Miami Hurricane, November 20, 1998

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Cosford gets medieval with the Elizabeth premiere
ACCENT page 7
Lady Canes edge Florida International
SPORTS page 5
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Coral Gables, Florida
Since 1927
Volume 76, Number 22
WWW.HURRICANE.MIAMI.EDU
Friday, November 20,1998
Campus safety at risk?
Legality of department questioned
By KELLY RUANE,
CHRIS SOBEL and
VICTORIA BALLARD
Ot the Staff
The University of Miami’s contract with the City of Coral Gables regarding its police officers has created a two-tiered department that some officers say has caused breakdowns in morale and consequently diminished campus safety.
In 1947, the University of Miami signed a contract with the City of Coral Gables, calling for the city to furnish the University with four sworn police officers to patrol and provide law enforcement on campus.
“The University was to pay any and all salaries and benefits, and provide equipment, supplies and automobiles for those officers,” said Robert Blake, who serves as general
counsel for the University.
In 1%9, the University and the city entered into an amended agreement that according to Blake, allowed the University to employ the police officers as full time University of Miami employees who were deputized by the City of Coral Gables.
That contract reads, "Any police officers hired under the terms of this agreement will be employees of and will be compensated by the University... the police officers will not be subject to trial board hearings and will instead be disciplined by the University, provided, however, that the Chief of Police of the City will have the right to revoke the oath of office of any police officer for just cause.”
According to Miami attorney john Leighton, that partnership is illegal. Leighton is the attorney who represented the families
of Marlin Barnes and Timwanika Lumpkins in their 1996 lawsuit against the University. The families sued for federal civil rights violations, Leighton said, and m their lawsuit alleged that this partnership between the University and Coral Gables jeopardized the safety of students. The Barnes suit was dismissed and the Lumpkins suit is still pend-mg.
“The City ot Coral Gables has contracted away its duty to provide protection to a private company. It’s illegal. You can’t do that,” Leighton said.
“UM police officers are Coral Gables officers. They are sworn in through Gables but are employees of the University of Miami,” Leighton said. “When they are working there, they are paid and directed by the University. All
See POLICE • Page 3
Public Safety’s future uncertain
UM and CGPD equipment differs
By KELLY RUANE and CHRIS SOBEL
Of the Staff
The University has questioned the future of the Department of Public Safety for at least 10 years, considering privatization or a complete integration with the City of Coral Gables.
In the early 1990s, the University was considering making Public Safety into an independent police department.
Eric Shoemaker, former director of Public Safety, had helped draft legislation in Virginia before coming to the
University, that allowed independent colleges and universities to establish police departments.
In a memo to current Athletic Director Paul Dee, who served at the time as general counsel, Shoemaker said that if the Public Safety department went independent, it would be subject to the same rules as Coral Gables. Also included in that memo was the possibility of integrating the Public Safety department fully into the City of Coral Gables.
“1 view that as a loss of control by the University over the police operation, with Coral
By KELLY RUANE and CHRIS SOBEL
Of the Staff
Even though the officers who work for the UM Department of Public Safety are fully deputized police officers, as full-time employees of the University, they are subject to University control. This includes their equipment and weapons.
University of Miami Vice President for Business Services Alan Fish said the University supplies its public safety officers with the same equipment and uniforms as their Coral Gables counterparts.
“The equipment, guhs and
badges are provided and owned by the University,” Fish said. “It’s the same as what is used by Coral Gables.”
Not so, says a Public Safety officer, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
“Coral Gables uses the Glock Model .22 and we (at Public Safety! use Glock Model .23, which is a compact version,” the officer said. “It’s a smaller gun. It’s less intimidating.”
The officer also pointed to the bicycles used for the UM Bike Patrol as cheaper than those used by the Coral Gables police.
“They are several hundred dollars cheaper,” the officer said.
See SAFETY • Page 3
See EQUIPMENT • Page 2
Shalala pushes women’s issues
Secretary addresses health care and welfare reform
By VICTORIA BALLARD
News Editor
Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala spoke to UM students and faculty at the Storer Auditorium Monday about the changing face of women’s roles in American health care.
Shalala visited UM as part of the Jane Roberts Lecture Series from the College of Arts and Sciences.
Shalala discussed the challenges of health care and single mothers.
Shalala is the longest serving HHS secretary since the post’s creation.
“She is a distinguished public servant and close personal friend who has made children her particular cause,” said University of Miami President Edward T. Foote II in his introduction. “Under her, we have seen the greatest transfer of human beings from welfare to work.”
One of Shalala’s specific areas of concentration has been welfare to work programs.
Since Shalala came from an education background, she said being president of a college is very difficult.
“The U.S. Senate is easier than any faculty senate,” said Shalala. “It’s a commitment you have for the rest of your lives.”
Shalala said women should have justice, equality and unity.
“When women have those things, good things happen for children and families,” said Shalala.
This year marks an important milestone in the history of women, said Shalala.
“Jt’s the 150th anniversary of the birth of the women’s movement in
Seneca Falls," said Shalala.
There are women today in Congress, the courts, health care and corporations.
“There are more women in the Cabinet," said Shalala.
Shalala said the country’s priorities have been re-ordered to have family issues.
“Those really need to be on the national stage,”said Shalala.“! am particularly proud of our progress in women’s health.”
Breast cancer research is becoming more in-depth and important, said Shalala. Several things have been determined regarding the health of mothers.
The health of the child is directly related to the health of the mother. The entire family dynamic is dependent on the health of the mother. Finally, women traditionally make the family health decisions.
“We’ve waited a million years for women’s health to be on the national stage,” said Shalala. “It became part of the national agenda when women began to push for action. Activism has led to a national response to breast cancer”
Shalala said the nations political leaders are committed to women’s health.
“The women’s health initiative is beginning clinical trials for a wide range of women,” said Shalala.
The trials will include 20,(XX) women at 400 sites around the country.
“We want to have no breast cancer statistics, only survivors,” said Shalala.
Umjer Shalala, HHS has orga-
See SPEECH • Page 2
MATT STROSHANE/ Photo Editor POWER: Donna Shalala smiles during her speech
■ ARTS AND
SCIENCES
LECTURE
The Department ot Foreign Languages and Literatures in the College of Arts and Sciences is sponsoring a lecture by Mane-Claire Blais Blais is a Quebec novelist, playwright. poet and Guggenheim Fellow
The lecture will be “Violence on the Stage" with readings trom The Execution »id The Island The lecture is on Monday, November 23, at 4:15 p m in UC 245 Refreshments will be served
■ SENIOR YEAR BOOK PICTURES
The final days of senior yearbook pictures are going on now The pictures can be taken from November 23-24 On Monday, the picture times are from 9-5 p m and on Tuesday trom 12-8 p.m. The pictures are bemg taken in the Toppel Carelf Center
Retakes and make-ups are available The sitting fee for the pictures is $10 The senior yearbook pictures will be printed in color this year Formal dress is required during the sitting
December graduates can register to have me yearbook mailed to them Sign-ups at me photo shoot or in the Ibis office in UC 229
■ RESEARCH IN GENDER
Dr Ann Brittain will present a lecture on “Marriage »to Childbearing as Old Age Insurance in St Vincent and the Grenadines "
The lecture is sponsored by me Women's Studies Program in me College of Arts and Sciences »The lecture is on
today trom 12-1 p.m. in UC Room 237.
The final lecture m the series is on Wednesday. December 2, from 12-1 p m. in Room 219 of the Art Building The speaker will be Paula Harper of the Art and Art History Department
S
■ WELLNESS CENTER OFFERS CLASSES
Beginner and intermediate level racquetball lessons will be offered this month at me George A Smathers Wellness Center
Beginner classes start Monday. November 23, at 6 and 7 p.m . while intermedi-
ate classes begin Tuesday. November 24. also at 6 and 7 pm Ptease call (3p5) 284-5433 for more information The Wellness Canter has several indoor racquetball courts and two squash courts Racquets can be borrowed trom the Wellness Center pro shop with a valid Cane Card ID