Miami Hurricane, April 04, 1997

              RESERVE
VOLUME 74, NUMBER
in this issue
TRACK SEASON UNDER WAY
■ UM men's and women's track and field teams are set to host the Miami Gatorade Classic on Saturday.
SPORTS, page 6
THE SAINT
■	Read a review of the new action-thriller. The Saint, starring Batman Forever star Val Kilmer and Elisabeth Shue.
ACCENT, page 8 GENITAL MUTILATION
■	A new U.S. law has outlawed this age old practice which robs women in many cultures of their liberty and dignity.
OPINION, page 12
news briefs
CLINTON V. JONES ARGUED
Professor Benton Becker's Supreme Court class will argue the Supreme Court Case, Clinton v. Jones, today at 6:30 p.m. in the Law School Moot Courtroom. All students are welcome to attend the hearing. Contact Professor Becker at 662-4099 for more information.
CABLE STUDIO HOSTS SPEAKER
Alan B. Levan, who sued ABC News successfully for defamation, will be speaking at the University of Miami cable studio C at 2:30 p.m. today. The event is open to students and faculty.
Levan is chairman and chief executive officer of BankAtlantic, a $2.61 billion banking institution based out of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
A Miami jury awarded Levan nearly $10 million after deciding he had been defamed by ABC News in a story about complex real estate investments.
His appearance is being cosponsored by UMTV and the UM chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
SENATE SEATS OPEN
The Student Government Senate has open seats for the College of Arts and Sciences, Commuter North, Commuter South, junior, sophomore and music. Stop by the SG office and pick up an application if you are interested.
reminder
SPRING FORWARD
Remember to set your clocks one hour ahead before you go to bed Saturday evening, as Sunday marks the beginning of Daylight Savings Time. This yearly time change is intended to add more daylight hours to the day and no, you don't lose an hour of sleep.
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FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 1997
Greek Week ‘97 kicks off today
■ Charity part of friendly rivalries
By SARAH GUARNACCIA
Assistant News Editor
Greek Week begins today. This is a time for greeks to celebrate greek life, raise money for charity and even promote a little friendly competition
Kicking off today at S p.m. on the University Center Patio, Greek Week will involve 10 fraternities and six sororities in contests, games, speakers and concerts. The event ends on Sunday, April 13.
The campus is invited to attend the opening ceremonies and happy hour, which will take place at the Rat and begin promptly after the
opening ceremonies tonight.
"It is to incorporate fun and unity among the greeks," said junior Lara Than.
The successful blood drive last week raised over 500 pints of blood and kicked off the philanthropy aspect of Greek Week. Many of the Greek Week activities focus on serving the community.
Greeks will be responsible for collecting donations and dancing from noon to midnight in Saturday's dance-a-thon to help raise money for United Cerebral Palsy.
Last year, the greeks raised enough money to be invited to the telethon, where they presented a check for $11,000.
"It was great publicity for the school,” said Greek Week Chairman
Rob Kaminski.
For a $1 donation, students, both greek and non-greek, will have the chance to ___ dunk a greek member inside a water tank.
All the money that is raised from this event will be donated to the Christie House, which shelters abused
women. __________________________
"We are
building leadership and giving back
"We are building leadership and giving back to the community."
ROB KAMINSKI, Greek Week chair
to the community,“ Kaminski said.
Greek Week also gives the greeks a chance to compete against each other to win a best overall trophy at the end of the week.
Many of the events are based on a point system.
Final standings at the end of the week are determined by either the amount of donated money a greek collects for an event, how many members of a certain fraternity or sorority attend an event or how many points they score in a particular event.
Awards are given out to one fraternity and sorority based on the largest amount of points that they derive.
An award is also handed out to the fraternity or sorority with the most
SOAR AWARDS PRESENTED YESTERDAY
F. HUNTER CAREY / Photo Editor
EXCELLENCE RECOGNIZED: 1997 Award for Excellence recipient Mike Murphy hugs William Butler, Vice President for Student Affairs, during Thursday award ceremony while nominees Jeff Muddell, Jose Ruiz, Heather Thompson and Sevgi Ural look on in the background. Other nominees included Paula Cote, Juan Carlos del Valle, Juan Diaz, Robert Kaminski, Jason Lane, Tammy Leverenz and Leslie Suarez.
Seniors leaving their legacy
■ Scholarships a gift from seniors to future seniors
By SARAH GUARNACCIA
Assistant News Editor
The University of Miami's graduating class of 1997 is leaving a legacy behind to benefit the class of 1998 through the Senior Legacy Program
This legacy is not determined by the senior class persona, their cumulative grade-point average or even their triumphs.
It lies within their accomplishment of raising money for a scholarship program that will help next year's seniors graduate.
The Senior Legacy Program is a scholarship fund that was set up in 1992 to provide assistance for seniors who may have financial problems that are keeping them from graduating.
"I think it's a good gesture [but].
the money they give is not enough to put a student through school," said Brenda Coleman, assistant director of Alumni Relations.
Former Student Government president and Legacy co-Chair Steve Roche said Legacy allows graduating seniors to give back to the University.
“[Legacy is] sort of like passing the torch on to the incoming senior
class.”
The idea of graduating seniors leaving a legacy, or gift, for the school is common among many schools, said Coleman.
"Many schools and colleges have a legacy or some sort of gift program. Some schools may leave some kind of statue or something like that. Here, we think it's a good idea to leave a scholarship. It's mote helpful," Coleman said.
Through phone calls, mailers and face-to-face meetings, seniof representatives will approach their fellow classmates about the legacy fund.
Thirty-five percent of seniors from each college on campus are
responsible for contributing to the fund.
Funds are not raised outside of the school. The current graduating class makes up the entire scholarship.
"We want it to come from [the seniors]," Coleman said.
Depending on each school to participate generates a sense of healthy competition, which develops among the seniors in the various colleges.
In this manner, the alumni association is able to acknowledge which college is responsible for giving the most for the fund, said Coleman.
Coleman hopes to see the fund increase from year to year considering that the goal was only 33 percent last year.
"We are increasing it every year. We hope that this will not be a scholarship that will stagnate, but will continue to grow," Coleman said.
The emphasis of the scholarship is not on the amount of money that each student contributes to the fund, but rather that each student con-
tributes.
“What we need to do is increase involvement from outgoing seniors: we need more money coming in,” Roche said.
“We just need more students to demonstrate more pride in the University and [show] more willingness to help others.”
It is not possible for a senior to apply for this scholarship. Nevertheless, students who are already receiving financial aid will be likely candidates for the award. It is required that the senior have a grade point average of a 3.0 or higher.
“We want to make it known to seniors that this scholarship is available," Coleman said.
Coleman wants the students to realize the importance of giving back to their alma maters by helping out the class of 1998.
"The students are reaching out to help other students. It's really good. Students give to students," Coleman said.
Library to remain open 24 hours
■ Trial period to last three weeks to test program
By KELLY RUANE
News Editor
After a small delay. Student Government has succeeded in keeping the Otto G. Richter Library open for 24 hours. The new hours will go into effect Sunday.
Junior Shannon Neville, who had worked on the project as an SG senator, said the delay occurred due to "staffing difficulties.”
The UM security staff will be
manning the library due to problems surrounding the use of the security team from the residence halls, said Neville.
The afier-hours entrance for the library will be through the side door on the first floor into the area commonly known as the "zoo." The zoo will be the only area open to students on a 24-hour basis. Neville said students wanted a place to be able to study.
"There's no study area open 24 hours," Neville said. "There is the residence halls, but those get packed and there's no place for commuters."
Beginning Sunday, students will need their Cane Cards to enter
through the zoo door. There will be security guards checking the roster. Neville said if the University administration decides to adopt this program for next year, then the school will buy a sensor for 24-hour use.
The University will also provide escorts to and from the library.
"I can't imagine having a 24-hour service and then allowing students to walk home at 4 a.m.," Neville said.
Neville stressed that the library's entire first floor will not be open.
"It's just going to be a study center for this trial period," Neville said. "The stacks are not going to be open because that requires a staff and
there's a lot more space to be watched.”
For students who use the 24-hour library, SG will provide questionnaires for suggestions and comments.
The number of students who use the library 24 hours will determine the program's future. Based on the demand, the library will consider keeping more space open. The library's first floor is always open during final exams, Neville said.
Neville said she hopes students will take advantage of the extended hours.
"I'd really like to see it pass," Neville said.
outstanding spirit.
Last year. Lambda Chi Alpha and Delta Gamma went home with the highest scores of the week.
Despite the thrill that one gets when winning among their peers, Kaminski hopes that the sense of competition will not overcome the participants.
"Competition can bring out the best or the worst of people," he said. "It shouldn't come off as if we want to kill each other. It's not cutthroat,"
Although most of the events revolve around points and competition, Kaminski hopes that that is not what the students will be focusing on so much.
See GREEK • Page 2
Brill goes online to chat with students
■ SG president, students discuss campus issues
By SARAH GUARNACCIA
Assistant News Editor
Students of the University of Miami can reach their new Student Government president in more ways than one.
For the first time ever, SG President-elect Jonathan Brill entered the chat room of The Hurricane Online Monday in hopes of accessing student s concerns.
"It's just a matter of getting out there and finding out what students' needs are,"
"It's just a matter of getting out there and finding out what students' needs are." JONATHAN BRILL, president of SG
Brill said.
When Brill logged onto the Internet, from 8 until 9 p.m., he was ready to discuss any issue that a stu-d e n t brought up.
Students had the opportunity to speak freely, and even anonymously, with Brill.
The topic at hand, brought up by an anonymous student this week, was finding a place for female Muslim students to pray during the day.
Brill said he was glad to have this issue brought up.
"It was great. It was from a group that we had not previously spoken with that has a serious concern and a need that has to be met. It was a great forum to find that out," Brill said.
According to Brill, no topic is too obscure.
As SG president, he will consider student's needs and do his best to make accommodations for them, such as finding a place for Muslim students to pray.
"It is already on my agenda to explore these issues. 1 need to find out the background of it," Brill said.
The Hurricane Online provides an ease of communication, said Brill.
Although, there are other ways to reach him. such as speaking with him in person, calling him on the phone or writing a letter, the chat room may be preferred by certain students in this high-tech world.
"Someone may not have lime or not want to speak face to face. It's an alternate way to reach people," Brill said. "We have done a lot of talking and have attended a lot of meetings."
Brill said this gives him another chance to communicate with students. He said the computers are a valuable source of information for the students and will continue to be in the future.
“This is the technological side of things. This may be one of the biggest ways in the future to learn
See BRILL • Page 4
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