The Miami men’s basketball victory over Connecticut on Monday night proved to be a remarkable comeback, and an especially outstanding individual performance by junior forward Darius Rice. But this victory also continued a trend in the Hurricanes’ season.
Miami (8-7 overall, 1-3 Big East) comes out prepared and fired up for top opponents, buts lacks the emotional drive and desire to win when competing against lesser opponents. Miami’s play so far this season is analogous to Jeckyl and Hyde. The ‘Canes have put two different teams on the floor.
We can question the coaching staff’s ability to motivate this young team or the blame can be placed upon the players who are unwilling to respond to motivation when it comes before a contest against a lesser opponent. Either way, there shouldn’t be such a big layoff in play when competing against different caliber teams, unless your play gets worse against better teams.
Lets take a look at how Miami has fared so far this season against both quality and lesser opponents.
In the second contest of the season, the Jeckyl in Miami defeated a good Texas A&M team 78-72 at home. James Jones led the ‘Canes with 14 points and eight boards and four other Miami players scored in double figures.
Two games later, the Hyde in Miami traveled up 95 to play Florida Atlantic, a team who they had beaten all 15 times they have played prior. The ‘Canes allowed FAU guard Earnest Crumbley to score 25 points on eight three pointers en route to the Owls’ 74-73 victory in overtime. Rice was held to just 12 points.
In their next contest, the ‘Canes traveled to play former head coach Leonard Hamilton and his FSU team. One would think playing your old coach would be more than enough motivation to at least come out and compete. Yet, the ‘Canes were never in the game, losing 72-55. Rice was held to just 11 points.
On December 21, Miami hosted then No. 13 Florida and played with grit and heart, despite losing 94-93 in double overtime. Rice led the ‘Canes with 32 points and Jones added 26 points. Was this the same team that lost to FAU and got blown out by FSU?
How can Rice and Jones come out and score 20 plus points apiece against a very talented team in Florida, but be held to less than 15 points each against lesser opponents?
In their next contest, Miami recorded their first road victory against Central Florida, with a close 62-51 victory. Despite the victory, Rice scored just five points and attempted only six shots from the field. There is no excuse for your team’s best player and potent scorer to only shoot six times against any team, not to mention a lesser opponent like UCF.
A motivated Hurricane team came out fired up against North Carolina on Jan. 4, in the grand opening of the Convocation Center. The ‘Canes pulled out the tight 64-61 victory in front of a sellout crowd. Jones and Rice scored 21 points and 17 points, respectively.
I won’t rant here and attempt to convince you that a team should be just as fired up to play an FAU or UCF team compared to the opening game at your new arena against national powerhouse UNC. However, there is too much of a discrepancy between the play against the different caliber opponents.
After a close 68-63 loss at a very underrated West Virginia squad, Miami visited their recent archrival and then No. 3 Connecticut on Jan. 11. The ‘Canes played inspired basketball before falling 83-80 in overtime. Rice scored 28 points, including a late three pointer to send the game into overtime.
After two consecutive Big East losses on the road, many would think the ‘Canes would do anything for a victory. But then again, their next opponent was only at Seton Hall (6-7, 1-3). This team or Hyde won’t get motivated for an opponent who they see as an easy victory.
Last Saturday in East Rutherford, NJ, the ‘Canes came out completely flat against Seton Hall, as the Pirates dominated Miami 76-53, holding Rice to 16 points and James Jones to just seven points. Seton Hall has no business defeating Miami by more than 20 points, especially when Miami has proved they can ball against good competition.
We come to an end with the Miami Jeckyl’s defeating No. 8 UConn last Monday night. Will this team continue their Jeckyl and Hyde tendencies or become a consistent team that at the very least can come out and compete on a nightly basis?
I understand that the ‘Canes are in desperate need of a third scoring option after Rice and Jones, and that they can really use another big body in the middle. But on the same token, the current Hurricane team has proved they can compete with top teams like Florida, UNC, and UConn.
All I’m asking for is some consistency. I beg both the coaching staff and players to give equal effort no matter who the opponent.
You can reach Brian Poliakoff at b.poliakoff@umiami.edu.
UM’s comeback win isn’t enough
A narrow escape for the Lady Hurricanes
The Miami women’s basketball team remains perfect on the road in Big East play with a 79-76 victory over Pittsburgh Wednesday night in the Petersen Events Center.
The Hurricanes improve to 12-4 overall and 4-1 in conference play, while the Panthers fall to 9-7 overall and 1-4 in the Big East.
Tamara James recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 19 points and 12 rebounds in the win. Yalonda McCormick scored a career-high 19 points and was a perfect eight-of-eight from the free throw line.
Meghan Saake scored 16 points along with six steals while Shaquana Wilkins added 10 points and grabbed nine boards.
To begin the contest, four quick points by Pitt’s Mandy Wittenmyer gave the Panthers an early 4-2 advantage. However, costly turnovers and personal fouls led to a 19-4 spurt by Miami, giving the Hurricanes a 21-8 lead with 8:01 remaining in the first half. Miami took a 39-28 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The two teams traded baskets to start the second half until the Panthers went on a 7-0 run to tie the game 56-all with 8:28 remaining in the game. Pittsburgh grabbed its first lead of the second half and pushed their advantage to three points following a 3-pointer by Brooke Stewart.
Miami responded and with 13 seconds remaining it owned a 75-70 lead. McCormick and James combined hitting six-of-six from the free throw line to seal the win for Miami.
Laine Selwyn posted her third double-double of the season for Pitt as she finished with 13 points and 11 assists. She also added eight rebounds and four steals while making 7-of-7 foul shots. Wittenmyer added a team-high 15 points and Allen and Stewart tallied 14 points apiece.
The Panthers shot just 30 percent (11 of 36) from the field in the first 20 minutes, including a dismal eight percent (1 of 12) from 3-point range. For the game, Pittsburgh managed to shoot 39 percent (26 of 67) from the field while Miami drained 44 percent (29 of 66) of its field goals.
-Compiled by the Sports Information Department
Oh Darius
Normally, 3.2 seconds is not a very long time, but it was more than enough for Darius Rice to salvage a season that was in dire straits. It was also long enough to provide an ESPN nationally televised audience with an improbable ending to one of the best college basketball games in recent memory.
Rice’s steal of Shamon Tooles’s inbounds pass and fade away three pointer with 0.5 seconds left gave the Hurricane men’s basketball team a shocking 77-76 upset of the eighth ranked University of Connecticut Huskies. Rice led all scorers with a career high 43 points on 16-of-27 shooting, shattering his previous mark of 35 points against Central Florida during his freshman year.
Ben Gordon led the Huskies with 32 points while hitting on 12 of his 14 shots, but it was not enough to take the spotlight off of Rice, who scored 27 of his team’s 39 points in the first half.
“Tonight the basket was as big as the ocean for me,” Rice said. “I hope to have more nights like this in the near future.”
The game was only the second men’s basketball contest at the brand new Convocation Center. Although the general admission seats were not filled to capacity, the student section was loud and energetic. Rice said the atmosphere was one most college basketball players dream about.
“We play for our school and our fans,” Rice said. “It’s great to be able to give them a great game and hear them cheer for us.”
The Hurricanes dominated the first half of the game as Rice provided most of the scoring while senior captain James Jones was on the bench with foul trouble. A late 6-0 spurt by the Huskies cut Miami’s lead to 39-31 at intermission.
The second half featured the two Big East rivals trading shot for shot throughout much of the final 20 minutes. The Huskies were able to contain Rice for most of the half and recaptured the lead (52-51) on a Gordon dunk with 9:30 remaining in the game.
“Rice played a tremendous game where he couldn’t be stopped at all,” Huskies head coach Jim Calhoun said. “We made a few adjustments defensively to slow him down a bit in the second half, but he was on fire.”
The game seemed to be over when Gordon hit a jumper to increase the Huskies lead to five with 1:12 left, but the ‘Canes showed a lot of poise in the final minute, utilizing timely fouls and three Armondo Surratt lay-ups to keep their slim hopes alive.
“It was important for Armondo not to chase bad shots during that final minute,” head coach Perry Clark said. “He helped us stay in a position to win the game.”
After a Surratt drive cut the Huskies lead to 76-74 with 3.2 seconds left, it appeared that all the Huskies had to do was inbound the ball and get fouled, thus ending UM’s chances. However, Tooles rushed an errant pass to Taliek Brown, which Rice deflected. Then the junior had the presence of mind to step behind the three-point line before attempting the game winner.
“I just stuck my hand out and once I got my hands on the ball I knew it was going in,” Rice said. “I give a lot of my teammates credit for helping us get this win.”
There were many NBA scouts in attendance at the game, but Rice claims it had no effect on his game.
“I honestly don’t pay attention to that stuff,” Rice said.
Miami is riding high after improving their position to 8-7 overall (1-3 Big East), while Connecticut dropped to 11-3 (2-1). Calhoun is worried that the sting of this loss could haunt them for a long time.
“I’m devastated and the players are all devastated,” Calhoun said. “I thought we had this game won and any time you lose a game like that it is hard to swallow. I give Miami a lot of credit though.”
Clark, on the other hand, was elated about the final result.
“I am very proud of this team and our effort tonight,” Clark said. “It is a shame that someone had to lose this game.”
You can reach Eric Kalis at elk77bc@hotmail.com.
Bookstore should kiss us before stealing our money
There are at least three enduring constants in the universe. One is death. Unless you’re one of Tolkien’s elves, eventually everybody shuffles off this mortal coil. Another is taxes. Everybody has to pay them… unless of course you have a very good tax lawyer. The third remains constant regardless of whether you’re just an elf or an elf with a very good tax lawyer. Yes, you guessed it – getting screwed over when you go to sell your textbooks back.
This has always bothered me ever since I started college way back in the last century. Everybody’s been through this at least once. You go to the university bookstore pay an obscene amount of money for books you probably wouldn’t normally be caught dead with unless you were suffering from insomnia. After the end of the semester, you go to the window, ring the bell, and in short order find yourself bent over the figurative barrel. That’s if they buy back your books at all.
Take my own experience from the other day when I sold back several books. For one I paid $21.95, another $107.25, and another $80.00. For the first book I received $5.00, the second book $31.00, and the third book $19.00. This works out to be between a 70% – 76% depreciation. Now then, I grant that textbooks will cost more than other kinds of books since they’re on specialized topics with much lower sales volume. I will also grant that regular usage deterioration will cause a decrease in value, so it is appropriate to get less than the initial price back at sell back time, but not at that rate.
I used to be of the mind that this was a free market issue – demand driving price, etc. But it really isn’t. If the market were free, we’d have a choice to buy a book on that particular topic that might be significantly cheaper than the textbook. We don’t have that choice – we have to buy the book the professor chooses for the course. The bookstore should be honest and not act like their prices represent a value purchase. If they’re going to do us like that, they should at least kiss us first.
Scott Wacholtz is a senior majoring in Computer science.
An Alien Diet Leads to the Generation X Files!
I was out to dinner with my sister and her son over break. He’s only four and over three feet tall; when I visited my old elementary school, the kids on the playground looked old enough to be throwing back beers on the jungle gym. If you take a minute to notice, the whole dynamic of the world is changing and starting to resemble something right out of an episode of the X Files. You’re not crazy – kids didn’t used to develop so quickly and I think that I know why.
I wore a training bra until ninth grade when I discovered the enhancing effects of birth control pills (through equally unsexually-active, overly-insecure girlfriends). The pill was a miracle drug and after the first sample pack I was ready to join the big dogs – literally.
Well, we can learn something from this: Hormones can make your body change. Hormones can keep you from getting pregnant. Hormones can make a man a woman and vice versa. Hormones can radically alter life, as we know it – and we’re shooting up our fine produce and livestock with these things everyday! Houston, we have a problem. Sure, it starts out subtly enough; with boys growing to the size of Mr. T by the age of ten and pre-adolescent girls raiding the Misses section at Bloomingdale’s for something to make them look smaller because the overgrown boys are starting to gawk. This increased rate of physical maturity should be an indication that something isn’t quite right. The same people who are blaming cell phone radiation for increased cancer rates are going to work everyday and injecting our chickens with enough antibiotics to start a pharmacy. The idea behind the antibiotics is to keep little Henny Penny healthy and strong so that she will grow to be three times the size of her predecessors; but when Henny Penny bites the big one, laying to rest in a nice honey Dijon marinade, we ingest those antibiotics with every bite we take, thus developing an immunity to them so that the next time we get sick, the likelihood of an effective treatment is that much less. Mmmm – tastes just like chicken!
And you vegetarians thought YOU were safe! Now scientists want bigger, better tomatoes; greener lettuce, carrots that can see for themselves and a parade of other fruits and vegetables that look like they should be on display at the Smithsonian Museum. No one is safe anymore and the side effects seem to be starting with our children. So, I ask you – what’s next?
Whitney Friedrich is a senior majoring in Advertising and English.
Some people in this world are worth hating
Damn that old-time jazz exhorting us never to hate. Parents and preacher men are quite right to inculcate in us the will power to transcend racial, social, and sexual barriers, but they are quite wrong when they encourage us to unconditionally forgive and forget. Good people should not be afraid to hate genuinely evil people. I contend that, at the very least, an individual who intentionally and remorselessly inflicts unwanted suffering on another sentient being counts as genuinely evil. Consider some candidates:
In a 29 April 2002 article for the BBC, Flora Botsford reported on a hitherto unchecked practice involving the cruel execution of “tens of thousands” of Spanish hunting dogs at the end of hunting season. While top performing dogs had their necks swiftly broken, they also were hanged low off the ground to writhe in agony for the amusement of their killers.
In a 9 December 2002 article, the World Society for the Protection of Animals reported on the surfacing of videos showing Peruvian soldiers conducting training exercises involving dogs:
“After diving through a hoop of fire, [the soldiers] charge at a dog that is tied, spread-eagled, between two vertical poles. The men then take turns to slash and stab the dog, as it yelps and struggles to escape. This continues until the dog dies. It is then torn to pieces and bits of it eaten.”
In a January 14th 2003 article, the BBC reported on the killing of a dog in Jordan that was trained to carry messages between young lovers. The canine got its head smashed with a stone by an angry gentleman who intercepted a marriage proposal for his love-struck sister.
This last story mostly reflects on stupidly conservative views about premarital intimacy held by tight-assed patriarchs across the Middle East and beyond, but like the others, it definitely speaks in a very profound way to the sheer disrespect that people have for beings that exemplify loyalty and honesty, virtues that routinely escape humans.
Can we appropriately hate such people for subjecting dogs to hanging, slashing, and smashing? Perhaps evildoers don’t know any better. Perhaps evildoers did not receive affection during infancy. Perhaps their behavior is a function of their upbringing, which reflects decidedly pathetic social norms. To borrow from the preacher man, perhaps it would be morally appropriate for us to hate the sin (the decidedly pathetic social norm) and not the sinner.
I’m left to wonder if a distinction really exists between the mind of society and the mind of the individual. And I find it hard to believe that something as universally unloved as suffering can be innocently applied to anything capable of experiencing it. I fear that its incessant application makes the very possibility of progress illusory. So why shouldn’t I be filled with hatred?
R.S. Jolly is a senior majoring in philosophy.
Advice for taking standardized tests
(U-Wire) Honolulu – Standardize tests. Whether it is the PPST, SAT, ACT, PLT, GRE, OR XYZ, standardize tests do not really test anything, or do they? If they do not test anything, then why are students constantly told to partake in this time consuming ritual year after year? What is the purpose behind this undying habit? I have conducted a little bit of research to find out why.
Advice 1) Learn to fill in the bubbles! One lesson in life you regain, more like review, with standardize tests is how to color. The skill you gained in Kindergarten becomes vital for standardize test. Remember when your kindergarten teacher kept constantly reminding you to stay in the lines? For standardize tests, you need to stay in the lines when marking your answers.
Advice 2) Break out your high school math book. Remember when you looked at all those wacky formulas thinking, “When the hell am I going to need to find the area of a circle?” Furthermore, who cares about a boat traveling upstream with the current at 3 mph and figuring out the speed of the boat? When I am in a boat, I am just thinking about not having it sink or capsize. But these are the types of questions one will face when taking the tests.
Advice 3) Purchase winter garments. One essential piece of information omitted from instruction book is the temperature of the room where you take the test. You need to make sure you bring with you on testing day the following: Parka, electric blanket, hot water bottle, gloves, extra socks, gas heater, etc. For two to three hours you are entrapped in a room, which feels like Antarctica.
EDITORIAL
The debate on affirmative action has recently ignited once again, this time on the campus of the Unviersity of Michigan. The university is currently trying to answer a question of monumental proportions: should race-conscious admission policies be eradicated? President Bush spoke out about the affair, urging the Supreme Court to do just that, citing new and improved ways to deal with the situation of racial inequalities in institutions of higher learning.
What is Bush’s bright idea you ask? Well, following the example of the great state of Texas and a few others, Bush is backing a program that would grant the top five to twenty percent (the numbers are estimated and would most likely vary from state to state) of a high school graduating class admission to a university regardless of S.A.T. scores and other such scholastic measurements.
Now, with a president like Bush, Americans should be happy that he is coming up with any ideas at all. However, many people are finding major problems with his proposal. The program, which has been tried in Florida, Texas, and California, has failed to lift the number of minority students in undergraduate programs, and has done virtually nothing for graduate programs. In fact, after the decision in Texas, the percentage of African-Americans enrolled in law schools dropped from 8.1 percent to 0.9 percent, and since then has not gone above 4 percent.
The percentage plans have another major flaw. While it is in large part a reaction to the Supreme Court’s 1978 Bakke decision, a decision that struck down numerical quotas and endorsed the use of race as one factor in a host of criteria aimed at promoting diversity, the percentage plans only look at one factor. In essence, they are closer to a quota system than the current one. Moreover, the percentage plans do not take into account the fact that not all high schools are equal.
And therein lies one of the main problems. Although many so-called “Washington insiders” would like to implement such a plan that treats all high schools as equals, they do not want to provide equal funding to all high schools. In essence, their plan asks poorly funded, understaffed inner-city schools to put their students in competition with rich, upper-class high schools. And you don’t have to be in the top ten percent of your graduating class to know who is going to come out on top of that competition.
Of course, to be fair, the present affirmative action laws in this country are flawed as well. The current system of admissions has not cured all of our society’s ills, nor has it created a completely level playing field. Thus, Bush is right for pushing for a change in the way we handle such delicate affairs.
However, Bush is wrong for pushing for a system that promotes change in the wrong direction. Granted, affirmative action doesn’t even approach perfection, but it is a better system than the one that is currently being advocated. To recognize that a system is flawed and to actively work to change that system is one thing. To attempt to replace that system with an even more flawed one is another thing entirely. So until someone can come up with a better way, let affirmative action stay!
Chartwells brings the Crepemaker to campus
The Crepemaker, the new crepe stand between the UC and the Rock, near the convenience store entrance, has attracted hundreds of students in its first week of operation and its popularity is expected to grow.
“We get about 200 people a day,” Zeus Juman, manager of Crepemaker, said.
Currently, the stand offers a variety of crepes, ranging from dessert crepes to salad crepes. Sandwich-like crepes and breakfast crepes are also on the menu.
“The stand is planned for the semester, sort of as a trial,” Juman said.
According to Chartwells, in 1995, UM had a crepe stand on campus similar to Crepemaker.
“We had requests to bring it back,” said Mel Tenen, UM Director of Auxiliary Services. “Considerable student feedback has led to the return of this popular item.”
“I hope it becomes a permanent part of the food court,” said Jamie Lamson, as she enjoyed her “triple treat” crepe, filled with bananas, strawberries and Nutella.
Not all students are pleased with the new crepe stand.
“I’m down to just eating the salads and from the deli,” sophomore Seth Severino said.
“I haven’t been there because I’m not paying $5 for a crepe,” Richards said.
Employees of the crepe stand, however, remain optimistic.
“Business should get better as people learn about it,” Juman said.
Tenen also added that there are plans for a full sushi concept in the food court scheduled for fall 2003.
Although most students are looking forward to the new menu option, some are skeptical.
“I don’t even really like cooked fish,” sophomore Kae Richards said. “Raw fish is out of the question.”
Chartwells is also planning an expansion of the Hecht-Stanford Dining Hall. Early last summer, renovations led to 150 additional seats in the dining hall.
“There will be dramatic improvements,” Tenen said. “We will totally renovate the seating area, with a much expanded serving area.”
Most of the students interviewed by the Hurricane are happy that Chartwells is making an effort to improve student satisfaction in terms of food service and selections and that the company is always open to student feedback and suggestions.
“I think it’s great that Chartwells pays attention to students because we are their customers,” senior Minnie Peraza said. “It shows that they really care about us.”
Despite the enthusiasm displayed by Chartwells and students concerning the new meal additions, some students would rather see better food selections in the cafeterias and less expensive meal plans.
The most popular meal plan selection for Spring 2003 is $1,611 per semester for 14 meals a week and 150 “dining dollars.” All incoming freshmen are required to register for this plan, regardless of personal preference.
“I dropped my meal plan this semester because I hated the food,” sophomore Jon Hall said. “Then I spent all my spending money on food.”
Sam Lockhart can be contacted at s.lockhart1@umiami.edu
Buying and selling textbooks on-line saves money
UM students are always complaining about the cost of the UM Bookstore and about the lack of buy-back potential of the books they buy. However, several options are becoming increasingly popular among UM students for both purchasing and selling back their textbooks.
According to UM administration, the average cost of books for a student is $775.00 per year. Unfortunately, some students spend far more on their textbooks.
“I spent $450.00 this semester,” junior Sandra Trip said. “It seems like books are getting more expensive every semester.”
Students do have options, though, when it comes to buying their books.
“UM students have it better off than other schools,” said Will Sekoff of Book Horizons. “They have two well-run bookstores nearby to get their books from.”
Many students believe the UM Bookstore has a large selection and is easily accessible.
“I like that the Bookstore is so close, but I hate waiting in the long lines,” sophomore Dan Blanchard said.
Book Horizons, located across US-1 next to Burger King, is celebrating its 50th year in business this month.
“We’ve been here a long time so we have a great reputation for service,” Sekoff said.
Students seem to agree.
“I like Book Horizons better because it’s smaller and there are always people willing to help me find my books,” sophomore Jake Soule said. “Plus, they are so organized that there is never a line.”
Other popular options among students include various websites such as Amazon.com, Half.com, Campusbooks.com and Ecampus.com.
“‘ve bought my books online before. It’s a lot cheaper than the bookstore is,” senior Heather Johnston said.
Some students have reservations about purchasing their textbooks online.
“I know that I could probably find books cheaper online, but then there is the shipping charge and having to wait for the books to arrive,” Traip said.
“The feedback that I get from students about purchasing their textbooks online is that it can be difficult to make sure you get the right edition for the right class,” Sekoff said. “Plus, you’re lacking the personal service, right books and easy returns that a bookstore can give you.”
However, most students are equally concerned about the buy-back price of a book.
“I bought a book last year for $100, but when I went to sell it back I only got $15,” Blanchard said. “I couldn’t believe it.”
Buy-back typically takes place at the end of the semester during finals. At that time, you can sell your book back to the bookstore or online.
“We buy back books for the following term, so if a professor is using the book again then we will buy it back for up to 50% of the cost,” said Richard Dunham, textbook manager at the UM Bookstore. “Once we have met our buy-back quota, the remaining books will get only the wholesale value of the book.”
According to UM Bookstore and Book Horizons representatives, timing is everything when it comes to buy-back.
“Sometimes I tell students to wait until April before bringing their books back because they will make more money that way,” Dunham said.
“We try to give students something for their old books because lots of times the Bookstore gives them nothing,” said Paul Strassburg, textbook manager at Book Horizons.
If the buy-back price offered to students is too low, students can sell their books online. However, although selling online can yield a higher return, students say it also takes much more time and effort.
“I’ve heard that you can make a lot of money selling your books online, but I’m just too lazy to go through all of the work,” Blanchard said.
Overall, there are a lot of options out there when it comes to buying or selling books. It’s just a matter of knowing where, when and how to look.
Leigha Taber can be contacted at l.taber@umiami.edu
UM ranks high on The Princeton Review’s list
The Princeton Review recently ranked UM fifth in the nation for “Great College Towns” and sixth for “Most Students From Different Backgrounds Interact” in a nation-wide ranking of colleges. UM was the only Florida school to be ranked in those categories.
“The University of Miami is indeed a diverse institution with students hailing from over 110 countries,” said Dr. Pat Whitely, vice president for student affairs. “Through a variety of activities both in and out of the classroom, diversity is celebrated and recognized as one of the important values of the University of Miami.”
Other categories on the review included “Academics,” “Administration,” “Politics” and “Quality of Life.” Each category had sub-categories, each of which had both a positive and a negative section.
For example, “Professors Get High Marks” was paired with “Professors Suck All Life From Materials,” and “Great Food” was paired with “Is it Food?”
Other sub-categories included: “Lots of Hard Liquor” and “Scotch and Soda: Hold the Scotch,” “Birkenstock-Wearing, Tree-Hugging, Clove-Smoking Vegetarians” and “Future Rotarians and Daughters of the Revolution,” and “School Runs Like Butter”and “Long Lines and Red Tape.”
For the location category, schools were judged by size of the city, beauty of the campus and surrounding areas, climate and resources available to students.
“The moment I stepped on campus, I was sold,” said sophomore Aimee Garcia. “I knew as soon as I saw the palm trees painted across the clear blue sky that this was the school for me.”
For the diversity category, schools were judged on the percentage of non-white students enrolled and on how students from different backgrounds interact with one another.
“This campus boasts significant ethnic diversity and, in a nutshell, students say they are part of a ‘receptive and diverse group,'” the review said.
According to the report, students at UM describe themselves as “high-energy, fun-loving, friendly, and outgoing” but also feel “fiercely competitive” with one another. Also, some students are described by other UM students as “arrogant, self-centered, spoiled rich kids.”
The review goes on to say that sometimes life at UM feels like “a constant fashion contest” and that many students spend much of their free time “getting buff” and “working on their appearance.”
Although some students believe that the diversity of UM is a result of location, meaning that most of the diversity on campus comes from the diverse population of South Florida, most find that UM strives to recruit diverse groups of people from different parts of the U.S. and in many countries throughout the world.
“Yeah, it’s diverse alright,” sophomore Jennifer Wright said. “I mean – hello – my roommate is from Hong Kong.”
Many students take pride in the level of diversity on campus.
“I didn’t come here for the diversity, but I appreciate it now that I’ve experienced it,” junior Shelly Steele said.
“There are so many opportunities for everyone, no matter what race they are,” said Camille Linton, a Jamaican-American student and member of the United Black Students.
Aside from UM, two other Florida schools, UF and FSU, were also highly ranked in several categories of the Princeton Review.
UF ranked tenth in both the “Reefer Madness” and “Dorms Like Dungeons” categories, and fifth in the “Party School” category. FSU ranked third in both the “Lots of Beer” and the “Students (Almost) Never Study” category, and first in the “This is a Library?” category.
“Can we really expect anything more?” Garcia said
The Princeton Review is currently surveying students online at survey.review.com until Feb. 10. For a complete listing of the categories and rankings of the Princeton Review, visit www.princetonreview.com/college.html.
Jaclyn Lisenby and Leigha Taber can be contacted at j.lisenby@umsis.miami.edu and l.taber@miami.edu.
Campus Calendar And News Briefs
TODAY
Come learn about the Peace Corps in an information session and video presentation, from 12 to 1 p.m. in UC 241. Contact Erin Seiler at 305-284-5398 for more information.
Metropolis will be showing at the Cosford Cinema at 7:15 p.m. Fritz Lang’s epic drama of life in the year 2026 has not been seen in its original version since a brief run in 1927. German archivists, working with material gathered from all surviving versions and using new digital technologies, have restored the film to as close to the original version as we are ever likely to see. The dazzling sets and tens of thousands of extras provide the backdrop for a wild combination of love story and political allegory of man versus machine.
SATURDAY JANUARY 25
Women’s Basketball vs. Syracuse at 7 p.m. in the Convocation Center. Wear your beach attire and get free pizza.
Doctoral Recital: Joseph Talleda, piano accompanying and chamber music. 8 p.m. in Clarke Recital Hall (5501 San Amaro Drive).
SUNDAY JANUARY 26
Men’s Basketball vs. Syracuse at 1 p.m. in the Convocation Center. Sign up for the Slam Dunk contest at halftime; call 305-284-5903.
The UM Men’s Soccer Club’s next game will be at Mills Pond Park in Fort Lauderdale at 12 p.m.
Faculty Artist Recital: Richard Kosowski, tenor. 8 p.m. in Gusman Concert Hall (1314 Miller Drive).
TUESDAY JANUARY 28
Women’s Basketball vs. Virginia Tech at 7 p.m. in the Convocation Center. It’s also Residential Hall Night: greatest attendance wins free pizza.
The spring semester Spiritual Information Fair will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the UC patio. The various student religious organizations of the University will provide information on the variety of religious life on campus. KFC and Kosher pizza will be served.
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 29
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar Chapter will hold a Goldman Sachs Learning Modules/Leadership Development Workshop, at 7 p.m. in UC 233. Direct any questions to RA8046@students.law.miami.edu.
FRIDAY JANUARY 31
Come out and party with young Arab-Americans featuring DJ Nile spinning the latest and hottest Arabic and international music at the Rathskeller. Argeela Night is from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. Email oasisofum@yahoogroups.com.
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 1
Take a FREE GMAT, LSAT, or MCAT practice test at Kaplan’s Test Drive. To enroll, call 305-284-0090.
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 11
Are you in the process of selecting a major or considering a change of major? Are you possibly interested in adding a major? Toppel Career Center will have a Majors Fair from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Whitten University Center Lower Lounge. Come talk with faculty representatives from these schools and colleges: Arts & Sciences, Business, Communication, Education and Nursing. The Pre-Law and Honors Programs will also have representatives to whom you will be able to talk.
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 19
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar Chapter will hold an Alumni-Mentor Reception at 7 p.m. in UC 233. Direct any questions to RA8046@students.law.miami.edu.
Join the Wellness Center on Wednesday, Feb. 5 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Wellness Center Atrium for Healthy Heart day, an event providing information to protect both aspects of your heart: physical and emotional. For more information, contact Janet Tiberian at 305-284-6524.
Is quitting smoking one of your New Year’s resolutions? BeSmokeFree is a comprehensive smoking cessation program that incorporates other methods of quitting, such as pharmacological aids, hypnosis, exercise, etc. For more information, visit www.miami.edu/wellness.
Come to the Teach for America Information Session, Tuesday, Jan. 28, at 4 p.m. in the Toppel Career Center. Teach For America is the national corps of recent college graduates who commit two years to teach in urban and rural public schools and become lifelong leaders in the effort to expand opportunity for children. Seeking all majors. No previous education experience or coursework necessary. Full salary plus $9,450 education award and loan forbearance. Final application deadline is Feb. 21, 2003. For questions or more information contact admissions@teachforamerica.org or 800-832-1230, ext. 225.
The National Endowment for the Humanities is offering up to 15 internships in Washington D.C. for the summer 2003. College students entering their junior or senior year in fall 2003 are eligible. NEH interns receive $4,000 for 10 weeks of work. Past interns have written articles for Humanities magazine, researched emerging fields in the humanities and developed web-based tools for gathering humanities-related information. The application deadline is Jan. 21, 2003. Applications are being accepted online at http://www.neh.gov.
In West Hollywood, CA, the city that reclassified pet owners as “guardians” two years ago, there is now a push toward the first U.S. ban on declawing cats. The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to publicly condemn declawing and proposed a ban on the surgery. Animal advocates who say declawing is inhumane because it cuts off part of a cat’s toes hailed the move. Some cat owners have their pets declawed to keep them from scratching people or furniture.
“With West Hollywood making this statement, we’re hoping it will cause other cities to think,” said Jennifer Conrad, a veterinarian who founded the Santa Monica-based Paw Project, which seeks to abolish declawing. The city attorney has a month to draft a proposal. Declawing is banned already in several European nations.