Florida International University FIU Digital Commons The Beacon Special Collections and University Archives 4-8-2009 The Beacon, April 8, 2009 Florida International University Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/student_newspaper Recommended Citation Florida International University, "The Beacon, April 8, 2009" (2009). The Beacon. Book 407. http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/student_newspaper/407 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 Vol. 21, Issue 87 www.fi usm.com Wednesday, April 8, 2009 Adventureland comes Close victory over of age with grace, style ranked conference foe PAGE 5 PAGE 8 SPOTLIGHT SGC-UP SENATE AT THE BAY PAGE 3 SOC-BBC has a new executive board for the upcoming school year. Election Code OPINION PAGE 4 THE END? Graduating in three years grants plenty of benefi ts. revision, new AT THE BAY PAGE 3 Finance Code Put down the lemonade and cool off to be presented over the summer with aff ordable wines. SPORTS PAGE 8 DAVID BARRIOS Big swinging lefty swats a pair as FIU takes two of three from WKU. Senior Staff Writer OPINION PAGE 4 During their penultimate meeting of the 2008- 2009 school year, the senate of the Student Govern- ment Council at University Park passed a resolution to aid the Marching Band and a dilemma over the new College of Arts and Sciences senate seat was brought to the attention of the senators. COLUMN: Eric Feldman tells us how to SGC-UP Chief Justice Leonard Goenaga said deal with our topsy-turvy planet. that the fi fth College of Arts and Sciences seat was improperly fi lled. LIFE! PAGE 5 COLUMN: Eddith Sevilla breaks down The College of Social Work, Criminal Justice and calories and what they mean to you. Public Affairs is now part of the College Arts and Sciences; therefore, calling for an additional seat in SPORTS PAGE 8 JOEY KOSANKE/THE BEACON the college. PROTEST: Members of the FIU Marching Band demonstrate by the fountain in front of Primera Casa. The new seat was created under the new Student They are trying to save the band by urging students to sign a petition. The College of Architecture and Government Association constitution, which was up The Arts, who mainly funds the band, will not fund it next year. for vote by students, and passed on during the April 1-2 elections. The seat was fi lled by Pablo Martinez. Spring ball culminates with defensive “Proper protocol was not followed in the fi lling win in ninth Blue and Gold game. Golden Panther Band at of this new position,” Goenaga said. “This position can only be fi lled by special elections or fi lled during UPCOMING EVENTS next year’s elections.” FIU Chemistry Club – Interviews, A clear action has yet to be made as to how the April 8, 1 p.m.: Come with your chemis- risk after six years of service senate will deal with this issue. try set and beakers at GC 1223. The senate also discussed the FIU Marching Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, April 8, 8 JORGE VALENS Government Association and the Athletics Depart- Band, which is currently seeking funding after losing p.m.: Enjoy some middle-aged “punk” Asst. News Director ment, each funding 21 percent and 14 percent most of its funding from the College of Architecture rockers at the American Airlines Arena. respectively. and The Arts. Health Occupation Students of After six years of existence, FIU’s Golden With budget cuts on the way for the next fi scal Senate Speaker Jean Roseme and Senator Chris America – Meeting, April 9, 3:30 p.m. year, CARTA may not be able to fund the band Learn how to have really bad handwrit- Panther Marching Band faces elimination in the Cabral presented resolutions to the body, asking for ing at this event in GC 343. shadow of massive budget cuts. any longer and SGA has been talking about cutting SGA to aid the marching band in seeking funding. Service for Peace – Meeting, April On March 24, a public forum was held in an funding to the band altogether. “The Student Government at Florida Interna- 9, 4:30 p.m.: Insert Bono joke here empty sound hall at the School of Music in order “We do not have the $237,000 that was our share tional University is willing to work with the other at GC 305. for students and band members to emphasize the of the cost of the band,” said former CARTA dean, fi nancial supporters of the FIU Marching Band to Marc Anthony, April 9, 8 p.m.: Enjoy importance of the band and to voice their opinions Juan Bueno. “We don’t have that in the budget and put forward a plan to save the band in these though music form the “skeletor” at Hard Rock on how the band can be spared. we are about to lose another $800,000 now.” Café. economic times, and for the future,” read the original According to Carla Geiger, FIU Athletic Bands’ He said that these cuts are not only unavoidable, draft of the resolution. For the complete calendar, please see page 6 or director, the College of Architecture and The Arts, but are also complimentary to the budget cuts the visit FIUSM.com/calendar. “We cannot take the burden on this,” said SGC- also known as CARTA, currently funds 65 percent UP president-elect, Anthony Rionda, while speaking of the band; the remainder is split between Student BAND, page 2 to the body. WEATHER After deliberations, it was determined that SGC- WEDNESDAY UP would not seek to mediate fi nding a way to fund Partly cloudy LOW: 60 HIGH: 73 Lawmakers outline budget cuts the band. The senate did, however, pass a resolu- THURSDAY tion stating that they fully support the efforts of the band. Partly cloudy BILL KACZOR the tribe to expand gambling at its were distributed to lawmakers LOW: 70 HIGH: 79 Senator Moses Aluicio introduced a bill to strike AP Writer seven Florida casinos before the late Thursday. Appropria- FRIDAY Section II, Clause B of the Elections Code and state Supreme Court ruled it needs tions committees will consider Isolated t-storms replace the requirements for appointing elections Proposed budgets released by legislative approval. Both cham- them next week. Floor votes are LOW: 72 HIGH: 83 commissioner and board members. both Florida legislative chambers bers have since drafted separate expected the following week The new bill, approved by the senate, calls for elec- for the next fi scal year are $600 plans, with Crist’s version some- The Senate’s budget bill CONTACTS tions commissioners and elections board members to million apart, with the Senate’s where in the middle. includes $538 million from the be appointed by the SGC-UP president after submis- Editor in Chief .................... 305-348-1580 on the high side partly because it The Senate’s proposed $65.6 Seminole compact. That includes chris.necuze@fi usm.com sion of an open application. The candidates would includes Seminole Indian gaming billion spending plan for the $288 million carried over from UP Offi ce ............................ 305-348-2709 then be approved by a simple majority of the senate news@fi usm.com money not in the House plan. budget year beginning July 1 is the current budget year. The tribe during any meeting where there is quorum. BBC Offi ce .......................... 305-919-4722 Gov. Charlie Crist, mean- about $100 million more than the has put that much aside awaiting Comptroller Robert Chung during his presenta- bbc@fi usm.com while, on Friday stepped up efforts state’s current budget. The House the Legislature’s approval of tion to the body also said that a new Finance Code Tips & Corrections .............. 305-348-2709 to persuade both Republican- plan weighs in at $65 billion, or Crist’s compact. The Senate is tips@fi usm.com would be introduced into the senate during the April controlled chambers to approve a half a billion less than what is Advertising ........................ 305-348-6994 13 meeting. advertising@fi usm.com compact he originally made with now being spent. Both proposals LEGISLATURE, page 2 2 The Beacon – Wednesday, April 8, 2009 NEWS www.fi usm.com NEWS FLASH Budget cuts threaten marching band NATIONAL BAND, page 1 previously funded it, if there is She said that since she the country without a marching a verbal and written commit- was charged with heading the band, or an athletics band Study: College students prefer smart phones school faced last year. ment from the Athletics marching band, she had raised for that matter,” said Ernesto In addition, Athletics stated Department [and] from the the percentage of enrolled Fernandez, FIU band drum According to a recent study, college students that they have never funded University and/or college that students to 51 percent, with the major and incoming president are using cell phones, particularly smart phones, the band. they will provide the addi- ultimate goal of 100 percent of Kappa Kappa Si, a national for their core communication and entertainment “We neither fund the tional funding necessary to within the next year. fraternity for college bands. needs. band nor does it report to us. have a marching band,” Meyer Bueno noted that he had Students at the demon- The survey, conducted by Ball State University And we also have diffi cult said.