Miami Hurricane, April 15, 1986

              Class unites internationals
A meteorology class brings together students from 16 different countries as they learn practical knowledge about the weather
News — page 3
Show boosts local scene
"The Local Show", WVUM’s Sunday night radio show, gives local bands a chance to get airplay
Entertainment — page 8
_________Gl/1 (___________________________
Sneak Preview
Miami football fans get a peek at the 1986 Hurricane squad
Sports — page 10
Volume 63, Number 46
University of Miami
Tuesday, April 15, 1986
GEORGE ALV ARF./JHurricane Statt
Sing-a-long with Tom
Tom Settimi, a performer, singer, impressionist and ventriliquist, among other talents, begins the singing part of his show at the Lakeside Dessert Cafe held at the boat dock on Sunday night. For more on the show, see page 8
Bill to tax textbooks
By DEBORAH KIRK
Hurricane Staff Writer
Under a new state bill, bookstores in Florida may soon find themselves having to pass on a sales tax of 2 percent to its customers in order to generate revenue for state libraries.
All college textbooks would be affected by this tax under the Public Library Financial Assistance Act of 1986.
According to Charles Canfield, trustee of the University of Miami's bookstore, “probably the hardest hit would be college students.
"All of us feel that the state libraries need to be beefed up, but people who use the libraries should pay for it." Canfield said.
He said college libraries would not benefit from the tax, even though the bulk of the tax would come from students.
‘...probably the hardest hit would be college students,’
Charles Canfield, UM’s bookstore trustee
The bill, which has been introduced in the Florida legislature, is estimated to generate between $18 and $21 million for the 1987 fiscal year.
According to Canfield, the Florida Association of College Stores is trying to get a concentrated effort in Tallahassee to lobby against the proposed tax increase.
He said that students concerned
about the tax should write their representatives in Tallahassee, urging them to vote against the new bill.
Canfield said that even though it is highly improbable that the bill will be passed, the outcome of the state legislature is unpredictable
If the proposal does pass, he said the danger of the tax lies in the fact that once it is insituted. it would be easy to keep raising the tax from 2 to 3 to even 4 percent in the coming years
Not only would college students be affected, but also other readers who buy books. Canfield said.
Some exempted printed material from the tax, however, would be religious publications, kindergarten through 12th grade textbooks, newspapers, advertisements and price lists.
Deans reject USBG plan to raise quality of A+
By DEBB1£ MORGAN
Hurricane News Editor
Government* attempt to add an extra .3 quality points onto the average of an A + grade, part of a new grading policy, was not accepted by present deans of the University of Miami.
The new grading system, which is scheduled to to be implemented this fall, will add plus and minus grades to make a 12-point scale, rather than the current 5-point scale.
The new policy was approved by the Faculty Senate last November and by the Academic Dean Policy Council in January.
The grades and quality points will be allotted as follows: A -*- = 4.0. A = 4.0, A- = 3.7, B + = 3.3, B = 3.0, B- = 2.7, C + = 2.3. C =
faeultv tiabten
up, this |grading system] won’t help grade inflation,’
Frank Jimenez, USBG vice
president
2.0, C- = 1.7, D+ = 1.3, D = 1.0. D- = 0.7 and E = 0.0.
However, Frank Jimenez. USBG vice presdent, said the better students will be hurt by this system because of grade inflation.
Therefore, USBG proposed that an A + would be worth 4.3 quality points rather than only 4.0 at a meeting held Wednesday at the
Faculty Club
"I agree that a plus/minus
aradinft svutem is nffdwl tor _
c«RhTMW>n tor mrasu in^
students, but Ii is not a cure-all for grade inflation,” he said
According to Jimenez, the faculty is responsible for the grade inflation, since they assign the grades.
Also, this inflation is keeping UM from being regarded as a highly academic school, he said.
But this new grading system will not help bring down grade inflation unless teachers assign grades more strictly, he said.
“Unless faculty tighten up, this [grading system) won't help grade inflation," Jimenez said.
The new policy is awaiting final approval from President Edward T. Foote
Journalist says economy rewards least productive
By AHMED SHOREIBAIi
Special to the Hurricane
Journalist and author David Halberstam decried Thursday the American economic system for rewarding most those who are least productive. He cited that problem as a cause of America's present economic decline.
Halberstam. a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist whose career has spanned over 30 years, made his remarks in a lecture at Gusman Hall on the topic of "The Japanese Challenge in American Business. The lecture was sponsored by the University of Miami Lecture Series Committee.
Halberstam traced the current plight of the United States industrial economy to the nation's emphasis on rewarding those on the finance side of business,
while others on the engineering and productive side have received comparably meager returns for the work.
The former New York Times reporter also attributed the poor state of American business to other factors, such as a relatively lax primary and secondary educational system.
The author of such books as The Powers That Be and The Best and the Brightest, Halberstam is now working on a book on the decline of American industry, particularly in light of Japan's challenge to the United States. This past year, the United States amassed a $50 billion trade deficit with Japan.
Much of the trade imbalance has been attributed to the inflated value of the dollar, a problem which plagued American exporters for several years before
the leading industrialized nations took steps to reduce the dollar's value last year.Declining oil prices have pushed down interest rates, making investment in the United States less attractive and thus effectively reducing the demand for dollars.
A lower demand for dollars, in turn, means a further reduction in the relative value of the U.S. currency. Currently, the dollar is trading at a lower level than it has been for some time, and normally that would translate into increased exports and decreased imports.
But experts have reported recently that the lower value of the dollar has not been of much help to the trade deficit, although the figures are still inconclusive.
Beside the previously high value of the dollar. Halberstam. who served a brief stint as a correspon-
dent in Japan, partly blamed the Japanese for the trade imbalance. He said, for example, that the Japanese practice a kind of “cultural protectionism." in that they are fiercely loyal to their nation and its products. Thus, in addition to overt trade restriction, American companies must contend with more subtle forms of protectionism.
Additionally, Halberstam said that the Japanese, being very agressive competitors, sometimes use under-handed or deceitful actions to preserve their trade advantage.
Still, he blamed much of America's current economic decline on Americans. But he did say that there are some rays of hope, particularly in such emerging fields as computers and biotechnology, in an otherwise hleak outlook for the future of the country's economy.
Petition wants Rat to stay open
By MARILYN GARATEIX
Hurricane Contributing Editor
A petition is being circulated by e Rathskeller Advisory Board iting that the Rat is a vital part student life.
According to Kevin Dillon. RAB airperson, over 1,000 signatures ive already been collected from udents. Since Thursday, mem-rs of RAB have been collecting ese signatures at the Rat.
The next step, Dillon said, will ■ to get the students in their
RAB will also be setting up a table in the University Center Breezeway this week to collect more signatures.
Dillon said he has been in contact with representatives from Marriott in Washington, D.C. They have assured him that Marriott will be “seriously considering" renewing the contract.
If Marriott does sign. Dillon said, then some changes need to be made at the Rat.
The Rat would undergo a facel-
Hurricane officers elected
Marilyn Garateix and Roland Sanchez Medina were elected editor in chief and business manager of The Miami Hurricane Thursday at a Board of Student Publications meeting
Garateix a news-editorial journalism and history major, has served as news editor and contributing editor of the Hurricane Medina, a finance and marketing major, is currently production
manager of the Hurricane.
They will take over their positions in two weeks
Dillon
ift "to make it a place of the '80s." he said.
However. Dillon said, “it is still quite possible that there could be a referendum.”
A student referendum would possibly increase the portion of the student activity fee that goes toward the Rat from the $1.50 that is now given to $7 per student.
A student referendum is still needed, Dillon said, because if Marriott does sign then the money from the activity fee could be used toward renovations of the Rat “to promote a new image."
Professor to announce History 132 exam format
Dr. Frank Stuart, history professor, expects to announce tomorrow how the History 132 final examination will be structured.
Friday's 4 p.m. meeting in Learning Center Room 180 drew about 70 students who gave suggestions on how to handle the situation. Stuart said. However, nothing has been decided yet.
"We'll do our best to make sure the good students will fare well and those who cheated aren't going to do so well.” Stuart said. "There is no perfect answer."
Stuart did say that three final exam review sessions will be held instead of one. He also suggested that the second exam not be counted toward the final grade, and that the final exam place the greatest emphasis on material beginning with the third exam.
Further investigation into History 132 examination processes revealed that the class's second exam was most likely “tampered with” also, according to Stuart
The April 3 stealing of the third History 132 exam prompted this
investigation, which is being conducted by Assistant Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Charles Mallery.
Stuart will not reveal the names
of any students who have been implicated in the buying and selling of the history exam
—LISA GIBBS
Eaton Hall renovation begins
Renovation of Eaton Hall began yesterday when construction crews set to work at 7:30 a.m.
According to the Residence Halls Office, Eaton will be renovated extensively over the summer to turn the dorm into a Residential College in the fall
Construction could not be delayed until after finals because the renovation would not be completed in time for the fall semester, said George Shoffner, director of RHO.
Linda Lazere. residence coordinator of Eaton Hall said that students who have concerns about the noise should inquire at the Eaton Hall desk
“We will do everything we can to try and accommodate the residents' needs," Lazere said Some students living in Eaton Hall are concerned how the noise will affect them.
"How do they expect us to be able to study for finals?" senior Maria Piragnoli asked Keith Gress. a senior, said. "I think that it's Inconsiderate for the University to begin demolition during finals, especially since they can start two weeks later and it won't make any difference."
—ELIZABETH CUPPA Rt
4