Miami Hurricane, November 08, 1991

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VOLUME
HAPPY HOMECOMING
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1991
FRESHMEN SURPRISE
Freshmen basketball players Ocheil Swaby, Pat Lawrence and Constantin Popa had an impressive debut in the Hurricane's victory over the Czechoslovakian Selects team.
■ Sports — page 7
THE HURRICANE RECOMMENDS
Monday and Tuesday, students will have the opportunity to voice their opinions on several important referenda during SG’s fall elections. After analyzing the issues, The Hurricane makes its suggestions.
■ Opinion —page 4
NEWSBRIEFS
Suspect in Towers thefts sought by Public Safety
Students living in two rooms on the twelfth floor of McDonald Tower in Hecht Residential College were the victim of grand theft on Oct. 28, according to Department of Public Safety reports.
The first theft took place early in the morning when two students left their door unlocked and went to sleep. When the roommates awoke hours later, they found their wallets, jewelry and money missing. The total loss is estimated at over $400.
A second theft occurred two doors down the hall when a student left her room unlocked while taking a shower in the community bathroom. Upon her return, she found jewelry and watches missing — valued at over $1,000.
"A maintenance man with a cart was seen standing at my doorway at 9 a.m., talking into the room, but there was no one there until noon," said Laura Zinn, the victim of the second theft.
According to Public Safety Officer Armondo Hernandez, the suspect is a white male, 5 feet, 10 inches to 6-feet tall and very thin, weighing approximately 140-160 pounds. The suspect has been described by students living in Hecht as being dressed in a maintenance uniform and pushing a cart.
—	PAMELA WILFINGER
FSU packages available
Approximately 70 trip packages, sponsored by Student Government, to the UM-FSU football game on Saturday, Nov. 16 are still available.
The trip, which includes a game ticket, one night’s stay at a hotel, transportation and meals, costs $95 and can be paid by cash or money order at the SG office. The bus will leave at 10 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 15 and will return at 11 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 17.
People who have vouchers for the game can also fill the extra packages.
"We will still sell the trip to people with vouchers who just need to go on a bus for $70, which includes everything except a ticket,” said Tracy Krulik, the athletic affairs chairperson.
A meeting will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 12 in the Ibis cafeteria at 6 p.m. to discuss the trip, the itinerary and the bus schedule.
—	PAMELA WILFINGER
Ronald Hammond: 1932-1991
Administrator dies suddenly on recruiting trip in Tallahassee
By ROBERT MILLER
Editor In Chief
Ronald Hammond, associate director of Minority Student Support Services, died late Wednesday night at the Tallahassee Memorial Medical Center while on a minority recruiting trip in Tallahassee, Fla. Hammond was 59 years old.
The exact cause of death is unknown. “We don’t know whether he had a stroke, or an aneurism or what," daughter Karen Burney, said.
Hammond collapsed Tuesday afternoon and remained unconscious until 10 p.m. Wednesday, when family members decided to remove the life support systems.
"He never regained consciousness," Burney said.
"His early work in setting up the department was key to helping the University achieve its goal of graduating as many black students as possible from this University,” Vice President for Student Affairs William Butler said. "You will never find a finer, more committed person to our students.”
Hammond stepped down as director of
Minority Student Support Services last December, after serving in that role for five years, because of health and personal reasons. Joanne Nottingham assumed the role of director over the summer while Hammond became the associate director at that time.
“He was a great leader, a great guide to the ins and outs of UM,” Joanne Nottingham, director of Minority Student Support Services, said. “He really helped make my transition super-easy.”
Hammond began working for the University of Miami in 1972 as associate director of student financial aid.
Through his work with the Achievers of Greater Miami, Hammond was responsible for establishing UM’s Golden Scholarships to provide full tuition scholarships to approximately 10 black students from South Florida every year. On Oct. 25, Hammond was presented the first Silver Trumpet Award by the Federation of Historically Black Greek Letter Organizations. The award, to be presented annually, recognizes the outstanding service of UM black faculty and staff.
While at the University, he also served
as adviser to the United Black Students (UBS). While he was president of UBS, Winston Warrior, now the Student Government vice president, got to know Hammond and says he was a "gentle man.”
“He touched a lot of lives at UM, and I think a lot of people didn’t realize how much (he had touched them) until he was gone," Warrior said. "Everybody appreciated him, but none really took the time to stop and think about what kind of an impact he had.”
An accomplished pianist, Hammond was also adviser to the Inspirational Concert Choir, in addition to playing in bands on campus and in the community.
Butler said Hammond would be missed on campus.
"The fact that this year black student enrollment at the University of Miami jumped to more than nine percent of the student body can be credited to Ron Hammond,” Butler said.
Hammond is survived by 10 children and 15 grandchildren.
Funeral services have been tentatively scheduled for Monday at The Range Funeral Home, 5727 N.W. 17th Ave.
HAMMOND: Served as director of Minority Student Support Services for five years, until he stepped aside to become associate director last winter because of health and personal reasons.
J.C. RIDLEY/Staff Photographer
ANTICIPATION: Students scheduled to register for spring classes wait in line at the College of Arts and Sciences and School of Communication registration center in the Merrick Building Tuesday. The long lines and delays were caused by a computer software malfunction which affected all registration centers across campus.
Computer problems stall registration
By ASSALIM. NAME
Staff Writer
Although spring 1992 registration began Monday at the University of Miami, the On-line Student Computer Assisted Registration (OSCAR) system was down for most of the day, causing delays for students.
According to Lewis Temares, vice president for Information Resources, the computer malfunction was due to a software problem.
"We just couldn't find the problem. It was an internal problem that was eventually found in the data base. The problem was resolved by 9 p.m. that evening,” Temares said.
According to Scott Ingold, assistant dean of Enrollment Services, the computer system would come back on for short periods of time throughout the day and then shut off.
"This is the first time our computer systems have been down for
that length of time," Katharine Thompson, manager of the Division of Registration, said.
Thompson said when it comes to the process of scheduling appointments, certain students have preference over others.
"Registration is determined by the number of credit hours,” Thompson said. “The President’s 100 register first, then the Honors Plus and the regular honor students. The second group to register is the athletes and then the special groups.”
As a result of the computer breakdown, members of the staff from Enrollment Services collected course request forms from 72 students who had appointments on Monday. Early Tuesday morning, the registration offices began entering the students’ registration forms into the system.
Ingold said when Tuesday's appointments began at 10 a.m., Monday’s registration had been completed.
Despite the delay in registration, Thompson said the overall student reaction was positive.
“They were great,” Thomson said. “They were very patient and understanding.”
Jeff Lurie, a third year architecture student, who had an appointment to register on Monday at 12:30 p.m., said the registration process was not such a big deal. Lurie is registered for the spring semester.
“I understand what was going on,” Lurie said, adding the staff at the School of Architecture registration office were very helpful. "Things like this happen.”
Ingold said the daily appointment lines were moving rather quickly.
Cristina Ramirez, freshman, said she was scheduled to register at 1:45 p.m. Wednesday and was not delayed as a result of the registration backup.
”1 went in immediately and got registered,” Ramirez said.
Students to vote on five referenda
■ Among other things, Students will be able to vote on whether the Student Activity Fee Allocation Committee (SAFAC) should become part of Student Government.
By FERNANDO BATTAGLIA
Assistant News Editor
In addition to voting for Student Government senators in this fall election, University of Miami students will be asked to voice their opinions on five referenda.
One referendum asks whether students would favor making the Student Activity Fee Allocation Committee (SAFAC) a part of Student Government.
“It's primarily a straw poll. We're doing it to see if there is student support,” Jeff Skubick, senator for Eaton Residential College and the author of the referendum, said.
Irwin Raij, SG president, said a vote in favor of the change would signal to the SG Senate they should consider how the change would be carried out.
Raij said if the students pass the referendum, SG would spend approximately six to eight months devising a plan for allocation of funds by SG.
"It would probably take two years to implement it,” Raij said. “I would think any legislation would have so much work put on it that no one would be hurt and everyone would benefit.”
Since there is no plan for how SG would allocate the $65 Student Activity Fee, most people can only speculate on the impact a change would have.
"Allocation of the Student Activity Fee is a very complex process — that is, very time-consuming — and requires a great deal of time and energy ... It would virtually consume all that the (SG) Senate does," Craig UUom, director of student Life and the University Center, said. "Frankly, I don’t know if they’ll have time to do that and do their other business."
Skubick said he thinks adding SAFAC to SG would only change the amount of time senators spend in meetings.
"As far as the organizations receiving allocations, there would be no change,” Skubick said.
The other referenda on the fall election ballot are:
■	A referendum asking if full-time undergraduate students shouls be given access to all living areas in Residential Colleges between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m.
■	A referendum asking if the Student Activity Fee should be increased by $2 to purchase equipment for the Band of the Hour. Such an increase would be reexamined after five years.
■	A referendum asking whether the allocation of $.50 per student given to the cancelled Open Door program should be given back to the general allocation pool beginning with the 1992-93 fiscal year.
■	A referendum asking whether $1.05 per student from the activity fee should be given to WVUM (90.5 FM) for the next four years for the purpose of a power increase from 365 watts to about 1000 watts.
Students will also be voting for senators at the fall elections. If a run-off is necessary it will be held on Nov. 18.
Elections will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday at the University Center and in the Memorial Classroom Building.
TODAY’S FORECAST
MOSTLY CLOUDY
30% chance for rain. HIGH: 79 LOW: 68
Source: National Weather Service
Student Government's fall elections will take place Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. In:
■	The University Center Breezeway
■	Memorial Classroom Building Breezeway
HIRAM HENRIQUEZ / Graphic Artist
Arts and Sciences, library fund drive begins today
By STEVE ALVAREZ
Staff Writer
A three-year campaign to raise money to improve the University of Miami’s Otto G. Richter Library and the College of Arts and Sciences will begin this afternoon.
The Cornerstone Campaign is a concentrated effort to increase the endowments of the two institutions considered to be the "cornerstone” of the University’s intellectual life.
“The campaign was organized because we had a successful campaign of $517.5 million, but despite its success, it still had unmet needs,” Frank D. Rodgers, director of Libraries said. "One of them is the addition to the library.”
One half of the campaign is aimed toward enriching the quality of the faculty members within the College of Arts and Sciences, providing student financial support, and building state-of-the-art laboratories for the undergraduates.
The other library improvements focus mainly on expansion.
Both received funding in the past, but have fallen short of annual budgets and have been insufficient for improvements.
Expansion of the east side of the library, included in last month’s Master Plan, will provide additional space for students and faculty. The physical changes to the library will include an additional L-shaped wing, an exterior elevator on the tower, a new main entrance and the enclosure of the breezeway at the main entrance.
Other changes will include improved check out procedures, immediate access to the reference area, and additional space, according to Rodgers.
The Richter Library opened in 1962 with a one million volume collection and seating for 2,000 University personnel. Currently, the
Please see page 2/CAMPAIGN
Victim awaits response
By CONNIE PILOTO
Assistant News Editor
Elizabeth Comesanas, the University of Miami junior who was allegedly physically assaulted this summer on the UM campus has still not received any information from Dean of Students William Sandler regarding the sentence imposed by UM on her attacker.
On Oct. 29 Sandler said he made a decision and would send Comesanas a written notice of Gregory Sheffield’s sentence.
Comesanas said, as of Wednesday, she had not received anything from Sandler’s office.
Sandler said his office mailed Comesanas a written notice of his decision on Nov.l, and she should receive the notice sometime soon.
Under the privacy act of 1974 (the Buckley Amendment) Sandler
said he could not disclose the outcome of Sheffield’s sentence. The victim of a violent crime is the only other person that can be informed of the outcome of the case, he added.
“A stop has been placed on his registration, his transcript and he has been given a trespass warning. I can’t say anything else," Sandler said.
Comesanas said she does not believe Sandler has made a decision.
“I think I have been patient. Dean Sandler is still procrastinating. I don’t believe he has made a decision,” Comesanas said. "Little did I know, the physical assault by Gregory Sheffield was just the beginning. The emotional and mental torture by Dean Sandler is the real pain of this unfortunate incident in my life.”