Miami Hurricane, October 07, 1980

              The Spirit Of The Sixties Haunts Our Pages Today
Students Are Treated To A Tasty Noon Time Treat On The Patio
— IN ENTERTAINMENT
page 6
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IN EDITORIALS pages 4 and 5
THE
				
Volume 56, No. 12	j	Tuesday,October 7,1980	/ 753BhorI 284-4401
Police Problems
Public Safety
Loses Another Officer
By MARTHA MARTIN
Ntwi Writer
Officer L. William Porter this week became the sixth person to leave the Public Safety Department in the past year.
Porter, selected by the Undergraduate Student Body Government (USBG) as September’s “Officer of the Month," will move to another law enforcement position. According to Porter, his new position will have a starting salary of $5,000 more per year.
The Public Safety Department offers one of the lowest starting salaries in Dade County, said Porter. "A guy starting here is kind of foolish not to go five miles up the road for thousands of dollars more," he said.
Porter had been with the Department five and one half years. He left for one year to start an insurance business.
Tom Phillips, secretary of the Public Safety Committee of the USBG Cabinet, is now trying to find 'methods of keeping police officers from leaving the University. “If UM can offer incentives to individual officers, we’ll be able to keep them," Phillips said.
Because of the high attrition rate, the Department has a critically low number of personnel available to respond to calls. Lieutenant Barney Bernard said that only one officer is usually available to answer a call.
“Two or three years ago, there sometimes wouldn't be anyone around to respond to calls. I would be at the dispatch and would have to call the Coral Gables Police Department for help,” Bernard said.
“Right now, we’re down to a skeleton crew,” said Porter. “When someone calls in sick, the whole thing gets thrown off.”
About a year ago, Porter had a prisoner escape because he had no backup. He said the same thing has happened to other officers in the Department.
According to Joseph C. Frechette, executive director of Public Safety, there has been a turnover of 18 officers since he joined the Department in December 1978.
“Our allotment is one lieutenant, five sergeants and 13 public safety officers," he said. "Right now, we
Malpractice Suit Settled Out Of Court
By SHARON HINSON
Ntwi Writer
UM paid a $450,000 out of court settlement Thursday, Oct. 2, in a medical malpractice suit against Dr. Hubert L. Rosomoff, chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery in the School of Medicine. Rosomoff is also chief of Neurosurgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
The suit was brought against Rosomoff after he operated on on Ruth Schweibish on Nov. 1, 1977, to remove a brain tumor the size of an orange. During the operation, a major artery surrounded by the tumor was cut. The woman has been in a coma ever since.
Schweibish’s husband filed the suit, claiming that Rosomoff could have avoided the complications by approaching the tumor from a different angle through the skull.
But Rosomoff said, "As far as I’m concerned, when you're talking about malpractice you're talking about negligence. There was no negligence. She had a very large, unusual tumor, which would have killed her in a short time.
“Brain surgery involves a lot of risks," said Rosomoff, “she knew it, |and| her family knew it." According to Rosomoff, Schweibish had signed a release form before the operation.
“Her tumor was very rare and no one in the world has had much experience with it," said Rosomoff. “Nobody knows why people have brain tumors."
According to Oliver Bonnert, vice president for Business Affairs, another neurosurgeon would not operate on Schweibish because he said it was useless, and recommended her to Rosomoff.
Bonnert feels that Rosomoff was not negligent. “In my opinion. Dr. Rosomoff did not commit any malpractice; it was something that couldn’t be avoided," he said. According to Bonnert, before the surgery Schweibish could not hold her balance.
“You try to save someone’s life and end up getting sued," said Bonnert.
Bonnert said that UM has a self-insurance plan for malpractice. Any physician working under PIP (Professional Income Plan) is covered by it. “UM does not have an insurance company for PIP, but has set funds aside," he said.
“As vice president for Business Affairs, I’m responsible for the administration of the self-insurance plan,", said Bonnert. He added that general liability is covered by company insurance.
“I'm the University person authorized by the Board of Trustees to approve the settlement of all claims,
• Bonnert said. He said he advised the board to settle the $3 million suit for $450,000 on the fourth day of the trial.
“It was a business decision to settle (the case|, said Bonnert. "A jury of six people who may not be knowledgeable of the situation could |have made| a decision that would have cost the University a lot more money.
Bonnert hopes the decision to settle will not hurt Rosomoff's reputation. "Rosomoff is an outstanding surgeon,” he said.	, .
Rosomoff was unhappy about the decision, because he believed that he would have been found innocent.
But, Rosomoff admitted, "If a jury is tremendously sympathetic, you always run the risk they will award a tremendous amount of money.”
He said that since this possibility exists, it is sometimes better to settle out of court rather than take any chances. “The administration, of course, is responsible for any outlay of funds." Rosomoff said.	it
"A $450,000 settlement is not a big settlement, added Rosomoff. Schweibish already has $400,000 in hospital bills.
Bonnert said that the woman still needs medical attention.
When asked. If in retrospect, he would have operated differently, Rosomoff replied, "Absolutely not. If I had to do it over again I would do the same.'
have the lieutenant and sergeants, but only 10 of the officers."
He added, “I don’t think we’ve ever had the 13 officers, and that's because of the turnover. The turnover, of course, is related to money. Most officers leave [the Department! for more money somewhere else.”
According to Bernard, no plans have been made to enlarge the Department or to increase salaries. Last year, however, a Student Security Force was installed to "act as the extra eyes and ears” of the Public Safety Department.
The program was introduced by Brad Feuer, who graduated from UM last year. It is patterned after a similar program which Feuer had seen in a New York school. The cities of Miami and Homestead have the same type of program.
The sounds, tastes, and smells of Latin America filled the Student Union Patio last Saturday, as UM celebrated Hispanic Heritage Week.
Members of the University community were treated to the vibrant rhythms, colorful costumes, and delicious foods native to all Hispanic countries.
The “fiesta” was coordinated by UM’s Office of Public Affairs, in cooperation with several University departments and organizations. These groups, such as the Venezuelan Students’ Organization and the Council of International Student Organizations (COISO), came together to create the lively atmosphere typical of the diverse Latin cultures.
The many stands offered everything from handicraft exhibitions of Peruvian woven baskets and Pre-Columbian period clay figures, to the tastiest of regional dishes. Some of the handicrafts, including intricate gold jewelry from Columbia and delicately carved onyx chess sets from Mexico, were on sale.
The food was a display of delicacies, ranging from the Cuban “pastelitos de guayaba" (guava pastries) to the more exotic Venezuelan arepas. By the late afternoon there was little left of the more popular dishes.
“It feels so good to see that something like this has brought so many people together," said student Cathy Howard. "It seems that people do care about each other’s differeht cultures, if you give them the chance to experience them.”
As a special event for the many children present, Miami's largest pinata, in the shape of a paper mache bull, was hung in a place of honor, high above the middle of the Patio. Swaying gently among the bright red, green, blue, and yellow streamers and balloons, the pinata provided a welcome splash of color to the slightly overcast skies.
The young, old, and middle of the road were brought together as the little ones took turns trying to break open the pinata with long wooden sticks, as it is done in Mexico. Once the pinata was broken, its contents of candy spilled out.
One onlooker, Kevin Matt, commented, “It's hard to tell who has enjoyed the breaking of the pinata the
Nineteen students, mostly upperclassmen who are familiar with the campus, are participating in the program. Most members of the student patrol were also menbers of the patrol last spring.
According to Sergeant Stephen Shields, the students go through one week of training. During the training, they are instructed on radio procedure, patrol techniques, and methods for dealing with civilians. They then spend two or three weeks working with other student patrol officers to get a "feel for the job."
The force's job is to pass along to the Department any information on suspicious activities. The patrol has also been responsible for getting "potential troublemakers off campus." The patrol and police warn these persons that should they come on campus again, they will be arrested. If a suspect has been on campus be-
most — the children who scrambled for the flying candies, or the rest of us who watched them."
Soon afterwards, the beat of the Miami Sound Machine, a popular Miami-based band, had listeners rocking to and fro. Music included the lively "merengue" of
fore and has been warned, then that person is arrested.
Phillips said that the consensus is that the program is working well.
Porter said that the number of auto burglaries and similar incidents has been cut as a result of the work of the force. "Statistics will show, within another year, that it was worth every penny," he said.
Phillips feels that there has been a breakdown in relations between the Department and the students. "We need to build an amicable relationship between students and officers.” he said.
Porter disagrees. "I don't think there is a breakdown between students and the Department." said Porter, "but you're going to have a certain amount of problems anywhere.’ Maybe it’s because we represent authority."
Increases
the Dominican Republic, the "salsa" of Puerto Rico, and the band’s mellow sound of its big hits "Renacer" and "Un Amor Muy Especial.” Even the die-hard disco fans and loyal rock fans were treated to a few selections.
Dr. Diane Pruett, coordinator of UM’s dance department, arranged a folkloric Mexican dance, presented by some of her students.
One of the other dance presentations featured a number of flamenco dancers from "the mother country" of Latin America. Dressed in the reds and greens of Spain, members of Miami’s Rosita Segovia Escuela de la Danza.
The performers concluded their presentation with a special performance, in three separate original dance segments, on the evolution of Cuban music and dance.
The subject of the first dance segments was the proud influence of the Spanish, with a modified version of the flamenco.
The second segment featured the hypnotic beat of the African voodoo celebrations known in Cuba as "santeria."
Finally, the group combined elements of the previous two segments in presenting “Crlollo music and dance." This dance was particularly powerful and symbolic, as the three dancers, dressed in white, blue, and red leotards (the colors of Cuban flag), performed a modern choreographed version of the Cuban national anthem.
This was the first year that UM partipated in what has been an annual event in Dade County since 1973. Hispanic Heritage Week celebrates one of the many rich cultures which are a part of this country.
The success of the "fiesta" can best be summed up by one of the participants, Aurora Aleu. "I hope that this |"fiesta”) also becomes an annual event at UM. It wasn’t just a cultural experience; it was really a lot of fun. I think everyone who came really enjoyed himself," said Aleu.
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Miami Hurricane SHEILA KARSH
Latin Band Provided Part Of The Entertainment
. . . above the Patio hung “Miami's largest pinata"
Campus Crime Rate
By MARY CRONIN am writer
Crime at UM has risen this year, according to Lieutenant Barney Bernard of the Department of Public Safety. Among the crimes most frequently committed are drug trafficking, car theft, and dorm robbery.
However, Bernard said that drugs “are not as major a problem as they used to be.” He said that there have been two or three calls to campus security reporting overdoses. Bernard feels that this approximate number is “maybe half the true figure.”
"Those (overdoses reported! probably got so bad that someone called the police because they got scared," he said. Bernard said that the most commonly used drugs are quaaludes and marijuana.
Most cars are stolen by professional thieves, according to Bernard.
“Car theft happens so fast,” he said. “A thief can get in a car in 10 to 15 seconds — by drilling a hole in the door lock — and bergonetn less than two minutes."
Bernard explained that a police of-
ficer or student security person would practically have to be watching the theft in order to prevent it. But car theft has currently dropped off because professional thieves work in an area for two to three weeks, then leave.
Expensive foreign cars and older American models are the primary targets for thieves. Bernard gave a list of 11 cars that thieves have attempted to steal, or have stolen, this semester:
•	An attempt was made to steal a 1972 red Pontiac from the Pearson parking lot on Sept. 24. The perpetrator attempted to remove the ignition locking device.
•	A white Capri was stolen from the Pearson parking lot between Sept. 19-23.
•	A TR-7 was stolen from the Memorial Building parking lot between 8 a.m. on Sept. 22, and 1 a.m. on Sept. 23.
•	A pickup truck was stolen between 11:30 p.m. on Sept. 20, and 1
p.m. on Sept. 21, from the Eaton Hall, the truck recovered.	. .
•	A 1966 Ford Mustang convertible was stolen on Sept. 21 between 9 and 10 a.m., across from the 960 Complex.
•	A 1972 Volvo was stolen between 1:15 p.m. on Sept. 18, and 9 a.m. on Sept. 19, from the Doctors Hospital parking lot.
•	A Plymouth Roadrunner was stolen between Sept. 13-15, from the the 960 Complex parking lot.
•	A 1978 BMW was stolen between Sept. 13-14, on the 1200 block on Dickinson Drive.
•	A 1970 VW Bug was stolen between Sept. 13-14, from the music school parking lot.
•	A 1975 Mercury was stolen on Sept. 6, at 3:30 p.m., from the music school parking lot after the owner’s keys were stolen.
•	A 1973 Buick Lesabre was stolen on August 26, between 10:40 a.m. and 12 noon, from the Student Union.
According to Bernard, many of these cars will be sent to South America and resold, while others will go to "chop shops” where they will be
stripped of all possible useable parts.
Dorm robberies are also a problem. “If you leave your room unlocked for three minutes, something will probably be gone [when you get back],” said Bernard. Students have reported tape recorders, radios and similar items missing.
Bernard said that other crimes, such as assault, are not as serious. Assaults on campus are "usually just shoving matches between students that get reported," said Bernard.
There also has been one incident where a man came on campus with a gun and threatened to shoot a student. The man claimed the student had psychic powers over him.
Bernard and Sergeant Stephen Shields, also of Public Safety, feel that the student security force has greatly aided police efforts in curbing rising crime on campus.
Shields said that, even with the student patrol, there are not enough offt-cers to cover the cueua. “AMothet to the FBI, there is supposed to be one officer per 500 people. We don't have nearly that many," he said.
6 Fiesta9Had Something For Everyone
By ANA M. LOPEZ
N«wt Writer
Miami Hurricane SHEILA KARSH
Sale Stands Displayed Latin American Handicrafts
. . . including Mexican carved chess sets and Columbian gold jeuclry
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