Florida International University FIU Digital Commons The Beacon Special Collections and University Archives 1-30-2015 The Beacon, January 30, 2015 Florida International University Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/student_newspaper Recommended Citation Florida International University, "The Beacon, January 30, 2015" (2015). The Beacon. Book 473. http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/student_newspaper/473 This work is brought to you for free and open access by the Special Collections and University Archives at FIU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Beacon by an authorized administrator of FIU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A Forum for Free Student Expression at Florida International University One copy per person. Additional copies are 25 cents. Vol. 26 Issue 55 fiusm.com Friday, January 30, 2015 FIU to compete at the Olympics of Model UN teams LESLIE OVALLE seventh in the country, later Contributing Writer moving to fifth in the nation [email protected] and, last semester, fifth in North BBQ America by bestdelegate.com, The University’s Model an organization in charge of United Nations Team was chosen calculating MUN ranks based on to participate in the upcoming universities’ performances. Harvard National Model UN In addition to the ranks, the Conference. team placed among prestigious The Conference will bring national universities, including together different universities the University of Chicago, across the United States, as well Harvard, Georgetown, New York as hundreds of college students University and Yale. with common goals of furthering The MUN program is offered international awareness and as a political science course. It is building consensus. designed to build students’ public Danney Salvatierra, a senior speaking, analytical writing, majoring in political science, is negotiations, critical analysis a new delegate and one of the and research skills. It makes you a leader and gives you confidence. For me, no other class has done that. VINCENT RIVES/THE BEACON Danney Salvatierra Rebecca Rico, graduate student studying criminal justice, punts a football at the Sigma Phi Alpha Senior grill out on the GC lawns on Wednesday Jan.28, 2015. Political Science in which the student is tested and driven conference,” she said. anti-piracy regime to rewriting members chosen to participate For this, extensive practice screened. “We see people from all over the the constitution of Thailand. in the upcoming competition and time is required. For Gabriela Guadalupe, world.” Some of Roberts’ most amongst team members. “It makes you a leader and a senior majoring in political MUN puts forth a wide range memorable topics have been the The competition’s title? “The gives you confidence,” said science and minoring in of scenarios that stimulate 1982 Berlin Conference and the Olympics of Model UN.” Salvatierra. “For me, no other journalism, it’s all about the students’ critical thinking and 1996 UN Security Council, where “It’s a lot of work,” she said. class has done that.” diversity and context of the knowledge of various topics. they dealt with the fall of Mobutu “But it brings out the best in To be part of the team, students program. According to Ethan Roberts, Sese Seko in Zaire, which is you.” are required to go through a long “I’m excited for the Harvard the University’s MUN program now known as the Democratic The team has had much process, which entails a detailed competition because it’s the most director, these topics can range recognition in the past, including application and two interviews, international and substance- from creating an international SEE UN, PAGE 2 Campus honor society opens doors after 15 years ADRIAN SUAREZ AVILA degree-awarding institution, reveal support 20 percent of their class. Some students believe that membership News Director for a charter from its administration, be For the induction ceremony, students will provide many benefits. [email protected] accredited, and demonstrate a commitment were accompanied by family and friends, Christina Rose Fernandez, a sophomore to the mission of the honor society—“to as well as the chapter’s current executive Asian studies major and newly inducted Two years after having inducted its last encourage, promote, and reward high board members and other invited guests. member commented that since Phi Eta member in 1998, the University’s chapter scholastic achievement in its students, “You are among an elite group of Sigma is such a well-known honor society, of Phi Eta Sigma honor society went especially first-year students”—among scholars achieving academic excellence she believes she’ll have a chance to stand inactive. But on Tuesday, Jan. 27, after a others. in the first year of higher education,” out from other applicants in professional 15-year hiatus, the University’s chapter In order for first-year students to qualify said Powell while addressing the newly settings. was re-chartered, ready to induct a new for the honor society, they must achieve a inducted class. According to Powell, what sets Phi Eta group of students. Sigma apart from other national honor Founded on March 22, 1923, at the societies is that it’s the oldest one in the University of Illinois, Phi Eta Sigma is nation that strictly recognizes the academic the oldest and largest honor society in the achievements of freshman students. United States for first-year university and Before Phi Eta Sigma there were college students in all academic fields of Now that it’s being chartered I hope to give it the foundation already honor societies recognizing the study, according to the society’s web page. that it needs in order to succeed throughout the years [after I academic efforts of upper-division students The discussions to revive the graduate.] in colleges and universities, however, there organization on campus started in 2012. were none in existence that recognized the The efforts to re-establish the FIU achievements of lower-division students. chapter were led by Tony Vu, University Jannell Padron Acknowledging this, the society’s two treasurer and Phi Eta Sigma’s chapter Senior founders got together to address the lacking advisor, and Sanjeev Udhnani, a then- International Business and Finance representation for freshman students by undergraduate student working with Vu. promoting and awarding their significant Udhnani reached out to Elaine J. academic performances, according to Powell, executive director of the Phi Eta cumulative grade point average of at least The University’s chapter of Phi Eta Powell. Sigma National Office, and thus started the 3.5 at the conclusion of any academic term Sigma was first chartered in 1982. Aside from over 25 undergraduate process to receive a new charter. during their freshman year in college, In 1985 and 1987, the chapter was students inducted into the University’s According to Phi Eta Sigma’s web page, be enrolled for a traditional academic home to students who managed to receive chapter, Tony Vu recognized Vanessa in order for an institution of higher learning workload to fulfill the requirements for a national scholarships from the society’s to establish a chapter, it must be a four-year bachelor’s degree, and rank within the top headquarters. SEE HONOR, PAGE 2 2 The Beacon – Friday, January 30, 2015 NEWS fiusm.com NATION & WORLD University to host BRIEFS lecture on energy usage Bombing houses in Gaza violated international law, NAYLEEN MOLINA energy advisor in ExxonMobil’s anything from using oil to Contributing Corporate Strategic Planning electricity, but one of the most Israeli rights group charges [email protected] department. Jones will serve important forms is the use of as a guest speaker, addressing chemical energy for agriculture In the most extensive report civilians, top Israeli government When the topic in question is the importance of energy usage production. yet on Israel’s policy of bombing and military officials continued energy, Edward Glab is ready to and its applications within the According to Glab, it’s homes during last summer’s war the policy for weeks. speak. corporate and higher educational important to teach students about in Gaza, the Israeli human rights B’tselem, the most prominent Glab, a professor in the realms -- such as the one to this particular topic, especially group B’tselem said Wednesday Israeli rights group documenting School of International and which the University belongs. the dangers of overuse and the that some of the attacks violated alleged violations by security Public Affairs and the director Working in the planning direction in which energy is international law while others forces in the West Bank, Gaza of the Global Energy Outlook, department of energy usage, going. raised “grave concern” of such Strip and East Jerusalem, said it which was inaugurated in 2003, Jones will be presenting on the Glab also cited the violations. had sent the report to the office is hosting the annual Global topic of global energy and will importance of generating The study, which examined of Prime Minister Benjamin Energy Outlook Forum to 2040 discuss possible outcomes for change to use more biofuels, 70 incidents in which 606 Netanyahu, but there was no in February. petroleum and natural gas usage. solar power and wind power, Palestinians were killed, noted immediate public comment from According to Glab, one of He will also present to those which will lead students to not that despite the “foreseeable, the government or the military. the results behind the event in attendance various forms of use a carbon footprint. horrifying consequences” of the is that the government uses energy producers like hydraulic Rather than have the lecture bombing of homes filled with these outlooks to invest and factories, nuclear factories and be strictly political, focusing on prepare to deal with changes in solar panels, among others, and climate change and the current Israel strikes Syrian government positions after energy supply, thus leading to will draw on the importance of circumstance to produce better rockets land on Golan Heights the generation of useful energy these energy producers and their policies for the long run, Glab policies.