Following several problems at last weekend’s football game against UF, UM administration has implemented new guidelines for the Orange Bowl.
“We know that there were things that weren’t perfect,” Dr. Pat Whitely, vice president for student affairs, said. “We are trying to make adjustments for this weekend.”
“This past game, overall, was one which the Orange Bowl has never seen, particularly the crowd, since 1985 or 1986,” Whitely said.
Students agree.
“I have never seen a game like this one,” Ryan Moore, sophomore, said. “I don’t know anyone who didn’t go to the game.”
According to reports, at least 17 students were ejected from the game and several cases of fraud occurred with persons having someone else’s ‘Cane card.
“There were so many people pushing each other that I’m surprised more didn’t get thrown out,” Janet Ross, freshman, said.
At one point, the ramp that leads to the student section was shut down.
“We apologize for the fact that we had to close down the ramp,” Whitely said. “We had to identify available seating both in the student section and in the west end zone.”
UM administration told The Miami Hurricane that several changes will be put into effect beginning Saturday for the East Carolina game.
Among the major changes, the plazas will open at 4:30 p.m., two and one half hours before kickoff.
Parking lots will open five hours before kickoff and no tents will be allowed in parking lots unless there is a vehicle parked in the space.
“Many students took up parking spaces with tents,” Whitely said.
However, according to students, the most appreciated change is the expansion of the student section.
“An additional 1,200 student seats will be available,” Whitely said. “This will leave us with 7,600 total seats available.”
Half of the additional seating will be located directly above the student section; the other half will be located in the west end zone.
Students who sit in the overflow seats will receive tickets to their seats, not wristbands.
“I’d be a little disappointed not to be able to sit in the student section,” Ross said. “But it’ll be better then not having a seat at all.”
Whitely also said that the entire southeast plaza, where students enter, will be more efficient.
However, Whitely also stressed that, while they will be more efficient, they will also enforce the rules more.
“There will be no exceptions for law, graduate or medical students who have not paid their athletic fee,” Whitely said.
Whitely said that students will notice a greater presence of Orange Bowl employees and security.
“We had a problem with the encroachment factor on Saturday,” Whitely said. “We had 300 to 400 non-students sitting in the student section including UF students and recent UM alumni.”
Whitely said that all graduate, law and medical students need to check on EASY to make sure they have paid their athletic fee.
“We want everyone to come and enjoy the game and to have a seat,” Whitely said. “This is a good problem – it shows the spirit that the school has.”
For additional information or feedback on the new policies, contact the Office of Student Affairs at X8-4922 or Student Government at X8-3082.
Leigha Taber can be contacted at l.taber@umiami.edu