Miami Hurricane, August 29, 1997

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VOLUME V'NUMBER
WWW.HURRICANE.MIAMI.EDU
FRIDAY, AUGUST 29.1997
in this issue
READY TO RUMBLE
■ The Hurricanes prepare to face off against the Bears of Baylor University tomorrow at 3:30 p.m.
SPORTS, page 6
Orientation ‘97 welcomes new students
■ Events aim to introduce students to campus life
By SARAH GUARNACCIA
News Editor
For new students and transfers this week, discovering what it means to be a Miami Hurricane was just as important as it was to learn their new zip code.
Students who walked the University's paths for the first time were welcomed by retuning students serving as orientation assistants.
The new students were placed within groups led by a single Orientation Assistant in which they had a chance to share concerns and joys about starting college at UM.
"The more you meet people, the less and less you worry," said freshman Justin Stavitsky. "We are all in the same boat."
The OAs are the new students' first student mentor on campus, said Kerri Shaffer, program coordinator for orientation. "They meet a lot of different students. From there, they build a relationship," Shaffer said. "It's a person you can see and go up to to ask questions about anything."
Shaffer said that she has seen more enthusiasm among the new students as compared to freshman classes of the last few years and attributes this newfound energy to the qualified orientation staff.
The orientation events began with the Cane Kick-Off. On the damp grass of the intramural field, students got a taste of school spirit and Hurricane pride with an introduction to the athletes, cheerleaders and Sebastian the Ibis.
"I went to a school that didn't have much spirit," said freshman Hilary Tackin. "This
F. HUNTER CAREY / Photo Editor
OPENING NEW DOORS: The University of Miami Involvement Fair on the University Center Patio on Tuesday to welcome new freshmen into the various organizations at the University.
SUMMER SHORTS AT RING
■	The University of Miami Ring Theater was busy all summer producing Summer Shorts, a series of short plays.
ACCENT, page 10 DINE AT YOUR OWN RISK
■	|oin one student as he dissects the University dining halls and explains how to survive the experience
F. HUNTER CAREY / Photo Editor *OH THE PLACES YOU'LL GO": Suzette Benitez (center), a freshman attending Orientation is well informed on the issuse and brings a sense of humor to the session.
class has good spirit."
Through ice-breakers and silly games, students let down their guard whil“ making new friends.
"Everyone was doing the same dumb things.
It was really cool," Stavitsky said.
Some students chose to remain in their orientation groups throughout the following week. Students attended the Cane Involvement Fair and information sessions, while juggling meetings with their advisors and individual schools.
After the Cane Involvement Fair, students went back to their new rooms at the residential colleges with a bag full of goodies.
On the University Center Patio, campus organizations distributed information and
answered questions for new students hoping to get involved.
The orientation committee addressed various topics relevant to college life in workshops and seminars. "Oh, the Places You'll Go," informed students of where to go for recreation in Miami, as well has how to get there using public transportation.
Other sessions advised students about relationships. sexually transmitted diseases, date rape and alcoholism.
"I catch onto things quick," said freshman Mickey Morris. "Once I see the map and the schedule, I'm all set."
Orientation ended Wednesday at a picnic for new students at the home of University of Miami President Edward T. Foote II home on Old Cutler Road.
"It feels like I've been here a long time already," Packin said.
Within the orientation groups or on their own, most students said that they have met lots of people.
"As many people are there are, you should find a few people to get along with," said freshman Ben Sailing.
F. HUNTER CAREY / Photo Editor SIGNING UP: Students signed up at the Involvement Fair on Tuesday.
OPINION, page 12
TOPPEL ASSISTS STUDENTS LOOKING FOR FALL INTERNSHIPS
The Toppel Career Planning and Placement Center is offering assistance for students seeking fall internships.
A student information meeting will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 9, at 5-6 p.m. in the Flamingo Ballroom of the UC.
In addition, students are invited to attend the Fall Internship Placement Forum on Thursday, Sept. 11, at 5-7:30 p.m. in the Flamingo Ballroom.
Employers who are specifically seeking fall interns are attending this event to speak with students about their available internships.
Thirty organizations have confirmed tneir participation, including the ACLU, Bloomingdales, Cisneros Television Group Concept House, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Florida Power &Light, Junior Orange Bowl Committee, Mastercard Broadway Series, Miami Herald, MTV Networks Latin America, Northwestern Mutual Life, Pandisc Music Corp., Sheila	Duffy-Lehrman
Productions, U.S. Pretrial Services, and X-treme Records.
For further information, contact the Toppel Career Planning and Placement Center at 284-5451.
‘The Professor’ dies
■ Jose Partagas dedicated life to University
By BEN FERGUSON
Associate News Editor
Jose Fernandez Partagas, a renowned meteorologist and UM campus fixture sat on the couch on the first floor of the Otto G. Richter library last Friday, like he has everyday for the past ten years. Partagas suffered a heart attack and died shortly after.
The 62-year-old man once worked for the Rosenstiel School of Manne and Atmospheric Science as well as the National Hurricane Center and was currently working on cataloging all the Hurricanes of this century.
He stopped working for the University in 1986 but continued to spend all day, from 7:45 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. in Richter Library.
Many students remember him as a quiet old man with thick glasses, dressed in an old suite, holding a small silver weather radio to his ear.
"A lot of people thought he was crazy old man hut he was a great person and had a really good heart,” said grad student and friend Alex Zaldivar.
"Every body just called him The Professor,'" said Evening Circulation Supervisor Felipe Aragon. "He had two passions: Cuba and the weather—he was always talking about one or the other.”
Partagas was a diabetic. He lived off research grants and had written several articles published in meteorological publications. Since he was released from the UM payroll Partagas struggled financially.
"He was a proud man...and never asked for anything, but the library staff knew his situation and we would help him out when ever we could," said assistant to the library director Gladys
Photo courtesy of IOSE CARDONA
DEDICATION TO UM: lose Fernandez Partagas spent much of his time in the Otto G. Richter Library.
Blanco.
Partagas' body has not yet been claimed by a family member, and the existence and location of any kin is still unclear.
If no one comes forward to claim Partagas' body, Jim Gross, a longtime associate at the National Hurricane Center, plans to claim it. Blanco said they plan to cremate Partagas's remains and drop his ashes from a plane they use to fly through hurricanes.
"He gave his life to research ..He was very well informed, always willing to talk about politics or the weather," remembers Aragon.
UMTV airs new 24-hour format
■ Cable station will include Classic Arts Showcase, an MTV-style format
By ELVIRA PEREZ-ROURA
Hurricane Staff Writer
UMTV, the University of Miami's cable television channel, achieves a long-time goal today with a new satellite program service.
Classic Aits Showcase, an imaginative new television programming concept, made its debut on UMTV, Channel 24, this morning.
The programming is one year old and is running on UMTV for a trial period.
"Were all very excited about Classic Arts Showcase because its MTV-like format will appeal to students while enriching them with short segments of music, opera, ballet, classic films and art," said Susan Roumelis, director of UMTV.
UMTV will continue to air its cam-pus/community calendar from 7 to 10 a.m. each morning along with “Daybreak News."
Classic Arts Showcase can be seen from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Calendar will run again from 6 to 7 p.m. followed by a half-hour of locally-produced programs from 7 to 7:30 p.m. CNBC will continue to air from 7:30 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Classic Arts Showcase will be carried 24 hours on weekends.
Classic Arts Showcase programs two hundred different clips per week in eight hour blocks. These blocks repeat twice during the 24- hour broadcast.
Along with a few other educational television stations such as Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif., UMTV is able to carry this multimillion dollar channel at no cost.
The Classic Arts Showcase service is nonprofit and commercial free.
Roumelis said she is happy with this development.
Roumelis said, "This is a real coup. We've been working toward 24-hour programming for a long time and now it's finally possible to offer it to our viewers."
The station faces an obstacle in that not everyone knows about UMTV.
"It's unfortunate," Roumelis said, "because there are great opportunities for students to work on a variety of television programs and graduate with experience and a demo tape of their work."
Students produce a variety of shows including the award-winning News Vision, SportsDesk and interview programs such as Contact, Speak Out, To The Point and U-Talk.
TWo other stations in the area also carry many of these programs, bringing its potential viewership up to over half a million.
UMTV needs anchors, reporters, producers. writers, photographers, editors and a studio production crew.
Roumelis said anyone interested in volunteering should attend the first general meeting on Friday, Sept. 5, in Cable Studio C.