Miami Hurricane, August 24, 2001

              UM tops The Hurricane ’s Top 25 poll
SPORTS page 7
Pie satisfies once again
ACCENT page 13
Volume 79, Number 1	WWW.HURRICANE.MIAMI.EDU______________. Friday, August 24.2001

Construction found all over campus
By Jeremy Marks-Peltz and Gelena Mosovich
Hurricane Staff Writers
Everywhere University of Miami students turn on campus there are road blocks, detours and noise pollution.
However, these are good things, said new president Donna Shalala.
“It’s a sign of a dynamic campus, a campus which is moving to get better," Shalala said. “We’re on the move!”
The University of Miami has begun construction projects to rejuvenate the University (enter and the Rock, increase parking spaces, light up San Amaro Drive, build a convocation center and a music library, and renovate the Hecht Athletic Center, the Intramural Field, the Otto G. Richter Library, and the Mark Light Baseball Stadium.
The revamping of the University Center and the Rock began this summer, said Richard Walker, direc tor of the UC and Student Life.
The Rock was all concrete, old and uneven, Walker said. The area has been opened up to alkiw better traffic flow and more usable space for seating.
This Wednesday, the University Credit Union opened its first branch on campus in the University Center.
The video arcade, table tennis and billiards tables were removed to accommodate the credit union but should be back by the end of October, accompanied by a cybercafe, Walker said. However, the billiards are will be reduced to tour tables
The addition of more surface parking lots and two new parking garages headlines the universitys upcoming construction projects. Several surface parking kits, adding outdoor parking spaces, should be ready by early 2002.
The biggest difference will come the two new indoor garages and the expansion of another.
Pavia, a four-story garage, will contain 561 spaces, and Pearson, a two-story garage, will hold 532 spaces. Ponce De Leon garage is expanding to hold 1,072 more cars. The target date tor all three garages is Fall 2002.
Freshmen expressed excitement about the larger number of spaces.
“The additions to the lots are good because more people will now bring cars to the campus," said Lindsay Eady.
Lady did not bring a car but said she would consider doing so once the new spaces are added.
In an effort to improve several aspects of the perimeter of the University of Miami, the University collaborated with the City of Coral Gables to impfement the San Amaro Drive.
Initially, this project concentrated on constructing a well lit sidewalk to run parallel to San Amaru Drive on the north portion of campus. However, UM broadened its construction goals to benefit not only the school, but the surrounding community as well.
“Alter acknowledging an influx of public input about safety, the University went above and beyond the city’s expectations to also address traffic calming and landscaping issues,” said (anet Gavarret,
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Freshmen, transfers mingle with the new administration
ERIN HAAS / Hurricane Staff • ON THE LAWN: Students enjoy the barbecue after meeting President Shalala.
USA PfNELLI / Photo Editor C-A-N-E-S:The UM
Cheerleaders performed as a part of Welcome Week festivities.
ERIN HAAS / Hurricane Staff
SITTING ON THE DOCK: New students relax on the dock at the president’s mansion during the President s Picnic on Tuesday afternoon.
Shalala plans for the Universitys next 75 years
By Danielle Scott
News Editor
University of Miami President, Dr. Donna F.. Shalala, says that the largest part of her new job is listening. Student feedback is of the utmost importance, she said, and making the university more student-oriented and responsive is her main priority.
“1 want to hear what they think we should do in order to improve their education,”said Shalala
After meeting some of UM’s promi nent student leaders such as Student Government President lose Diaz and Graduate Student Association President Cynthia Chapel during the first week of |une, Shalala said that
many of her ideas to improve the school will come directly from her interactions with the siudents.
“Shalala brings a fresh perspective to the University of Miami because she makes sure she never becomes complacent," said Diaz‘She has a proactive talent fur leadership and great experience.”
Already Shalala has approved the Safe Ride program initiated by Student (lovernment so that students unable to drive home from Coconut Grove can take a ride in the Hurry-Cane Express Shuttles.
“From the get-go she worked right along with Student Government,” Dia/. said. “She is a force to be reckoned
with.”
Diaz’s admiration for the new UM President is mirrored in Shalala’s praise of her students
The diversity that occurs only in Miami, along with UM’s great standing as a research institution were two of Shalala’s main attractions to the university, she said. She believes UM is in the unique position for students and faculty to combine top-class education with diverse and growing social interaction.
“I was told some of the smartest students in the country and from other countries attend this University. I’ve seen that first hand in the people I have met here already,” Shalala said. “ You
never grow old when you are around young people. I absolutely love this
place.”
As she has always done when work ing with universities, Shalala hopes to teach in her area—political science. She has been a tenured professorship at Columbia University, the City University of New York (CUNY), where she also became president of Hunter College of' SUNY, and the University of Wisconsin, where she was chancellor.
With the university’s 75th anniversary looming ahead this semester, Shalala said she is ready to give it all she has to keep the university growing as a first-rate higher education institution.
“We are going to make this year symbolic," she said. “We are going to plan for the next 75.”
Shalala’s upcoming inauguration is being held in conjunction with UM’s 75th Anniversary celebrations.
“I didn’t want to spend money on myself, so I didn’t want a large inauguration,” she said. “I figured the best thing to do was combine the two of them."
“She is going to make changes that
will turn heads in positive ways, Diaz said. “As the name of our university gets stronger and stronger, it is going to be whispered in the same breath as Duke [University] and other prestigious Southern universities.”
Record recruitment finds freshmen in local hotel rooms
By Daniel Miller
Hurricane Staff Writer
While mast University of Miami freshmen spent last weekend huikiing lofts and hanging posters in their new dorm rooms, some were forced to take up residence in study kiunges and hotel rooms.
UM’s recruiting efforts have been so successful that a record percentage of
admission offers were accepted this year.
This situation—in addition to the large freshmen class admitted last year also—has left campus housing with too few beds, causing some students to be displaced.
“It was pretty intense Saturday morn ing in the towers," said Dr. Redick, Director of Residence Halls.
Displaced students were housed tern
porarih in the Holiday Inn,Terrace Inn, Building 34, guest apartments and study lounges in the residence halls.
Students in alternative housing said they have been kept quite comfortable in their accommodations
The Holiday Inn, tor example, offers daily maid services, a swimming pool, queen size beds, and plenty of parking ♦or its UM residents. Shuttle service is 4
also being ottered from 7 a.m. - 11 p.m. from the Holiday inn to Stanton! Circle.
This comfort will not last for fong though, however, said Dr. Redick.
Redick estimates that within three weeks students living in alternative housing will be rekicated into UM’s five residential colleges, filling the spaces of the students who have decided not to live on campus
As the numbers of displaced students varied with the ebb and flow of students moving in and out of residence halls,’ Redick did not give a concrete number^ However, the department of Residence Halls estimates that between 125 and 175 students leave campus housing within the first few weeks of school.
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