Miami Hurricane, February 16, 2001

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Volume 78, Number 34
WWW.HURRICANE.MIAMI.EDU
Friday, February 16,2001
February 19-24: A for Life
rejoining the
BATTLE AGAINST AIDS
A Week for Life finds a focus in compassion
By Vera Nji
Hurricane Staff Writer
A Week For Life, a programming board of the Butler Volunteer Services center, annually sets aside a week in February to educate students about HIV and AIDS.
This year, the event will take place next week, from Feb. 19-24.
Throughout the week, there will be diverse programming encouraging students to reduce at-risk behaviors by making positive choices, said organizers.
Members of the week’s programming board say they are committed to educating themselves and their peers on issues routed to HIV and AIDS.
Sophomore Hilary Renaldy, co-chair of the weeks quilt display, said she wants to remind students that showing compassion toward people who have HIV or AIDS is key during the week.
“People must realize that AIDS is out there and you can’t stereotype it to one particular group,” said Renaldy.
All week, there will be a table in the Breezeway with information about A Week For Life and the many events going on.
In addition, there will be week-long
free HIV testing in the Uhiversity Center.
Monday, there will be a Safer Sex Carnival and Info Fair from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on the UC Patio, where members of the board will be handing out free prophylactics.
They will also be handing out samples at the Life Party on Friday, Feb. 24, from 10 p.m.-1 a.m.atthe Rat.
Hecht Residential Colleges Black
Box Theatre will be hosting “Patches,” a showcase of performances dedicated to AIDS and HIV awareness on Tuesday, at 7 p.m.
Thursday, the Poetry Slam and Art Exhibit at the Wesley Center from 8 p.m.-10p.m.,will welcome students to speak about AIDS or HIV and other related topics.
Live music and refreshments will be provided, including a grand prize to be given to the best speaker. The event is being sponsored by Hurricane Productions. CARE Resources is sponsoring an AIDS Walk on Saturday, Feb. 24, at 5 p.m. in Bayfront Park.
The program board strives to promote awareness of the epidemic and prevent it from spreading further by providing students with the necessary information and services, said organizers. The leading cause of death among 13-24 year olds is AIDS-related illnesses and 35.6 million people are infected with HIV worldwide.
Schedule of Events
•	Monday, Feb. 19
Quito procession, dedication of permanent quilt display case, Safer Sex Carnival and Info Fair, Candlelight Vigil
•	Tuesday, Feb. 20
“Patches,” a performance by The Black Box Theater
•	Wednesday, Feb. 21
Keynote Speaker
•	Thursday, Feb. 22
Poetry Slam and Art Exhibit
• Friday, Feb. 23
Life Party # the Rathskeller
Saturday, Feb. 24 AIDS Walk
All week long
HIV Testing

For more information, call the Volunteer Services Center at 305-284-4483
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Nursing awareness
KATIE RIGGAN / Hurricane Staff
DRAWING NEW BLOOD: School of Nursing faculty member Sherry Pontious (standing) shares experience and information on the School with applicants Linda España (left) and Katia Ramirez at the School of Nursing’s Open FHouse, Tuesday.
At work and play with the University Center’s “Zap”
Marcos Zapata shares stories of life on UM’s laid-back side
By Danielle Scott
Assistant News Editor
Did you know that the University of Miami was once known as Suntan U? Did you know that the football team once snuck into the school swimming pool for a late night diving initiation? Did you know that the UC used to have a bowling alley?
That was all a long time ago. A lot
JORGE GALVEZ / Hurricane Staff ‘OH, THAT GUY!’ University Center Evening Supervisor, Zap, wears a smile familiar to students since 1984.
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of things have changed since then, and Zap has seen it all.
University Center Evening Supervisor Marcos Zapata, better known to the campus community as “Zap,” came to UM as a student in 1977 and he has been here ever since.
“It’s been a while. I got here before President Foote got here!” Zap said, taking a break from his nighttime duties of creeping around at the edges of the UC’s events and activities, making sure they all go smoothly.
On his first day on campus, one of the first fellow-students he met gave him his nickname.
“I had never had a nickname before, so I said okay, whatever. And then the nickname just happened to stick,” Zap said.
“Everybody knew me as Zap before they even knew my name and who 1 was. My real name still doesn’t ring a bell to a lot of people. But if you tell them about Zap everybody knows who you are talking about. They say, *0h that guy!"
In November of 1984 Zap took on the job of evening cashier in the games room in the UC and has been in the UC ever since. Eventually, he became the assistant to the University Center’s associate director. Finally, three years ago he became evening supervisor, the position he holds to this day.
“It’s what I’ve done the most. It’s the non-class time attitude of the students. Everyone’s more relaxed and not in a rush," Zap said.
“And,” he added in a conspiratorial whisper,“there’s no bosses around!”
Zap’s responsibilities include making sure that all the nighttime meetings and events in the UC go smoothly, setting up the tables and equipment for the next day’s activities, and as an added perk, he said, chasing away the skateboarders that come by almost every night.
“It’s tough. It’s a tug-of-war type of thing. There are a lot of skateboarders in Miami. And when it’s printed on the Internet and in the New Times that UM is ‘the best skating area in Florida,’ they are going to keep on coming,” Zap said.
Aside from law-breaking skateboarders, Zap said has seen and had to deal with plenty of other things in his time here at UM.
He can tell you stories of the “old days” when the school was full of spirit, and there was a well-attended event on campus for every night of the week.
“It used to be more fun back then. The Rat was the happening place. For a pep rally once they even had the Band of the Hour march through the Rat, in one door and out the other, just playing away. It was great!” he
said.
He can also tell you why he thinks the University Center is no longer the student center it used to be.
“Once they took the bowling alley out in April of 1994—which, in my opinion, was a very big mis-t a k e — w e immediately lost about 90 percent of our traffic. And everything went downhill from there,”
Zap said.
The move was a sneaky one for the school, done just after students had been
let out for summer break, said Zap.
Though the bowling alley is gone. Zap is still here, and he says it is because he enjoys dealing with students.
“I’m honestly not in it just for the money!” he joked.
Zap said he shows no airs of superiority over students, which they appreciate, and he almost seems like a big kid himself.	.
“They see me. They know my position. Many people respect that. They
Hurricane
Marcos Zapata
know what I am, what 1 can and can’t do and also what I’m willing to let go.”
“I’ve caught the football team in the pool after hours, already,” Zap said of one example of something he has “let go.”
About four years ago, Zap found the whole football team jumping off the diving board after the pool closed, he said. They told him it was their initiation and asked him not to stop them.
“What could I do? There are 50 of them and only one of me!" he said of the incident.
So, in 20 years time will students still sec Zap in the UC?
Maybe.
“Well, it isn't as much fun as it used to be. It’s been a good ride. I had fun. but it seems to have gotten to the point where it’s run its course,” Zap said. But that’s not to say he’s going to leave any time soon.
“Who knows?” he added, “I’m still waiting to see what I want to do when I grow up!”
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