Miami Hurricane, April 18, 1997

              in this issue
NFL DRAFT IS HERE
■ What does this weekend's NFL Draft hold in store? Read our Assistant Sports Editor's predictions and see where Miami players stand.
SPORTS, page 4

CHASING WHO?
■ Read a review of the new movie Chasing Amy and an interview with star Ben Affleck.
ACCENTrpage 6
STUDENTS SPEAK OUT
■ Read student reaction to last issue's Tiger Woods article plus a staff editorial on the entire topic of divergent opinions.
OPINION, page 10
UM NAMES EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING RECIPIENTS
The Office of the Provost and Instructional Advancement Center announced the recipients of the 1997 Excellence In Teaching Awards. The winners are: Maryann Barber, School of Business,	Computer
Information Systems; Shirley Dennis-Escoffer, School of Business, Accounting; Alan Goldman, College of Arts and Sciences, Philosophy; Thomas Nolen, College of Arts and Sciences, Biology; Thomas Steinfatt, School of Communication, Speech; Linda Taylor, College of Arts and Sciences, Anthropology; Michelle Wright, College of Arts and Sciences, Foreign Languages.
The winners were selected for their creative teaching methods. Each faculty member demonstrated a commitment to excellence evident in an extensive portfolio including student evaluations, a personal narra-•ive of teaching philosophy and a course syllabus.
today's weather
DELUGE COMING TO END
Today will be sunny, breezy and cool—a much needed break from the last two weeks of rain. Highs will be in the mid 70s with winds out fo the northwest at 15 to 20 m.p.h.
- National Weather Service
Yesterday marked the 36 year anniversary of the failed Bay of Pigs invasion. Invading Cuban exile forces were defeated by the Castro government after the Kennedy administration refused to provide
oromised air suppor*.
Students urged to donate organs
■ Cheerleader urges students to donate this week
By SARAH GUARNACCIA
Assistant News Editor Junior and Miami Hurricane cheerleader Cris Ortega didn't know a thing about donating organs until she received a double-lung transplant last year that saved her life.
About two years ago, Ortega and her twin sister Vicky were diagnosed
with a fatal pulmonary disease where their only hope of recovery lied in receiving a double-lung transplant.
Both sisters were put on an organ transplant waiting list and all they could do was simply wait.
Within five months of the diagnosis, Ortega was matched with a donor while her sister still hoped for an appropriate donor of her own.
Vicky then fell into a coma while awaiting the results of the relentless search, and soon after died, just days after Chris Ortega's double-lung transplant.
Since the unfortunate death of her
sister and her own rehabilitation, Ortega has found comfort in advocating the impact of organ donation "Right after my transplant I got really involved. People are not educated enough,"	Ortega said.
"Anybody can become an organ donor."
The entire country is emphasizing the importance of donating organs during National Organ and Tissue Donor Week (April 20-26).
The Organ	Procurement
Organization, at the UM School of Medicine, and	PanAtnerican
Hospital are the sponsors of the special week that aims to increase
awareness among the South Florida college community.
In the last seven years, the number of people needing transplants has tripled to 50,000. Nine to 10 people die a day waiting for a transplant, said Karen Garcia of the Organ Procurement Organization.
According to Ken Trachy of the Organ Procurement Organization, this week will be an effort to combat the many misconceptions about organ donation through education.
"Organ Donation Week is about trying to bring America to an understanding with education," Trachy said. "We want to try to alleviate
some unfounded fears."
There are a lot of myths that keep people from becoming organ donors, Garcia said.
"The major misconception is that people have a belief that their religion does not support organ donation," Garcia said.
People also fear that donating organs will leave scars and will permanently disfigure their bodies.
"There are no visible scars," Garcia said.'' You can have an open casket [funeral].”
See ORGANS • Page 2
Poor attendance at International Week
■ Rain blamed for lack of participation
By SARAH GUARNACCIA and KRISTIN DELUCA
Of the Staff
Despite having the chance to taste free Japanese curry and sushi rolls, some students kept from enjoying International Week because of moderate weather conditions.
"We give out free food so it will attract more people, but it's cloudy, so not as many people showed up as would have if it was nicer out,"
said Lorenz Michel Pruss, member of the Japanese Club.
Since International Week events began Monday, students have visited the likes of Europe, Japan. Thailand and Africa by way of the University Center Patio.
Students have had a chance to feast on ethnic foods from India, the Middle East, Asia and Europe, and to leant about different cultural dances and customs.
Organizers say events are planned all for the sake of helping students develop an understanding of the many cultures that this university represents.
"It's a chance to try different foods and learn about different cultures," Pruss said.
Each year, organizers said the event lends itself an opportunity to become even better than the year before.
The different international organizations and the Council on International Students and Organizations plan activities to draw students together.
Many students participating felt that they accomplished that.
"The [Japanese] club has been preparing for three weeks. The success has been pretty good," Pruss said.
Artima Siriwan disagrees with FYuss in saying that the week has not been as promising as she thought it would be.
"The week has not been very successful," Siriwan said. "Last year there was a much better turnout."
Even though she said she feels the intent of International Week is to “tie nationalities together," the fellowship cannot be accomplished without much student involvement.
Siriwan said the weather is the biggest factor in the low student turnout, as opposed to the role of ignorance played by the part of the students.
"The rain affected the event a lot. There would be much more people if it didn't rain all week," Siriwan said.
Events continue until tomorrow night’s Closing Ceremonies.
J.J. GAMA- LOBO / Hurricane Photographer
BROWSING THE WORLD: UM International student Nelson Castellanos looks at the shopping opportunities on the UC Patio.
|.|. GAMA -LOBO / Hurricane Photographer
CHA-CHA-CHA: [uan and Rosalba Reyes sway with the music on the Patio as a part of International Week. They are members of the Somos Peru Inca Heritage Cultural Group.
UM Muslim students pray for fire victims
■ Fire swept through Mecca, Saudi Arabia, late Tuesday
By KELLY RUANE
News Editor
While they prayed to celebrate the Islamic Eid U'addah holiday on the University Center Patio yesterday morning, Muslim students also thought of the victims of a fire that spread through a pilgrim camp in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday.
The Muslim students on campus included in their prayers thoughts of the pilgrims in Mecca, who were killed when a fire swept through a tent city in the Islamic holy city Tuesday afternoon. Over 200 were estimated killed or injured in the fire, on the holiest of Muslim holidays.
The Eid u'addah holiday is the first 10 days of Zhul Hija, the last month in the Islamic lunar calendar. Pilgrims are required to make a trip to Mecca, if they have the means to do so.
Haseeb Jabbar. president of the Muslim Students Association, said the Muslims are comforted after the tragedy in Mecca because they believe the hajjis, the Muslim word for pilgrims, are in paradise now.
"The belief of Muslims is that [the hajjis) are in paradise now,” Jabbar
said. "When you make that pilgrimage and you go with a sincere heart, once you perform that duty for God alone, then all your sins have been forgiven and you come back like a newborn baby."
Jabbar said even if the hajjis had not yet fully made the hajj—the pilgrimage—they were still considered free of sin.
"Even if I make the intention and 1 die on my way to the hajj, as long as the intention was pure then sins will be forgiven," Jabbar said. "God knows best but the general belief is that those people are bound for paradise."
Jabbar said what humans think is terrible, such as the tragedy in Mecca, is not so extreme in his god's eyes.
"It's very disturbing for us to see that happen, but I believe it's pan of God's plan," Jabbar said. "God knows best. In our shallow view of things it does seem terrible and discouraging. but God has the bigger picture. We say 'How can all this evil be happening?' but we think in terms of the close vicinity where the bigger picture is beyond."
Jabbar said conditions in Mecca are not usually hazardous and have improved over the years.
"My parents made the hajj and generally speaking because Saudi Arabia is a wealthy country they do make very good accommodations," Jabbar said. "The areas where pilgrims do go for the hajj are facilitated for large amounts of people, but
at the same time, with over 2 million people, you just have so much control."
The festival of Eid Ud'Addah began yesterday.
The holiday commemorates the time when the Muslim prophet Abraham was told to sacrifice his son Ishmael.
Jabbar said this holiday emphasizes another difference between Islam and the Judeo-Chrislian doctrine
"We believe the son to be sacrificed was Ishmael, not Isaac," Jabbar said.
Jabbar said that in the Book of Genesis, the story is told in which Ishmael is cradled by his mother Haggar. who is crying because she fears her son will die of thirst.
"The angels come to her and tell her that he is going to be a great father of a nation and then she looks over and she sees a gushing well," Jabbar said. "That is what we call the Well of Zumzum, and it's basically in the middle of the desert but it supplies millions of people."
During the firs 10 days of this month. Muslims from all over the world fulfill their obligation to perform the pilgrimage to Mecca once in their lifetime.
‘ "If they have the means to do so [then they go] to the holy city of Mecca, Arabia," Jabbar said. "Within these 10 days there's Muslims in the city who congregate
See MUSLIMS • Page 2
Hillel prepares UM for Passover
■ UM students invited to two Seder dinners to celebrate Jewish holiday
By SARAH GUARNACCIA
Assistant News Editor
The Jewish community of the University of Miami will celebrate passover with two days of sacred meals.
The Greater Miami Hillel Jewish Student Center is inviting students who will not have the chance to share this holiday with their families to attend the Seder meals with them on Monday and Tuesday evening.
"The climax is the Seder, which is the first major ceremony of Passover," said Rabbi Jeffrey Falick of Hillel.
Passover begins when those of the Jewish faith sit down to their Seder.
With special stories, foods and songs, the holiday celebrates the Exodus of the Hebrews from Egyptian bondage under the Pharaoh’s rule.
During the eight days of passover, most of the Jewish community will not eat foods that contain leavened bread, such as matze crackers. This reminds the Jews of the bread that did not have time to rise when the Hebrews abruptly left Egypt.
Other meals include Jewish delicacies such as matzo ball soup and gefilte fish.
The name Passover is taken from the Book of Exodus and refers to the tenth plague inflicted upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians, as thei. first-born children were struck down by God, who "passes over" the Israelite first bom.
"One of the most important pans of being Jewish is remembering. We are people who are very deeply rooted," said Rabbi Jeffrey Falick. "We Jews have a history."
According to Falick. some Christians celebrate the Seder meals believing that this was Christ's last supper.
The Passover represents to Falick an ongoing quest for freedom for the Jewish community, stating that the role they played in Egypt was the world's first account of slavery.
"It is a holiday of freedom," Falick said.
Generally inaugurated m the home, F*assover without family may leave a void in the lives of Jewish students.
"We hope to fill the void where young people can't undertake the holiday," Falick said.
Students ar> urged to connect with their families during this special holiday.
However, Hillel has also put together gift baskets for the oar-ents to purchase for their children who are far from home.
"It's a little sampling, t care package," Falick said.
Students interested in participating with the Seder at Hillel are urged to reserve a table setting for $20 today only.