Miami Hurricane, February 20, 1990

              Eg On my honor		Crossing lines		Clean sweep	
! The UM honors program needs improvement, but is ¡1 stilla valuable asset.		Students discuss their experiences with interracial dating.		Unranked Miami (7-0) took all three games from No.l Texas (8-4) in this weekend’s home series.	
Opinion — page 4		Accent — page 6		Sports T^page 8	
					
T T
Hi
THE MIAMI
URRICANE

Volume 67, Number 34
University of Miami, Coral Gables, Fla.
Tuesday, February 20,1990
SG seeks student credit union
Photos by DAVE BERGMAN/Assistant Photo Editof
Sophomore crowned iss Black UM 1990
Chosen to serve as a representative of black students on campus, sophomore Rhonda Thompson was named the 14th Miss Black University of Miami on Thursday night at Gusman Concert Hall.
Thompson, a music therapy major, who played the piano and sang “Out Here On My Own” and “I’m Coming Out,” also won the talent competition and was named Miss Congeniality. “I was shocked,”
“ldito’t
think I was going to win, and when they read my
name, my knees sort of buckled."
Thompson said the Miss Black UM Pageant is a way to counter the negative stigma associated with blacks.
“It gives people the opportunity to see what we in the black community have to offer,” she explained.
The pageant was sponsored by United Black Students as part of Black Awareness Month.
Please see page 6/PAGEANT

Organizer: Students to run new service
ByCARRIE HART-STRATTON Staff Writer
Several members of Student Government are attempting to install a student-run, student-operated credit union on campus which, if University of Miami adminstra-tors approve, would make UM one of the few universities in the nation with such a facility.
A credit union is a non-profit organization created by individuals with limited means. Those individuals, students in this case, pool their resources to create a financial institution offering banking services at prices below local institutions. It could provide sevices such as free checking, guaranteed student loans, personal loans and textbook loans, and possibly offer higher or competitive interest rates on savings, said SG Preisident Trov Bell.
Kevin Ferber, SG secretary for organizational affairs and chairman of the credit union, has compiled a 51-page proposal which was recently presented to UM administrators.
“Vte're dealing with professionals and we want to prove to them beyond a reasonable doubt that it will benefit students and that it will work," Ferber said, adding that he hopes to hear from administrators in the next three weeks.
Purdue, Columbia and Berkeley are among the 24 colleges and universities across the United States that have established student credit unions.
Ferber said he realizes the concept of students handling money and granting loans to other students may be a large concern for UM adminstrators. However, he said SG organizers have a series of plans to assuage fears of possible fraud or bankruptcy.
Ferber said there would be a strict check and balance system within the credit union. Every student employee would be federally bonded so any monetary losses
Please see page2/CREDIT

(Above) Sophomore Rhonda Thompson takes her ceremonial walk after being crowned Miss Black University of Miami 1990, as Miss Black UM 1989 Montrese Hamilton, back, looks on. (Top right) Freshman contestant Simone Woung performs a dance for the talent portion of Thursday’s pageant.
Student activism shows some signs of resurgence
NEWS ANALYSIS
By RACHELL FRAZIAN
Stall Writer
The University of Miami has been considered a conservative school for some time now, but the times are changing.
During the late 1980s a trend in the United States to look back at the 60s began. This trend was most evident with students. Last year, some students saw the Grateful Dead, wore their tie-dye clothing to class and put peace stickers on the rear windows of their Mercedes.
But the UM campus remained the same. All universities have
their times of apathy, but at UM it seemed to be the norm. Activist groups were invisible and ineffective.
This year however, students have taken a more active outlook on issues in which they believe. Several politically aware student groups have established themselves on-campus. Some students are standing up for their beliefs, as the recent tuition protest shows.
EarthAlert is an organization involved with conservation issues. It was founded almost a year ago, with 10 members. Today the group boasts 150 members.
Andrew Speyer, an EarthAlert
organizer, said he thinks students are taking more initiative when it comes to their environment.
"We were going around campus apartments to pick up recyclable trash. Students were coming out on their own and bringing out cans, newspapers and cardboard. We were happily suprised," Speyer said.
EarthAlert collected over 71 pounds of cans that day.
Speyer observed that these people may have cared about the envi-
ronment before and now have an effective way to show their efforts.
“Enviromentally conscious students may have always been at UM, but they had no place to go. Now they have an outlet,” Speyer added.
This fall, a branch of the National Organization for Women was started on campus.
Leslie Miller, a UM senior, founded the chapter after being alarmed by the Supreme Court’s ruling on Webster vs. Missouri
Reproductive Services in July, allowing the states to regulate abortion.
Miller said she thinks the recent rotests are a true reflection of ow politics work.
“At least the students are arguing, and that shows that they care,” Miller said. "Students are looking for a cause to be involved in. They want to actually make a difference. It’s small, but it’s there. World events have so much impact on our lives that we have no choice but to be involved.”
One unavoidable issue students face is the tuition increase. Thursday’s protest in front of the Ashe building attracted about 150 stu-
dents. Many students were not aware the protest was planned.
Sophomore Bobby Alcus said, “I didn’t know about the protest until after it happened.” Other students were in same situation. Although they were pleased a protest was held, they thought it could have been more effective with more participation.
It is evident awareness is lacking in the student body. Many students don't read the newspaper or watch the television news. Howwever, organizations such as EarthAlert and NOW, plus recent events organized by student leaders are raising awareness.
CSR expansion needs funding
Officials: Proposed recreation facility to cost $14.5 million
By JOSE A. LLERENA
Stall Writer
The proposed $14.5 million expansion of the Campus Sports and Recreation center is at the fund-raising stage, according to a CSR official.
Bob Wyner, associate director of CSR, said the administration’s reaction to the proposed facility has been favorable.
“This is very high on the priority list to complete," Wyner said.
Wyner said as soon as the money has been raised to support the expansion, the University will begin construction of the project. He Aid the department is working with Lonnie Cantor, of the Student Affairs board of trustees. “She is working in coordination with the development office in trying to identify donors that can fit the mold of the size of the gift,” he said.
Director of CSR Norm Parsons said the University has approved the plans for the proposed facility and is now identifying prospective donors.
“With a $14.5 million goal, we hope to have a donor who will donate half of the money and have the center
named after them,” Parsons said. "Hopefully we’ll have something to announce in the fairly near future,”
Wyner said he does not believe the development office, the fund-raising arm of the University, wants the names of potential CSR expansion donors released.
“There are a couple of names,” Wyner said. “They have identified to me some names. They feel they’ve got someone who can write the check and not feel the crunch.”
Wyner added that the Dunspaugh-Dalton Foundation, responsible for the original project, was unable to generate funding to finish the project.
Wyner also said the trustee of the foundation was William A. Lane, who was a great supporter of intramural sports at the school he had attended. For this reason, he decided to support the program at UM.
The proposed expansion calls for the razing of the present center, leaving the two indoor basketball
Please sec page 21 CSR
UM speech class to visit Thailand
Steinfatt: *|This] will be a wonderful and unique experience that will change their
lives.’
By TIFFANY BOST
Stall Writer
A new twist has been added to the study abroad program. For the first time in the history of the University of Miami, a UM professor will travel to an Asian country to teach University students, according to the professor who will lead the trip.
Director of Speech Communication Dr. Thomas M. Steinfatt will be teaching an intercultural communication course to American students in Thailand this summer. The course will be offered on both the undergraduate and graduate level and no knowledge of Thai is needed.
One of the course's objective is “to have the students see what the United States looks like from a totally foreign country," Steinfatt said.
"They (the students] become involved in the people and the culture of Thailand by being there for an extended period of time." he explained.
During the summer of 1988, Steinfatt spent time in Thailand researching linguistic relativity, the concept that a person’s thought processes are structured by his or her native language. He returned to Thailand in October
Please see page 2/THAILAND