Miami Hurricane, November 05, 1991

              VOLUME 69, NUMBER 17
NOT JUST
H
RECYCLING MATERIAL ANYMORE
TUESDAY. NOVEMBER 5. 1991
HELPING THE HOMETOWN
Students showed up in force for the second annual Hurricanes Help the Hometown outreach program on Saturday.
■ Accent — page 8
THE HIT MAN
University of Miami safety Darryl Williams has built a reputation as one of the hardest hitting safeties in college football.
■ Sports — page 10
NEWSBRIEFS
Film professor honored
The School of Communication is hosting a tribute dinner for Professor Paul Nagel, who retired last May after 41 years at the University.
Nagel, who started the television and radio departments at UM before the School of Communication was created, has also written 700 produced scripts, has been in over 100 commercials and has appeared in feature films, including the soon to be released Cape Fear, a Martin Scorsese film with Nick Nolte and Robert DeNi-ro.
Over 150 former students are expected to attend the dinner.
"The students will be coming from all over the country. They are mostly students that started in his class and went on to become professionals in the business,” said Bonnie Jordan, secretary in the Motion Picture Department.
Speakers include Dean of the School of Communications Edward Pfister, Dick Lobo of Channel 4 and many others. The dinner will take place during Homecoming weekend, Nov. 8., at the Hyatt-Regency Hotel in Miami. Tickets to the dinner are $30. The reception begins at 7 p.m. and dinner at 8 p.m. For more information or for reservations, call 284-6902.
— PAMELA WILFINGER
New Public
■ The choice for the new director was made despite some opposition from student leaders.
By MARY LEA HARDESTY
Associate News Editor
Eric Shoemaker, the public safety director at Old Dominion University, will become the new University of Miami Public Safety director, according to Alan Fish, assistant vice president of Business Services. Shoemaker was chosen, despite concerns raised by some students who participated in the search process.
Student Government President Irwin Raij said he voiced his concerns about both candidates in a memorandum addressed to Fish.
Safety director chosen
"After attending both luncheons, the student leaders sat down and discussed the two candidates for the position. Although both candidates had some positive traits, in general, we did not feel positive toward any candidate,” Raij said. “The first candidate, Eric Shoemaker, had several great ideas for projects on campus, however there was a general feeling that his lack of diversity would create problems for his initiation into our campus. In addition, we didn’t feel that he was sincere in his actions.”
Fish disagrees.
He said Shoemaker is highly qualified and is an excellent choice.
“During the interviewing process he got the highest marks from students, faculty and staff,” Fish said.
Fish said Shoemaker was a police officer at the University of Virginia, director of training at Virginia Commonwealth and Chief at Longwood College. “He has an undergraduate degree from William & Mary College and a graduate degree in criminal justice from Virginia Commonwealth University,” Fish said.
"He has both a wealth of job experience and a well rounded education.
He also authored numerous articles on public safety,” Fish said.
Fish said Shoemaker was evaluated, along with another candidate, by over 10 university groups.
“We had concerns about both candidates and how they would react to diversity. When it came to choosing one of the candidates, with the choices available, Shoemaker would have been the one we would choose. Shoemaker had better ideas," Raij said.
Shoemaker will begin his work on campus Dec. 16.
Miss UM crowned
By FERNANDO BATTAGLIA
Assistant News Editor
Lisa King was crowned Miss University of Miami 1991 at Gusman Concert Hall Sunday night.
King, sponsored by Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, was one of 14 finalists competing in the Brenda Smith-Tucker Memorial Miss UM Scholarship Pageant.
The contestants represented nine different organizations. Each was judged in a swimsuit competition, a talent competition, an evening gown competition, an on-stage interview and an off-stage interview which occurred before the pageant.
“Her talent was great, she had a great answer to her question. She looked outstanding,” Julio Fernandez, a member of the Miss UM Pageant Committee, said about King.
Despite doing very well in the talent and gown competitions and on-stage interview, King said she was still surprised at being chosen.
“After the talent competition, I was really nervous," King said.
She won a $1,000 scholarship.
The runners-up and their prizes were:
■ Donna Frenzel, first runner-up, representing the UM Singers ($500).
■ Jennifer Dekle, second runner-up, representing Pi Kappa Alpha ($300).
■ Samantha Stevins, third runner-up, representing Lambda Chi Alpha ($200).
■ Jane Monreal, fourth runner-up, representing Pi Kappa Alpha ($100).
“I’m impressed with the talent the contestants showed,” junior David Bautista said.
Bautista's opinion was echoed by others attending the pageant.
"I think she’s (King) a good representative of the University, but I was generally impressed with everyone,” Javier Hariart, sophomore, said.
The organizers of the event praised the contestants for the hard work they put into the pageant.
“I thought they all did a super job. They all worked really hard for the last five weeks.” Richard Walker, associate dean of students and pageant producer, said.
“I don’t think people realize the amount of hard work that goes into this,” Merrily Jackson, Miss UM 1990, said. "I think it's a great group of girls. I’m glad I’m not a judge.”
Jackson was not the only pageant winner attending the event. Janet Foster, Miss Miami 1991, was also at the pageant.
“I think they’re all very talented girls,” Foster said. "Talent is my favorite part of the competition.” After the talent competition, Foster said she favored Jane Monreal to win. Monreal performed a dance routine to Let Me Dance Far Ynu, from the Broadway play A Chorus Line.
Please see page 8/MISS UM
CHRISTOPHER CARLISLE/Photo Editor
MISS UM: Lisa King, sponsored by the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, was selected Miss University of Miami Sunday night. She was chosen over 13 other contestants and will go on to compete in the Miss Florida pageant.
Spirit tree dedication moved
The dedication of the University of Miami’s Spirit Tree, a 10 foot Valencia orange tree that will serve as a "living source of the University’s colors”, has been rescheduled to 2 p.m. Friday. Originally, it had been planned for 11 a.m.
The University’s colors come from the orange tree — orange from the fruit, green from the leaves and white from the blossoms. The tree is located near the flagpole between the Ashe and Memorial buildings.
The Spirit Tree was planted by members of Alma Mater: The Committee for the Preservation and Promotion of Hurricane Spirit and Tradition, and it will be dedicated to the memory of Helen Wilson. A UM employee for 47 years, Wilson served as an administrative assistant to the University’s first three presidents and as the archivist in the Otto G. Richter Library Archives and Special Collections Department. Wilson passed away last summer. _ pAMELA WILFINGER
TODAY’S FORECAST
PARTLY CLOUDY
HIGH: 81 LOW: 68
Source: National Weather Service
HIRAM HENRtQUEZ / Graphic Artist
JAMMIN’
LYNNE SHAPIRO/Staff Photographer INTO THE GROOVE: Lead singer of Lucy Brown, “gets the funk out” as he kicks off Hurricane Howl with a live stage performance Friday night on the University Center Plaza. Lucy Brown was the opening act for the Spin Doctors.
Admissions: more students admitted, quality unchanged
By STEVE ALVAREZ
Staff Writer
The University of Miami’s Office of Admissions has admitted more students for the second consecutive year, according to Mary Conway, director of admissions.
Last year, the admissions office responded to a decreasing yield of high school graduates by extending the number of admissions. The move was received with mixed emotions by students and the Faculty Senate who claimed the admissions office was jeopardizing the quality of the student population at the University.
“We didn’t lower the standards, we just admitted more students — more students who were qualified,” Conway said. Conway said this year the University once again faced a nine percent decrease in applications. At the nucleus of the decrease were several factors:
■	The number of high school graduates has decreased drastically.
■	Larger markets, which normally provide a large percentage of the applicant pool, have fallen off.
According to Conway, the Admissions Office has been confronted with the task of maintaining a quality student population with a smaller, yet diverse applicant pool. The decrease in college applicants at the University represents a national trend which is forcing colleges to create alternative recruiting methods which will still attract quality students.
“The students who came in last year and this year are as good a class as any other class,” Conway said. "If there are differences in scores it’s minuscule," she said.
In the 1990-91 school year, students and faculty members expressed concern when the University allegedly admitted more students with lower SAT scores to fill the void in the freshman class and to generate additional funds for University projects. Faculty members complained students would interfere with the progress of the course, while stu-
dents say the action is unfair, since those who were admitted before the move were judged by higher scores.
“I don’t think it’s a fair statement to say that quality is dropping,” Conway said. “You can’t assume that if they don't have 1,200 SAT scores that they aren't in the top 10 percent of their class.”
On a high-low scale, SAT scores for students entering the University within the last two years had mid-range scores on the exam placing them well within the eligibility criteria for admission.
Conway denied admission standards were lowered last year, or this year. However, she said she did admit several students whose SAT scores were slightly lower because they displayed outstanding academic achievement.
Conway said the current evaluation procedures practiced by most universities is a "numbers game” which is obsolete and often rejects promising students from attending college.
The extension of the number of admissions has increased the number of international and minority students. These students often utilize English as a second language and Conway said the language barrier often obstructs their ability to attain high scores on the SAT.
“We are very diverse. We are reflective of the community we bve in, and I think we should be proud of that,” Conway said.
Current enrollment in the Dade County school system reflects 81 percent of the students are minorities. The minority population at the University has increased steadily since 1987, when it was approximately 27 percent. Presently, the number of minorities on campus is approximately 38 percent.
Conway admits she has heard faculty members vocalize their opinions regarding the admissions procedures, but said her office has maintained the quality of the student population. Further, she said as long as a students 1 showed a sound academic history and future, admission would be granted.
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