ex-boyfriend is talking to someone new.
I hate to be the one to lay it out for you, but the relationship ending “because of his parents,” taking routes to avoid you and already hanging out with a new girl … I think it’s safe to say he wants nothing to do with you.
Even on the small chance that your relationship truly all came falling down because of his parents control, that’s not something that you would want to deal with in the long run.
And like you said, he let the best thing he’s ever had walk out of his life — you don’t want to be with someone who would do that anyway.
To also quote Sabrina, “Heartbreak is one thing, my ego’s another.” Move on from this small bump in the road, and don’t let it hurt your ego. Go get back in your bag.
