An eight-year old Niles Niseem played an exceptional Jackie Robinson. His job was simple: pretend to be a Jackie Robinson statue. His second grade class was part of a Black history museum exhibit where students could tap each others’ hand to “power on” the statue. Each kid had a small speech prepared, telling the story of who their historical figure was.

Jamie Williams-Smith, the 64th Student Government president, is planning to relax this summer. Her presidency defined her senior year of college. She entered the role with a steep set of promises to her voters, focused on ushering in “a new era of transparency.” Through her non-stop commitment and knack for problem solving, she did.

A newly-formed group of University of Miami community members gathered in protest against House Bill 999 across the street from UM on Friday, April 21. The group, dubbed “Student-led coalition” at the moment, is a collection of students, faculty and staff, primarily from UM. Birthed in response to Florida legislation, it also stands against other injustices and marginalizations throughout the past 20 years.

At the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel school, Lys Isma runs SEAS, Seeking Equity and Success. After George Floyd’s murder in May, 2020, students founded SEAS to create a safe space at the Rosenstiel school. SEAS is “unapologetically Black” and devoted to increasing racial diversity in the sciences through monthly conversations focused on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) amongst other initiatives.

In response to an article published last week, April 5, 2023, called “UM protest rule clashes with trans-rights activists”, Dean Ryan C. Holmes, Dean of Students and Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, has elaborated on the story. He says his office did more to help facilitate the demonstration, beginning a month out from the proposed date, March 31, 2023.

A University of Miami dining hall meal costs $12. That is given the student visits the dining hall three times a day, seven days a week for 16 weeks of the academic semester. Any fewer visits, means a higher cost. The average UM student may eat closer to 15 meals a week for 15 weeks of the semester. At this rate, a single meal’s cost increases to $18 each.

University of Miami transgender-rights activists were unable to participate in a walkout Friday, March 31, to celebrate the International Transgender Day of Visibility and protest Florida anti-transgender legislation also passed in the Florida House that day. The walkout, planned a week in advance, conflicted with university policy, requiring that students request an available space and get the action approved through a form and interview.

Transcendence, an affinity group of students who advocate for transgender-positive initiatives, and supporters protested Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration’s memo requesting that public schools share information on “gender dysphoria” services provided to students. “We are going to make our voices heard,” said Ryan Hires, a junior studying gender and sexuality studies and psychology. The protest occurred on Thursday, Feb. 23 outside of the University of Miami’s Whitten University Center, near the center of campus. Students displayed signs and gave speeches condemning the request. They chose to protest in solidarity with the Feb. 23 statewide walkout staged at Florida public colleges.

The battle between ABM employees, their parent company and the University of Miami continued last Friday, Feb. 10. A crowd of ABM janitors, union workers and students gathered at the entrance to UM, holding signs scrawled with words of protest and demands. “Workers are not machines,” one read. “El pueblo trabajador no se detiene,” another read. “The working people don’t stop,” in English.

Add Jim Cramer to the ensemble of people that have thrown up the ‘U.’ Appearing on campus to record an episode of his hit show “Mad Money” this past Thursday, Feb. 2, Cramer was greeted by Sebastian the Ibis, cheerleaders and throngs of excited University of Miami students and alumni. Cramer, well-known for hosting the 17-season CNBC segment “Mad Money” and co-hosting “Squawk on the Street,” provides advice on the fundamentals of investing, with the goal of building financial literacy and sharing his extensive research on market analysis.