The Miami Hurricane - March 28, 2016

Hindu festival welcomes spring with flying colors PAGE 3 Erum Kidwai // Staff Photographer

SEASON CELEBRATION: Sophomore Richa Panara throws up the U during the Indian Students Association and Hindu Students Council’s celebration of Holi Saturday afternoon on the Foote Green.

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NEWS

THE MIAMI HURRICANE

March 28 - March 30, 2016

CAMPUS LIFE

Community mourns loss of inspirational student

By Marcus Lim Staff Writer

T

he Oscar Wilde quote on Adam Levine’s Facebook page summarizes the way the student led his life before his death last Saturday, according to many close friends. During the week since Levine died, students have shared their memories as they mourned the loss of a fellow Cane, with a candlelight vigil on Wednesday and a memorial service at Hillel on Friday.

Levine, a senior majoring in political science, died early in the morning on Saturday, March 19, after attending Ultra Music Festival.

Christina Stamatiou, who was given the nickname “Xxxtina” by Levine, was close with him during her freshman year and said the quote “was so Adam.”

“He never held back; he didn’t believe in moderation, in being conservative,” Stamatiou said after Levine’s memorial service on the Lakeside Patio Wednesday night.

“He dared to do anything people were scared of doing; he didn’t have that voice in his head that most people will have telling them that they may fail.”

The large turnouts at services on Wednesday and Friday reflected Levine’s label as a “campus celebrity.” UM student Catherine De Freitas created a post in BuzzFeed’s community category titled “101 things we learned from THE Adam Levine.”

After Friday’s memorial, Student Government Vice President Ishtpreet Singh said that the Wilde quote was “so representative” of Levine.

Singh said he was close with Levine since they served together on Student Government’s Freshman Leadership Council. Levine was comfortable being independent, setting his own goals without worrying about what others thought, according to Singh.

Shreya Chidarala // Staff Photographer

COMMEMORATIVE EVENING: Students gather at UM Hillel to remember senior Adam Levine during Friday evening’s memorial service.

“Adam has inspired so many freshmen. They look up to him. He always said, ‘This is your four years to be selfish,’” Singh said. “Adam was the person who put himself out there, embraced who he was and didn’t hide anything.”

Students talked about Levine’s willingness to be in the spotlight as well as his infectious nature, dazzling smile and ability to live life to the fullest. Many who knew Levine remembered his signature introduction: “My name is Adam Levine, like the singer in Maroon 5, but better.”

SG President Brianna Hathaway recalled the same introduction in her tearful speech at Wednesday’s vigil and said it made her want to be his friend.

That phrase is so synonymous with Levine that his fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi), sold customized white T-shirts with “Like the celebrity but better,” on them. AEPi will use the proceeds for a commemorative tree and plaque outside their fraternity house. Some of the money will also go toward Camp Harlem, a Jewish summer camp Levine attended.

Many of the AEPi brothers traveled to Reston, Virginia on Tuesday to attend Levine’s funeral. Harry Kroll and Marc Szasz, brothers of AEPi, were among the 500 people to pay

their respects in Levine’s hometown.

They said that Levine was an upbeat person who always saw the positive side of life.

“He wouldn’t want people to be sad or teary, but to remember his legacy through laughter,” Szasz said at Wednesday night’s vigil. “In the funeral, when my eyes watered up, I thought to myself, ‘What would Adam say?’ Honestly, he would tell me to stop being a b**** and suck it up.”

Rabbi Jonathan Fisch, the chapter advisor of AEPi at UM and a rabbi at Temple Judea in Coral Gables, led the Jewish services on Friday night.

“Do you think he would want people to mourn his death or cry? No. He would say, ‘Party up,’” Fisch said.

Fisch also pointed out that the decisions people make can affect loved ones, citing Levine’s decision to “live on the edge.”

“We lost him because of drugs, until his body couldn’t take it anymore,” Fisch said during the services.

In an interview afterward, he expanded upon his statement. “Adam made some difficult decisions that didn’t sit well for his body, and it is important for college students to know in this setting that your choices not only affect you, but your community, your parents, your brothers.”

It has not been confirmed whether or not drugs played a part in Levine’s death.

Singh concurred with what Fisch said about decisions affecting others, although he said he’d rather remember the man the UM community has come to love instead of finding reasons for his death.

“It’s important to think about the choices we make. Some choices affect everyone around us,” Singh said.

“Adam was an amazing person, but a choice like that really matters. It is crazy to see how much pain it causes to others. This doesn’t change how great of a person he was, as he truly did impact people in amazing ways.”

Owen Katz, an AEPi brother who studied abroad with Levine in Australia for a semester, said Levine treated every day as a celebration.

Speaking at Wednesday’s vigil, Katz told the crowd how dramatic and persuasive Levine could be.

Katz remembered a night in Australia when, at 12:30 a.m., Levine called and said that there was an emergency and that Katz had “to get up immediately.”

The emergency: Levine’s party plans for the night fell through when others decided to stay in.

“That’s exactly who Adam was,” Katz said. “A dire situation to

Adam was when he couldn’t be social to the maximum of his capabilities.”

Levine’s charm and infectious energy persuaded Katz to join him for a night out and Katz said it turned out to be one of the “best nights” of his life.

Ashley Pittaluga, vice presidentelect for Student Government, also remembered when Levine persuaded her to get up in the middle of class to share a pitcher at the Rathskeller.

“He was the only person who could have ever gotten me to get up in the middle of class and leave to share a pitcher with him in the Rat. I looked back and think why I did it, because it was so out of character,” Pittaluga said. “I’m glad I have that memory and it is one of my favorites with him.”

Stamatiou shared a similar thought, saying Levine wanted to live every day to the fullest, even if it meant going to extremes. Although she is sad, she said her memory of his character and how many people’s lives he touched gives her comfort.

“Adam was the most vibrant spirit I have ever met in my life,” Stamatiou said.

March 28 - March 30, 2016

THE MIAMI HURRICANE

NEWS

3

RELIGIOUS LIFE

Holi festival celebrates start of spring, traditional Hindu holiday

By Amanda Herrera Senior News Writer

C

Giancarlo Falconi // Staff Photographer

louds of purple, green and orange f loated above the Foote Green on Saturday afternoon as more than 150 students threw handfuls of colored powder at each other in celebration of the start of spring with the Hindu celebration of Holi.

The Indian Students Association and the Hindu Students Council held the event called Holi: the Festival of Colors. Holi, a traditional Hindu festivity, comes from a symbolic legend in which a demon king’s son, Prahlada, defeated his own evil father, Hiranyakashipu, and aunt, Holika, by remaining devoted to Lord Vishnu — a symbolic victory of good over evil. The festival’s name originated from the name of the aunt, Holika, whom Prahlada defeated.

Even before the event had begun, students already looked excited, including senior Alyssa Rosenfeld, who said she had attended all three Holi celebrations in the previous years and enjoyed the variety of people she saw participating.

“I love just seeing all of the colors and all of the different people that come together, because it is always different people from all different cultures coming together,” Rosenfeld said.

Traditionally, colorful powders made from medicine were thrown to ward off colds and viruses that were brought by spring. Though the powders used are no longer medicinal, the tradition of their bright colors remains. The event, held for the fourth consecutive year at the University of Miami, also provided students with water balloons and featured a water slide for the first time.

Indian Students Association President Karthik Narayanan said it was important to keep bringing this particular event back because it allowed Indian culture to be felt on campus.

“In terms of college campuses across the country, the University of Miami Indian population isn’t as big as in other universities,” Narayanan said. “This event in particular is a hallmark event that lets

Erum Kidwai // Staff Photographer

COLORFUL FUN: Sophomore Zahra Markatia throws water at senior Suyog Padgaonkar for the Festival of Colors on the Green Saturday. everyone on campus know that the Indian presence and culture here is strong.”

With more than 100 pounds of colored powder – twice the amount from last year – students ran around chasing one another with smiles and laughter. Although many students arrived in groups, they dispersed

and mixed across the Green throughout the event, something freshman Arshia Arora said was one of the best parts of the event.

“You don’t have to know the person to throw color at them,” Arora said.

CANES SHOW SPIRIT AT WATCH PARTY

GOOD SPORTS: Students cheer on the men’s basketball team at Category 5’s Sweet 16 Watch Party at the Rathskeller Thursday night.

Despite the Canes’ 92-69 loss to Villanova in Louisville, students still demonstrated their school spirit. Attendees enjoyed free wings

and had the chance to win water bottles, rally towels, March Madness shirts and other UM Adidas apparel.

Category 5’s next event, the Senior Walk, takes place Friday evening on Mark Light Field and features free T-shirts for the first 150 seniors.

4

NEWS

THE MIAMI HURRICANE

March 28 - March 30, 2016

CONSTRUCTION

Interactive Media Center to open fall 2016

By Isabella Cueto Assistant News Editor

A

ccess to the area of the Reading Room and front office on the first f loor of the University of Miami School of Communication (SOC) was cut off early last week as the space was cleared for an ambitious project that will be available to students as soon as fall 2016: the Koenigsberg & Nadal Interactive Media Center (IMC).

The project will transform what the school considered to be an outdated working space and computer lab into a modern, digital co-working space that will house a live broadcasting studio, computer stations, work pods and a full-service, student-run agency.

The IMC came about as an initiative to address both the needs of students and the community. In recent years, the School of Communication has made several moves to adapt to the changing tides of the business, such as departmentalizing programs, changing curriculum, investing in cutting-edge technology and recruiting experienced faculty and adjunct professors. However, the challenge of connecting students to clients who contact the SOC has been an unanswered one, one that the center will take care of.

According to Samuel Terilli, chair of the Journalism and Media Management Department, he receives e-mails and phone calls several times a week from people looking for students to work for them.

Oftentimes, these phone calls and e-mails are from people looking for students to work for free.

“One of the reasons I love it, one of several, is I can say, ‘Well and have I got a wonderful opportunity for you. Contact so-and-so here and they’ll give you their rate schedule,’” Terilli said.

Students who work in the agency – from all different courses of study in the SOC – will have standardized rate sheets to give to clients, establishing a professional precedent for their work. Some students will be compensated and others will receive internship credit for working in the agency.

Although students will charge for their work, this center will not be a forprofit venture, Terilli said.

“The idea is that the center, if we’re lucky, will cover its costs and maybe benefit the students that are participating,” he said. “We’re not going into the advertising agency business and competing with agencies. Obviously no university is equipped to do that.”

The benefit for those students who work in the agency will be something both Terilli and Senior Development Director Brian Weinblatt said is crucial when entering the workforce: hands-on experience.

“In journalism, in broadcast journalism, in many fields like that, it’s not just grades; it’s what you can do, it’s your experience ... Working in something like the Interactive Media Center can really make the difference between just a pretty transcript and a really powerful portfolio,” Terilli said.

One of the goals for the SOC moving forward is offering students not just active experience, but also a broad base of knowledge. Convergence journalism, the combination of multiple forms of journalism, has become a buzzword in journalistic academia because of the evolution of journalism with the Internet and technology, but Terilli said this is not a new concept.

“Yes, of course, everybody knows that video and photography and audio and writing, they’re all coming together on this wonderful new thing that we just happen to call the Internet, that’s been around for more than a couple of decades,” he said.

A more pressing kind of convergence, he said, is the merging of business interests. For example, the ties and codependency of journalism and advertising. Although in the earlier days of journalism up until recently, there was believed to be a strong “wall” between the editorial and advertisement worlds.

“Coming from that world, I can tell you that the height and width of that wall was greatly exaggerated ... The health of the news operation was always dependent on the health of the advertisement operation,” Terilli said.

A space like the IMC will allow journalism students, advertising students and their peers from virtually every other field within the SOC to collaborate and come up with more creative solutions and ideas, benefitting both them and clients, according to Weinblatt.

“Anything from video production at an event to a documentary film made, a traditional ad or PR campaign, a game developed, an app developed, a website developed, anything that the students will be

Rendering courtesy UM School of Communication

FRESH SPACE: The Koenigsberg & Nadal Interactive Media Center will house a student-run multimedia agency in the School of Communication. able to handle,” Weinblatt said of the variety of services clients will have access to.

Overseeing the work of the students will be a faculty advisor who will serve as the CEO of the agency and the quality controller. The faculty member who will fill this position has not yet been named.

The IMC will house the agency, but Weinblatt said the space will still be open to all SOC students.

According to Weinblatt, the center was the vision of SOC Dean Gregory Shepherd, and a number of donors saw the potential, as well.

“We have really been overwhelmed by the support and generosity of a number of donors to the project,” he said.

The project’s cost is in the range of $2-2.5 million, with approximately $2 million for construction of the space and half a million for an endowment to support the activities of the space, including the additional wages for the faculty advisor.

The center will be home to an open, newsroom-style studio that will connect directly to Studio B, where University of Miami Television films. It will also have several large touch screens along the edge, computers equipped with editing software, an enclosed working space and new furnishings. The center’s plan was designed

by G. Alvarez Studio, an award-winning interior architecture and design firm that specializes in collaborative spaces.

The IMC was named after two lead donors, Bill Koenigsberg and Miles Nadal. Koenigsberg graduated from the UM School of Business and is the founder and CEO of Horizon Media, a New York-based

independent media services company. His son graduated from the SOC a year ago.

In July 2015, Nadal stepped down and retired as C.E.O. of MDC Partners, a large conglomerate of advertising agencies, during an investigation into his expenses, although he and his spokesperson did not connect the retirement to the investigation. His daughter is a student in the SOC. At the time, the spokesperson said Nadal “plans to focus on his family and spend time on his philanthropic endeavors and other business interests.”

Apart from Koenigsberg and Nadal, a number of parents, alumni and friends of the school made donations. Weinblatt said the school surpassed its original fundraising goal and is now pushing toward a “stretch goal.”

He specifically pointed out how several donors were either first-time donors or made more sizable gifts to the SOC than they had previously. Most of the donations were pledges to be paid off over a period of four or five years, according to Weinblatt.

These donors will be honored on a “prominent” donor wall in the center.

“It’s something I hope that’s not lost on the students, too, as they graduate and go on and become successful; they know that their space and their experiences here were supported by philanthropic individuals and hopefully, when they can, they will be supportive of the school as well,” he said.

The center will open after a formal dedication ceremony on Friday, Oct. 7.

March 28 - March 30, 2016

THE MIAMI HURRICANE

NEWS

NEWS BRIEFS

TEDxUMIAMI Applications are open on OrgSync for the Board of Directors and general membership of TEDxUMIAMI, a group that organizes independent TED Talks

APPLICATIONS OPEN

on the University of Miami campus. The organization hopes to share “ideas worth spreading.” The applications close on April 7.

The Miami Hurricane will hold elections for the Editor-in-Chief and Business Manager positions on Wednesday, March 30.

ʻThe State and the Grassrootsʼ UM’s Miami Institute for the Americas (MIA), the Department of Sociology and the Cuban Heritage Collection will present a panel discussion on the grassroots of immigrant organizations on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. in the Cuban Heritage Collection Reading Room on the second floor of the Richter Library.

The panel will focus on the book “The State and the Grassroots: Immigrant Transnational Organizations in Four Continents,” and will feature commentary from Alejandro Portes, the Howard Harrison and Gabrielle S. Beck Professor of Sociology (Emeritus) at Princeton

To apply, see Isabel Vichot in the Student Media Suite on the second floor of the SC.

University, who co-authored the book.

Panelists will include Felicia Knaul, director of the MIA and professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences at Miller School of Medicine; UM School of Law professor David Abraham, and Jorge Domínguez, Antonio Madero Professor for the Study of Mexico in the Department of Government at Harvard University and chair of the Academy for International and Area Studies. Sociology professor Jomills Henry Braddock will moderate the event and UM President Julio Frenk will deliver the closing remarks.

Questions about the Editor-in-Chief position may be directed to faculty adviser Ileana Oroza at ioroza@miami.edu.

Questions about the Business Manager position may be directed to financial adviser Steve Priepke at spriepke@miami.edu.

William Riggin may be emailed at news@themiamihurricane.com.

Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society 2016 Volunteer Events Relay for Life, South Florida Regional Science Bowl, Beach Clean Up

Guest Lecturers Dr. Michael Gaines, Physicians, Researchers, & more!

Leadership Positions Service event leadership boards, prepare for E-board positions

Research Opportunities Student Research Presentations, Office of Undergraduate Research Speakers

Looks great on Resumes All science-related students welcome!!

Pre-med, Pre-Dent, Pre-Vet, Pre-Physical Therapy, Marine Science & more!

Graduation Cords Email us for more info: umiamibbb@gmail.com Join our Facebook group for updates: https://www.facebook.com/groups/umbbb/ Join us on OrgSync! Search Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society

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6

OPINION

THE MIAMI HURRICANE

March 28 - March 30, 2016

Opinion POLITICS

Despite personality politics, take Trump proposals seriously

M

edia outlets were all aflutter over Donald Trump’s speech at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference in Washington,

By Eitan Snyder D.C. earlier this week. I was Contributing Columnist there. I stood up and clapped for him when he entered out of respect for the office he is running for, but I stood up and clapped for him at the end for another reason.

The Trump I saw on stage at the Verizon Center on Monday night was a very different Trump than any of us have seen throughout the campaign. He prepared a speech with his newly announced foreign policy advisory council and new speechwriters. He cited historical events and talked about policy specifics. His rebellious character certainly made a few controversial appearances, but what I saw at AIPAC

was a more serious candidate who was hoping to make a good impression on the 18,000-plus AIPAC delegates at the Verizon Center who were watching him intently.

I gave him a standing ovation at the end because he did everything I could have asked him to do. I wanted him to get specific and he did. I wanted to hear about his foreign policy perspective and I did.

Trump spoke in detail about the Iran nuclear arms deal and about dealing with the United Nations.

I did not clap for everything. Trump criticized the president and I did not clap for that. He criticized Hillary Clinton and I did not clap for that, either. But this time he gave me an idea about what a Trump administration’s foreign policy would look like and for that I stood up.

In The Washington Post on Monday, former Republican Congressman and “Morning Joe” co-host Joe Scarborough wrote about the media’s outright contempt for Trump. “Despite criticizing Trump for his lack of discipline, his proposed Muslim ban, his refusal to criticize David Duke and a number of other inexplicable episodes during his baffling run for the White House,” Scarborough said, “I will not substitute self-righteous preening for political analysis.”

He is absolutely right. The media and electorate alike need to abandon the soap-opera mentality of painting Trump as an irredeemable villain. Like it or not, Trump is the front-runner for the Republican

nomination for president and he may very well win the general election in November.

This does not excuse the many inappropriate statements he has made and continues to make over the course of his campaign. Still, when Trump can actually provide policy specifics, Trump haters have no good reason not to listen. Xenophobia is never acceptable, but his speech was not that. His speech at AIPAC was, in reality, an orderly, detailed, policyheavy speech.

If you refuse to at least listen to what Trump has to say when he actually says something of substance, then it is clear to me that the contempt for Trump and, by extension, the decision of who should run our country, is based on an assessment of Trump’s personality instead of an assessment of Trump’s political agenda.

The only way for us to fix the state of discord in this country is to get out of the personality wars and get back to policy specifics about the challenges facing our country. Based on his recent comments about Ted Cruz’s wife, Trump didn’t stay in this serious, policyoriented mindset for long; but while the man stood on the AIPAC stage, his speech indicated a slight turn in that direction. That’s something I would stand up and clap for.

Wouldn’t you?

Eitan Snyder is a sophomore majoring in music business.

SATIRE

Recent graduates shocked to learn real world isn’t all about U

W

hile University of Miami graduates tend to fare well in the workforce, many Hurricane alumni are facing shocking realities in the world outside of Coral Gables.

“People just don’t get it,” said 2015 graduate Todd Matthews about his current job as a sales manager in Portland, Oregon. “No one here understands

By Conner Barrett that it’s all about the U.” Contributing Columnist Matthews is one of many alumni who have had difficulties transitioning into a non-UM life.

Rachel Stone, a 2014 graduate, has had similar issues during her job hunt.

“Employers are usually impressed with my resume, but the interview process is always difficult,” Stone said. “Sometimes I will tell interviewers that I went to college at the U and they’ll ask me, ‘The U of what?’

How ridiculous is that? ‘The U’ obviously refers to a medium-sized private

school in South Florida. What else could it refer to? One of the other 5,300 colleges or universities in the United States?”

Stone’s frustration lies beyond the lack of awareness of the central importance of UM. She stated that a lack of respect for the U has hindered her ability to utilize the skills that she has acquired at Miami.

“How am I supposed to use my UM education to become an innovative and global leader if people don’t understand that it’s all about the U? Sometimes people are so closed-minded,” Stone said.

Alexander Rice, an associate at Goldman Sachs, has a different view on the situation. “I’ve interviewed multiple University of Miami graduates and some of them have taken personal offense to some of the questions I ask them,” Rice said. “In response to a question about working through adversity, a UM alum simply referred to sitting through an entire afternoon game at Sun Life Stadium. Recently I had a young woman throw a book at me when I said that I literally have never heard of a guy named Brad Kaaya. She kept yelling at me to stop talking about her future husband like that.”

Rice later pointed to a scar on the back of his neck and said, “I asked if she went to the one in Ohio.”

Conner Barrett is a freshman majoring in political science. The quotations used in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real entities is purely coincidental.

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Commentaries, letters and cartoons represent only the views of their respective authors. The newsroom and business office of The Miami Hurricane are located in the Student Activities Center, Student Media Suite 200.

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March 28 - March 30, 2016

THE MIAMI HURRICANE

OPINION

7

VANTAGE POINT

Senate Republicans gamble with Merrick Garland nomination

O

n March 16, D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Merrick Garland was appointed to fill the late Justice Antonin Scalia’s seat in the Supreme Court.

Analysts have remarked that Garland’s judicial history is quite conservaBy Annie Cappetta tive on criminal justice. It may not be Politics Columnist an issue talked about as centrally in politics as the economy or trade, but this issue is a key part of a justice’s job and near to the hearts of many Americans.

Supreme Court analyst Tom Goldstein found that Garland very rarely votes in favor of defendants’ appeals in criminal cases. At a time when Hillary Clinton is running – and winning – on fixing deep flaws in the criminal justice system, Garland is holding firm on the status quo.

If conservatives want a justice on the court who will continue to defend criminal justice laws like three strikes, mandatory minimums and the death penalty, they should at least hold hearings to consider confirming Garland. Instead, hours after Justice Scalia’s death, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell affirmed that Republicans will refuse to appoint any nominees President Obama puts forth, before even hearing Garland’s name.

If they were to hedge their bets, Republicans should nominate Garland. He is likely more moderate than any nominee that would be put forth if Obama has a democratic successor; he could help their public relations on criminal justice issues and his appointment would make the G.O.P. look like the more conciliatory party.

But compromise and conciliation is almost nonexistent in national politics; the country is more polarized than ever.

Obama’s presidency has proven that the only sure ways to get

anything done is to have single-party control over the legislature and presidency, or to use great liberty with executive actions.

Senate Republicans refuse to consider Obama’s nomination under the dogged optimism that a Republican will be elected president and the Senate will remain in Republican control.

THE LURE OF UNCHECKED PARTY CONTROL IN ALL BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT IS ENOUGH TO PERSUADE THE PARTY’S LEADERSHIP TO STAND THEIR GROUND AND STAVE OFF A SUPREME COURT APPOINTMENT ...

The Republicans see a deeply red America, which is somewhat correct. Republicans controlled the House, Senate and the Supreme Court before Scalia passed away. Sixtytwo percent of governors, 55 percent of state senators and 56 percent of state representatives are Republicans, according to Ballotpedia. An NBC News and Wall Street Journal poll from last summer found that ideologically, 10 percent more voters identified as conservative than liberal. Republicans see that all they have to do is maintain their strongholds and win just one more election next November in this red America to control every branch of government, including the Supreme Court.

But Republicans have taken a risk. If they fail to confirm President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee and they lose the White House or the Senate, the Supreme Court could move

much further to the left than it would with the moderate Garland for decades to come. According to “The Weeds,” a policy podcast from Vox.com, there is an unwritten rule about Supreme Court nominations that, barring very extreme ideological candidates, the Senate will confirm any president’s nomination regardless of party, as long as the candidate has good judicial qualifications. The Senate Republicans have not said they will refuse to follow this norm; they have just delayed confirming a candidate until after the next president’s inauguration. So if a Democrat is elected president, they could end up having to confirm a much more liberal justice.

But the idea of Republican control over the legislature, Supreme Court, state government and the presidency is too enticing. The lure of unchecked party control in all branches of government is enough to persuade the party’s leadership to stand their ground and stave off a Supreme Court appointment, even snubbing a safe choice like Garland.

The Grand Old Party understands that the Democratic nominee has a very real chance of winning the presidency.

They remember that much of their control was seized in 2014, an election in which voter turnout was the lowest of any election in 70 years, according to PBS NewsHour. They know their party is ideologically crumbling, and a Trump or Cruz Supreme Court nominee could be much less qualified than Garland.

Yet, the gamble they’re making has incredibly high potential benefits at the risk of some very moderate consequences.

Even if a Democrat wins the White House, Senate Republicans have already been working under a divided government, so it’s just four more years of pretty much the same dysfunction. And the risk of a Clinton or Sanders judicial nominee is not enough to scare them into conceding a Supreme Court seat before the next election and giving up on their dream of locking in both the executive and judicial branch.

The gamble makes sense. No one should be surprised if Senate Republicans hold firm and refuse to hear Garland.

However, this largely assumes the GOP can hold together and not completely destroy itself from the inside out. If Senate Republicans fall apart into chaos of this presidential election, anything is possible, including a Garland appointment to the Supreme Court.

Annie Cappetta is a sophomore majoring in ecosystem science and policy and political science. Vantage Point runs alternate Mondays.

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EDGE

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THE MIAMI HURRICANE

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March 28 - March 30, 2016

Campus locations serve as stages for theatre group performances

By Madelyn Paquette Staff Writer

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t’s college acceptance season, and swarms of high school seniors are descending on campus for a tour of the U. But next week, those tours will have some competition as UM’s playwriting collective, Astonishing Idiots, will host a walking tour unlike anything you’ve ever seen.

Astonishing Idiots usually only puts on two shows each semester. This time, the playwrights decided to aim bigger and put on an additional “Tour de Force” event, a large final production of the semester with departing advisor Oren Safdie.

The eight one-act plays will feature longer scripts than the group’s previous works, and each will be set at a different locations around campus that the tour will stop at. These include the Shalala Student Center balcony, the food court, the IM fields and the Arboretum. The tour is free and will depart from Hecht Residential College at 6:30 p.m.

The writing process for these unconventional works was a unique experience for the playwrights, some of whom even wrote their scripts while at their chosen location. While some playwrights focused only

Mr. Engineer pageant features competitors’ talents, fashion

By Esther Ponce De Leon Staff Writer

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ix engineers flaunted their fashion, talents and trivia knowledge Thursday night for the coveted title of Mr. Engineer.

The competition, hosted by the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and sponsored by the Rathskeller, took place in the Shalala Student Center.

The free, annual event allows contestants to showcase their personalities while raising awareness of SWE to gain new members.

“Mr. Engineer allows us to promote our club for fundraising and attract new

on writing the acts, others also chose to perform in them.

“Rather than starting with characters or an idea or a line of dialogue, we actually had to start with the location,” said Adrian Corbo, a freshman whose play took place in a tree outside the School of Architecture. “The spaces all have very specific energies, and actually being there definitely influenced the way my scene came out.”

The plays went through an extensive rewriting process. The Astonishing Idiots read their scripts aloud and then exchanged notes among themselves and with their advisor before bring-

members,” said Danielle Coogan, the social events coordinator. “It is also a way to take a break from the hard work engineering students do and to have fun.”

The night began with each competitor strutting across the stage in formal wear followed by a talent portion. Performances included senior Gio Calixte singing “Stars” from “Les Miserables,” sophomore Matt Ludwig escaping from tightly knotted ropes, and senior Eli Davis singing “Lava” from the Pixar short while playing the ukulele.

During the fashion portion of the event, contestants sauntered across the stage in “geek chic” outfits that featured suspenders, mismatched socks, pocket protectors with three pens inside and old Nike sneakers. Contestants also answered trivia questions, including who the president of SWE is, what kind of tea Picard drinks in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and Newton’s second law of motion.

At the conclusion of the event, judges tallied up points based on formal wear, talent performance, geek chic looks and the number of trivia questions that were answered correctly. While the judges made their decisions, audience members also voted for their favorite contestants.

ing back a new version the following week to repeat the cycle.

When the scripts were close to completion, the groups practiced the plays on-site. Topics included a troubled friendship, substance experimentation, self-revelations in a relationship, reconnection with an old classmate and a marriage on the rocks.

With the culmination of their hard work this semester now on the horizon, the playwrights are thrilled to finally share their creations with a general audience. “Site-specific is a fairly new type of theatre experience that we’re excited to bring to the U,” Corbo said. “Some

plays will make [the audience] laugh; all of the plays will make them think.”

If You Go What:

Astonishing Idiots

When:

Wednesday, April 6 at 6:30 p.m.

Where: Meets at the Hecht Residential College Cost:

Free

Esther Ponce De Leon // Contributing Photographer

BEAUTY AND BRAINS: The organizers and winners of the Society of Women Engineers’ Mr. Engineer competition pose after the event Thursday evening.

Eric Milton, a junior majoring in software engineering, recieved a $25 gift card to the Rat for winning “Fan Favorite.”

“It’s a really remarkable experience for me, I feel great,” Milton said. “A lot of fans came out and supported me.”

Sophomore Mitchell Hamann, a mechanical engineering major who played the saxophone to close out the talent portion of the pageant, won first place and was named the 2016 Mr. Engineer. He re-

ceived a silver crown to match his sash and trophy. He also won a $50 gift card to the Rat. “He played the saxophone with someone on keyboard as backup, and it was really impressive because the fact that he had accompanying music really stood out.

It was so professional,” Coogan said.

“It feels amazing,” Hamann said of his win.

March 28 - March 30, 2016

THE MIAMI HURRICANE

EDGE

EDGE BRIEFS

Miss University of Miami 2016 The Miss UM pageant tradition is back, and contestants will present themselves for the crown on Tuesday as they express their viewpoints, talents and accomplishments.

The event is free for UM students with a Cane Card and a $5 donation is requested from guests. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the event starts at 7 p.m.

Yoga on the Rock Yoga instructor Mia Rafowitz will share mind-body techniques during Tuesday’s yoga class on the Rock beginning at

5 p.m. The class costs $5, and all proceeds will go directly to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Coral Gables Comedy Festival Listen to standup comedy from more than 30 local comedians at the Coral Gables Comedy Festival, which will be held at the Cosford Cinema Wednesday.

Showtimes are 7 p.m.

and 9 p.m., and doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 for students and $20 for general admission. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit UM’s School of Communication.

Emily Dabau may be emailed at edge@themiamihurricane.com.

DESIGN BY AMY MELTZER

Ask Us Anything and join the award-winning staff of Distraction Magazine and distractionmagazine.com. All positions are open and no experience is required. Email our Editor-in-Chief, Asmae Fahmy, at a.fahmy3@ umiami.edu for more information.

Distraction Magazine

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10

SPORTS

THE MIAMI HURRICANE

March 28 - March 30, 2016

Sports

1,001

Baseball Head Coach Jim Morris has won 1,001 games at Miami after the team’s sweep of Clemson over the weekend.

BASKETBALL

Seniors led Hurricanes in Sweet 16 season

By Tej Joshi Staff Writer

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he No. 10 Hurricanes’ season came to an end after falling to No. 6 Villanova in the Sweet 16 last Thursday, keeping Miami one win short of the program’s first-ever Elite Eight berth. The strength of Miami, not only in the NCAA Tournament but also throughout the season, was the play of its seniors.

Starting guards Angel Rodriguez and Sheldon McClellan paced the Canes’ offense while center Tonye Jekiri anchored the defense. Forward Ivan Cruz Uceda, a deadly three-point shooter, provided frontcourt depth off the bench.

McClellan, an elite wing defender and Miami’s leading scorer,

Michael Reaves // Contributing Photographer

BATTLE FOR THE BASKET: Redshirt senior guard Angel Rodriguez goes for a layup during the South Region semifinal of the NCAA Tournament Thursday in Louisville. The Canes fell to Villanova 92-69.

transferred to the Canes from Texas after his sophomore year. While playing in the Big 12, McClellan struggled to shoot with consistency, including a sophomore campaign in which he shot 27 percent from beyond the arc. After transferring to Miami, he became one

of the most efficient shooting guards in the country. He finished first in shooting percentage in the ACC among guards this season, having shot 50.4 percent from the field.

“Well, I went through a lot of struggles at Texas. I mean, I actu-

ally felt I had two great years on the court, but it was just certain things that people didn’t see, whether it was during practice or during the games that I wasn’t comfortable with,” McClellan said. “So I felt like I needed a change of venue. Once I found out Angel was transferring, I wanted to play with him.

I knew he would be a great teammate and I knew we would be a great team.”

Rodriguez spent his first two collegiate seasons at Kansas State. After redshirting a season, he began his junior season as the Canes’ starting point guard. Rodriguez had an inconsistent first season in Miami, ultimately finishing the year shooting 33.7 percent from the field.

In the off-season leading up to his senior campaign, Rodriguez put on some additional muscle and worked on his conditioning, which allowed him to finish at the rim more consistently. Rodriguez improved his play throughout his senior year, shooting 44.2 percent this season.

Jekiri, a native of Nigeria, only played two years of organized basketball before heading to Miami in 2012.

The seven-footer joined the Canes as a talented but raw prospect. He saw limited playing time in his first two seasons with the Canes.

Jekiri began to fulfill his potential in his junior year, as he led the ACC in rebounding with 9.9 boards per game.

Head Coach Jim Larrañaga took notice of Jekiri’s improved play.

“Physically, he has gotten bigger and stronger; from a maturity standpoint, he has done very well with his school work, he has done very well with fitting in … I think he has matured in very positive way,” Larrañaga said before the 2015-16 season.

Unlike Jekiri, Uceda came to the Canes already a polished shooter.

Uceda struggled on the defensive end but shot 44.8 percent on three-pointers in his final season.

Of the four seniors, McClellan has the best NBA outlook, although Jekiri is not far behind him. McClellan is projected to be a second-round pick, while Jekiri could sign with an NBA team as a free agent if he does not get drafted.

BASKETBALL

Despite sour end in NCAA Tournament, Miami made progress this year

By Isaiah Kim-Martinez Senior Sports Writer

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he men’s basketball team ended the 2014-15 season in a loss to Stanford in the NIT championship game. This season, not only did the Hurricanes want to prove that they were snubbed from the NCAA Tournament last year, but they also wanted to prove that they were even better this time around. The Canes did just that.

Miami was unranked by both the AP Top 25 and USA Today Coaches polls to start the season,

but the team dominated in the Puerto Rico TipOff, getting wins against then-ranked No. 16 Utah and then-ranked No. 22 Butler.

After a 5-0 start, the Canes finally cracked the top 25 in both polls in week three. They never looked back, ending the season with a school-record 17 straight weeks ranked in the top 25.

Throughout the season the team proved doubters wrong, especially with wins over ranked opponents Virginia, Duke and Louisville in a very tough ACC. Miami also defeated Notre Dame twice and Syracuse once, two teams that reached the Elite Eight.

Miami established something that is key to almost every successful basketball team: a dominant home-court advantage. The Canes finished the season 15-1 at home, with the only loss coming on a buzzer-beater to Northeastern in November.

After starting the season unranked, the Canes finished the year 27-8 overall and 13-5 in the ACC and reached the Sweet 16. Although Miami fans believe that the Canes had the talent to go further in

the tournament, the team still considers this season a success.

“Oh, this was a great success. We battled right to the last day of the regular season for the regular-season title. We were ranked in the top 10 for a good portion of the season,” Miami Head Coach Jim Larrañaga said. “We had a phenomenal year.”

Miami had one Sweet 16 appearance in the program’s history before Larrañaga took over in 2011. The Canes have reached the Sweet 16 twice in the last four years. Although crucial seniors are leaving the team, the Canes will have a talented group come next season.

The team has many key players returning, including guard Ja’Quan Newton, guard Davon Reed and forward Kamari Murphy. Forward Anthony Lawrence Jr. and guard James Palmer will both be back as well. The Canes also have a top10 recruiting class for 2016, headlined by five-star forward Dewan Huell and four-star guard Bruce Brown.

Michael Reaves // Contributing Photographer

NOT-SO-SWEET 16: A Hurricanes fan applauds the men’s basketball team in Louisville after their season-ending loss to Villanova in the Sweet 16.

March 28 - March 30, 2016

THE MIAMI HURRICANE

SPORTS

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TENNIS

Hurricanes women’s tennis finishes flawless March

By Tej Joshi Staff Writer

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he No. 6 Hurricanes capped off a perfect month with wins over No. 12 Virginia and No. 53 Boston College (BC) this weekend at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center. The Canes took down BC 7-0 on Sunday to go 8-0 in the month of March, the team’s first f lawless month in two years.

The duo of senior Stephanie Wagner and sophomore Wendy Zhang got the Canes off to a strong start with a 6-3 win. Sophomore Silvia Fuentes and senior Clementina Riobueno guaranteed the Canes the doubles point, as they won their match 6-2.

The Canes (12-4, 7-2) continued to dominate BC in singles play, winning every single set. Fuentes and freshman Clara Tanielian made easy work of their op-

ponents as they both won in two quick sets. Fuentes, who lost only one game, won her match 6-0, 6-1, and Tanielian won in straight sets, 6-0, 6-0.

“I was back there with Clara. She was so thorough the entire match,” Miami Head Coach Paige YaroshukTews said to HurricaneSports.com. “I’m guessing Silvia was the same with her score, just very detailed tennis.”

Wagner and sophomore Sinead Lohan, ranked No. 5 and No. 6 in the nation, respectively, both won their matches in straight sets, putting the Canes up 6-0.

Zhang was the final nail in the coffin as her twoset victory gave the Canes a perfect 7-0 sweep of the BC Eagles (7-9, 2-7).

Miami blanked BC coming off Friday’s 5-2 win over Virginia (10-7, 5-3). The doubles duo of Lohan and freshman Ana Madcur laid the foundation for the Canes’ victory as they won their match 6-1. Lohan sealed the match with a tough 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) win against No. 16 Julia Elbaba.

“I think for Sinead to take out Elbaba the way she did and just make it as physical as she did is what we needed to do,” Yaroshuk-Tews said to HurricaneSports. com.

The Canes will next be in action when they travel to take on the Clemson Tigers at noon on Saturday.

Shreya Chidarala // Staff Photographer

ONE-ON-ONE WIN: Sophomore Sinead Lohan plays in the doubles competition Friday against Virginia at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center. Lohan won her singles match Sunday morning as the Canes defeated Boston College 7-0.

BASEBALL

Team sweeps Clemson with 10-5 win

By Mark Singer Sports Editor

T

here wasn’t any late drama on Sunday afternoon, just yet another Hurricanes win against an ACC opponent. While the Canes won the first two games of the series on walk-off hits, No. 4 Miami routed No. 17 Clemson 10-5 for the sweep in front of 2,480 fans at Mark Light Field.

“That’s a very good club and we played well all weekend,” Miami Head Coach Jim Morris said. “We can have a good weekend and win two out of three, or we can have a great weekend and sweep. That was kind of the message I delivered to the team. Let’s get after these guys, let’s get a sweep.”

Clemson struck first for the third time this series with an early solo home run. Catcher Chris Okey homered in the first inning on Friday night and right fielder Seth Beer did the same on Saturday. Beer hit the first pitch he saw in the second inning on Sunday over the left-field wall for his ACC-leading 11th home run.

The Canes answered Clemson’s power with singles and by not swinging the bat at all.

Hunter Crenian // Contributing Photographer

HARD HITTER: Senior shortstop Brandon Lopez attempts a hit during Sunday afternoon’s game against Clemson at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field. Lopez went 3-for-4 with three singles Sunday, helping the Canes beat Clemson 10-5.

Thirteen of Miami’s 14 hits were singles, and the team drew six walks with an additional three players hit by pitches on Sunday. The Canes drew 20 walks and hit 30 singles over the whole series.

“Our game is to take pitches, get on base, bunt, hit some line drives, put pressure on the defense,” Morris said. “To me, on-base per-

centage is more important than batting average. I always got that percentage highlighted on our stats.”

Miami (20-4, 7-2) tied the game in the third on a sac fly by junior catcher Zack Collins to score sophomore center fielder Carl Chester. The Canes added two more in the bottom of the fourth on RBI singles by Chester

and sophomore designated hitter Peter Crocitto.

Miami’s small ball play put Clemson away in the bottom of the fifth. The Canes hit two singles, drew three walks and were hit twice by pitches en route to a five-run inning.

Collins led off the fifth with a four-pitch walk and then walked in his second at-bat of the inning with the bases loaded, scoring Crocitto for the final run of the frame.

The Canes added two more runs in the seventh and eighth innings on an RBI-single

by Collins and a groundout by Crocitto that brought in junior right fielder Willie Abreu from third.

Clemson (17-6, 5-4) followed Miami’s dominant fifth inning with two runs in the sixth on two solo home runs to left field by Okey and center fielder Chase Pinder off junior starting pitcher Danny Garcia (4-2). The left-hander stayed in the game and threw a scoreless top of the seventh before being replaced by right-handed freshman Keven Pimentel, who pitched the eighth and two thirds of the ninth.

Right-handed freshman Isaiah Musa came in for the final out against Beer shortly after Pimentel gave up another solo home run to Pinder. The Tigers’ eight home runs accounted for nine of their 17 runs in the series.

Miami has won 15 of its last 17 games and is now 17-3 at home this season. The Canes next play Florida Atlantic at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday in Boca Raton.

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DEAR V

THE MIAMI HURRICANE

March 28 - March 30, 2016

Dear V, I’ve been considering getting a breast reduction. They’re much less common than implants – you might say “bigger is better” – but I’m an athlete and my DD’s get in the way of my ability to perform well playing soccer and running track and field.

It’s not that I’m not comfortable with my body, because I am.

But it’s becoming an inconvenience – I get backaches and shoulder strains.

I started saving up a year ago and I’m almost able to afford the procedure. Problem is, when I broke the news to my boyfriend, he was devastated. He tried his best to be supportive, but out of the T & A men, he’s definitely a T. I feel bad that I’m going smaller. Let’s be honest, my boyfriend’s going to miss my rack. I might not have fabulous “love pillows,” as he calls them, afterward.

I’m wondering if maybe I shouldn’t go through with it.

What do you think I should do?

Sincerely, My Humps Dear My Humps, First of all, your body, your rules.

Sure, it can be a bummer for your breast man that there will be

less for him to hold in his hands after the procedure, but this decision is completely up to you. It’s about your personal comfort, not aesthetics.

If your boyfriend loves you, he’ll love you at A, B or DD. He should love you no matter what size or shape you are and the same goes for you with him.

However, a breast reduction is a major surgical procedure. You should be sure you’re ready to go through with it before committing. It’s easy to think of how much easier your life will be afterward without considering the healing process and painful weeks after the surgery.

With any surgery, there are always chances it could go wrong.

Make sure you pick a doctor you’re confident with and don’t try to save cash on a cheaper procedure.

If you’re not totally ready to follow through with it yet, try simpler solutions. See if doubling up on sports bras helps to relieve the tension. Try incorporating stretches, ibuprofen

and even a chiropractor. Those are all things you could try before going under the knife.

If none of that works out, break the news to your boyfriend. Don’t apologize. He should support you during a major change, not make it a pity party mourning the loss of your knockers.

Maybe there’s something else he can fixate on. Break out into a squat routine and try to turn your man into an A man. If all else fails, show him he can learn to love your itty bitties.

Don’t be ashamed of your smaller, lovely lady lumps.By any chance, does your boyfriend have a younger brother?

-V

There are seven billion people in the world.

Seven billion stories. And yet there are universal themes in all of our stories: betrayal, love, romance, redemption, sacrifice… The question - and it’s a really BIG question - is there a larger story or narrative to which all of our stories relate, one that makes sense of our shared experience - a common BackStory? It’s a question you need to answer for yourself.

Butbefore you do consider this story and how it intersects with your own.

#UMbackstory