Miami Hurricane, January 30, 1987

              Underground uncovered
INSIGHT takes a look at a student publication
that is small but makes an impression.
INSIGHT — page 4
Back in the finals again
After a two-year absence, the Rugby Club wins the
chance to compete for the state championship title.
Sports — page 8
H
THE MIAMI
URRICANE
Volume 64, Number 28
University of Miami
Friday, Jan. 30, 1987
Detectors
to be installed
By PAUL DEAN
Hurricane Stan Writer
The Department of Residence
Halls will install new smoke
detectors in the Mahoney/Pearson
complex. The Residential College
and the Hecht Residential College
this summer to comply with a new
fire safety code.
According to Jack Sargent, assistant director of Residence Halls,
detectors will also be installed in
the apartment area, "hopefully
this summer."
The new fire safety code, NFPA
101 1985, mandates all high-rise
buildings to carry smoke detectors.
Sargent said that two detectors
will be installed in each apartment
m areas that have not yet been
determined.
Currently the apartment area
does not have a mechanical alarm
system but does have fire extinguishers outside the apartments
and in the inside stairways.
George Shoffner, Director of
Residence Halls, thinks the installation of detectors is a "good
idea."
According to Shoffner, the residential halls have an adequate fire
alarm system, but smoke detectors
are necessary when there are "a
great deal of people in a small
area."
UnKke tho detectors In Eaton
Residential College, which ares
only In certain designated areas in
the hallways, the smoke detetors
will be Installed primarily In each
individual room.
"The point is that the majority
of the fires are going to start in
rooms," Shoffner said.
Shoffner said that the detectors
will be "hard wired"—connected
to the general electrical system—
not battery opperated portables,
because hard wired detectors are
'The point is that the
majority of the fires
are going to start in
rooms.'
George Shoffner, director of
residence halls
more reliable and. in the long run,
more cost effective.
To eliminate the problems of
having the detectors set off an
unwarranted' general alarm, each
detector will opperate independently. Thus, one would have the
opportunity to determine the extent of a disturbance before turning on the general alarm.
Disturbances ^n the "common
areas" will, however, alert the
reception desk.
Shoffner added that detectors
may eventually be installed in the
apartments, but the university will
first concentrate on the high rises
"because of the critical nature of
the facilities."
Until then, Shoffner advised that
students purchase their own detectors.
Fewer problems should arise in
the new smoke alarm systems
than in the system installed in
Eaton Residential College last
year. Most of the technical problems there have already been
worked out.
Besides smoke detectors, a
sprinkler system will be installed
In the long corridors of the
Mahoney/Pearson complex. The
installation of this system will be a
part of the major renovations
taking place in the complex.
According to Shoffner, a sprinkler system will not be necessary
in the residential towers because
the rooms are much closer to the
exits.
Trash chute fire
first for dorm
By AMY FINEGOLD
and
KAREN PLAVE
Of the Hurricone Staff
A trash chute fire on Tuesday
night was the first fire at The
Residential College, according to
Pat Whitely, resident coordinator
for The Residential College and
assistant director of personnel and
training for residence halls.
"We believe that ... someone
mistakenly threw something down
the chute," Whitely said.
A sprinkler system in the chute
automatically turned on and put
out the fire, but Whitely said that
both towers were evacuated as a
"precautionary measure."
Richard Estape, a resident of
TRC. said. "The fire department
came 10 minutes after everyone
was (back] in the building."
Whitely explained that UM's
Department of Public Safety arrived immediately with "no problem." The Coral Gables Fire
Department was also called even
though she said there was no need
for it. and firefighters responded
in about 15 minutes.
"Fires in the garbage chutes
occur on a weekly basis," said Lt.
Ber ford Barnard.
The alarm was sounded a second
time because residents mistakenly
returned inside the building before
the fire department and resident
staff indicated that they could.
Whitely added that "everyone
cooperated."
"I feel the students should be
more informed about procedures
for fire alarms," Estape said.
CHRIS HARVFYMurrii
The manatee that has been living in the channel was taken to the Miami Seaquarium Thursday.
Manatee rescued from canal
By CHRIS HARVEY
and
GEOFFREY HABRON
Of the Hurricane Staff
Well, it looks like the Lake
Osceola Monster has finally
been captured.
The Caribbean manatee, a
large, gray animal also known
as a seacow, was first sighted
swimming in the channel
behind the Merrick Building
four or five days ago by
students walking to classes.
A rescue team from the
Miami Seaquarium arrived
with a baby sling and nets at 8
a.m. on Thursday morning.
After a 20-minute search, the
manatee was discovered
submerged and sleeping near a
drainage pipe adjacent to the
bridge by the Merrick Building
and the Jenkins Building.	
A crowd of about 50 or 60
watched as the algae-covered
mammal was maneuvered into
a sling and then into a truck
headed for the holding tank at
the Seaquarium.
Dr. Gregory Bossart,
veterinary pathologist at the
Miami Seaquarium and on the
faculty at the University of
Miami Rosensteil School of
Marine and Atmospheric
Science, said the animal
appeared in good shape; his
only concern for the manatee
was the possibility of cold
shock.
The manatee is not lost but
came into the warmer, shallow
waters because of the cool
weather. The canal is a good
spot for the animal in winter
since there is plenty of food
and no motorboats in this part
of the canal.	
Few students register for CLAST
By KAREN PLAVE
Hurricane News Editor
While the University of Miami
Testing Center usually registers
over 600 students for the College
Level Academic Skills Test, only
about 200 have registered for the
Mar. 14 exam, according to Dr.
Rod Gillis, director of the center.
Students who receive financial
aid from the state of Florida must
take the CLAST during the semester in which they complete 60
credits.
The deadline for registering for
the CLAST is Feb. 13. The exam
will be given on the last Saturday
of spring vacation.
"There's no way around it,"
Gillis said. The Florida Department of Education schedules the
exam, which is given three times
each year.
The next exam will not be given
until June, so students who miss
or fail the exam may lose their
financial aid for the following
semester.
Students may have already been
notified through the mail by the
Financial Aid Office at Building
37K, but they can still pick up
applications at either the Financial
Aid Office or in the Testing Center
at Building 21V. Additional information may be obtained by calling
the center at 284-2450.
The $15 fee is applied to the
student's account, so the student
will receive a bill from the
Bursar's Office.
If students cannot take the exam
on Feb. 13 because of religious,
medical or military reasons, they
should contact the Testing Center
to find out about a makeup exam.
The test comprises four see
math computation, reading, writing and an essay. Gillis said that
more students fail the essay than
any other section. But he added
that about 90 percent of UM
students pass all sections of the
exam.
If students fail any section, thev
can retake It. Until they do, Gillis
said they can take a class in the
failed subject to save their financial aid. Such classes are available
through the Center for Developmental Studies
RA selection meetings held
ERIK COCKS/Hurrkane Stall
Memorial Grand Prix
Christopher Grande is given last-minute instructions by John Fogleson as he
prepares to start his engine during the Dodge National, which was held Monday
and Tuesday in the parking area near the Memorial Classroom Building and
sponsored by Dodge and Goodyear.
By DENISE CORBITT
Hurricane Assistant Sews Editor
Wanted: a few good students to
listen to problems, help ease
homesickness and arrange social
programs.
Rewards: free room and board,
friendship, laughter, tears and
self-esteem.
The department of residence
halls is currently holding informational meetings for students who
are interested in becoming resident assistants.
According to Pat Whitely, assistant director of personnel and
training for residence halls, the
last day students can pick up an
RA application is 8 p.m. Sunday at
the final informational meeting in
The Residential College classroom
Prospective RAs can talk with
present RAs and take part in
group interviews.
"We are looking for students to
give energy and enthusiasm to the
program — people who can work
with faculty and students," Whitely said.
The selection committee for
personnel and training consists of
faculty, administration and current RA staff.
After the initial meeting, prospective RAs meet again in small
groups with a resident coordinator
and faculty members for a group
discussion of many hypothetical
situations.
The last day students
can pick up an RA
application is 8 p.m.
Sunday at the final
informational meeting
at The Residential
College classroom.
The deadline for application is
Feb. 6. From that date until March
6, applicants will be called in for
group and individual interviews.
By April 1, letters will be mailed
to applicants informing them of
their appointments, according to
Whitely.
The RA program is a success,
according to involved students
The program, instituted to help
ease freshmen into their first
experiences away from home, has
grown into a division of support
groups that help RAs as well as
their students to grow.
"It's a fabulous leadership opportunity for students and a
chance to play a vital part in their
fellow students' growth and adjustment." Whitely said
Sheila Murman, 21. just began
her second semester as an RA, and
already, she said, her communication skills have improved.
"I'm majoring in nursing, and
it's really important to have those
skills." she said.
"I've made friends. 1 know 50
peeople or more here now and the
people I work with are really
wonderful It's the best training
I've ever received, and the positive
aspects outweigh the negative by
far."
Murman said she was inspired
to become an RA because of her
past experiences with an RA as
well as the need for a job.
"It doesn't interfere with my
studies. If anything, it helps because when I'm on call, I have to
stay in my room and study." she'
added.
Steve Coe, 24, a politics aneJ
public affairs major, has been an
RA for two years. This year is the
best year, he said, because he has a
good mix of sophomores and
freshmen
"I enjoy taking 15 or 20 people
out   at   night  for  a  movie   and
organizing beach parties," he said
Still, he claims, his studies have
suffered a bit.
"Not so much in the time I have
to set aside, but sometimes things
just come up." he said.
But. he added, the good outweighs the bad