Florida International University FIU Digital Commons The aP nther Press (formerly The Beacon) Special Collections and University Archives 1-10-2011 The Beacon, January 10, 2011 Florida International University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/student_newspaper Recommended Citation Florida International University, "The Beacon, January 10, 2011" (2011). The Panther Press (formerly The Beacon). 684. https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/student_newspaper/684 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 aP nther Press (formerly The Beacon) by an authorized administrator of FIU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ack WWelcomeelcome BackB A Forum for Free Student Expression at Florida International University Vol. 22, Issue 1 www.fi usm.com Monday, January 10, 2011 MEXICO CHILE RUSSIA Border city has record drug killings in ‘10 Magnitude-7.1 quake shakes Chile 500 seamen stranded in icebound ships The embattled border city of Ciudad Juarez had its bloodiest year A magnitude-7.1 earthquake shook southern Chile, prompting tens A Russian icebreaker labored Monday through howling winds and ever with 3,111 people killed in drug violence, an offi cial said of thousands to fl ee the coast for higher ground amid fears it could heavy snow as it tried to reach icebound ships in the Sea of Okhotsk Saturday. generate a tsunami. where more than 500 seamen are trapped. University smoking ban in full effect Min Yao GABRIEL ARRARÁS and align with FIU’s growing News Director commitment to environmental stepping sustainability,” said Vice Pres- Students returning to the ident of Student Affairs Rosa University for the Spring Jones in an email to the Univer- semester will be greeted by sity community. down from signs ringing in the start of a With this new policy, new year with a tobacco and smoking will be banned on smoke free campus. all campus recreational areas, The signs, which encourage dorms, parking lots, garages and position visitors, faculty and students to inside parked cars on campus. “breathe easy,” are part of the During the initial six- ALEXANDRA CAMEJO University’s measures to ensure month period of the smoke free Asst. News Director that word of the new Tobacco campus initiative, the policy and Smoke Free Campus initia- will be enforced socially. Those After serving as the University’s Vice tive gets out. found smoking will be asked to President of Information Technology The initiative, approved stop and palm cards with perti- and Chief Information Officer for four by the University Board of nent information on why the years, Dr. Min Yao will be leaving FIU Trustees during a Sept. 24 University has gone tobacco for a similar position at the University meeting, bans the use of all and smoke free will be offered of California, San Diego. tobacco related products on for distribution. The decision to leave the University, University campuses effective “Anyone violating the policy according to Dr. Yao, stemmed from a Jan 1, 2011, making FIU the should be reminded of the regu- desire to be closer to family and friends fi rst institution in South Florida lation and asked to dispose in the California region. to be completely smoke free. of the product in a courteous “I’ve personally enjoyed the support This initiative also makes manner,” said Jones. and work I’ve done with the FIU FIU the second University in According to Jones, community, but my wife and I are West the state of Florida to imple- continuing violations after coast people, although I have enjoyed ment a smoke-free policy. The the initial six-month period BEN GUZMAN/THE BEACON Miami. This move is mostly driven by University of Florida was the will result in judicial conduct that some people may need “employees and supervisors will my family connections over there,” said fi rst to go smoke free in July, action following the Univer- assistance with managing their be educated on how to provide Dr. Yao. 2010. sity Student Code of Conduct; dependance on cigarettes and support to their colleagues, Since taking office in 2007, Yao has “This initiative is also however, punishment for other tobacco products and as consult with those who continue steered FIU to a leading position among intended to foster greater continuous violations has not such, they are using the initial to smoke on campus and direct Florida public universities in regards to respect for one another, improve been clearly defi ned. six-month period of the policy information technology. the health of the FIU family The University recognizes as a transition period where: SMOKING, page 2 Through his leadership FIU became the first Florida public university to implement a consolidated email system for all faculty and staff on MS Exchange Wittels charged with rape in Bahamas 2007 email platform and MS Exchange 2010 email system with unified JOEL DELGADO FIU Athletics currently has messaging. Sports Director no comment as they try to find The University was also the first to out more on the incident, which partner with Google to deliver student FIU infielder Garrett has only recently been brought email service—an endeavor that Dr. Yao Wittels, along with a group to their attention. credits to student support. of friends, were arrested and In addition to Wittels, Oberti “Students were not using the charged in the Bahamas with and Rothschild, Steven Trom- previous email system because they had the rape of two 17-year-old berg and David Shapiro were little storage. At the time we negotiated girls last week, according to also arrested on Dec. 20 after with Google and Microsoft, and after The Miami Herald. a father of one the girls called working together with student govern- Wittels and two others, the police after they returned to ment, we went with Google which still Jonathan Oberti and Robert their own hotel room. offers email service to us free of charge Rothschild, were charged with All the men are from and advertisement,” said Dr. Yao on the raping the girls. They have Miami. Tromberg and Shapiro email service, which saves $1.5 million admitted to having sex with were released after police every year. the girls but contest that it was questioning and returned to Aside from these accomplishments, consensual. Miami-Dade County shortly Yao considers the University’s inte- The three men involved with thereafter. gration of all passwords into one, his the incident, which took place at Michael Wittels went on to greatest achievement and primary goal. the Atlantis Resort and Casino, say that the men had met the two “When I first came on board, that was were released on $10,000 bond girls at the casino and that the the number one concern from faculty, on Dec. 23 following a court girls had followed all of them who would come to me confused with hearing. A preliminary is set to a private party willingly. six or seven passwords written on note for April 18. In the Bahamas, the legal paper. And after years, we’ve integrated “Anyone can accuse anyone drinking age is 18 and the age all of them into one,” stated Dr. Yao. of anything at any time,” of legal consent for sex is 16. In a memorandum released by Michael Wittels, Garrett’s The rape charges come from Douglas Wartzok, provost and exec- father, told The Miami Herald the girls having been drinking utive vice president, he attributed the Monday morning. “He’s not and the belief is that they may University’s “integrated voice and doing well, obviously. He’s have been too impaired to be email system, smart phone access to VICTORIA LYNCH/THE BEACON blown away. He’s devastated able to consent to having sexual an enterprise information system for FIU infi elder Garrett Wittels [above] was arrested and charged that someone would accuse with rape in the Bahamas during the winter break. him of this.” WITTELS, page 4 YAO, page 2 2 The Beacon – Monday, January 10, 2011 NEWS www.fi usm.com NEWS FLASH Wartzok announces Robert Grillo As press secretary steps down, White House hires new chief of as interim chief information offi cer staff YAO, page 1 to the school, and will definitely leave Center and Field Team, and Software here with mixed feelings,” said Yao. Licensing/Hardware Repair units. Politics Daily has confi rmed White House Press faculty and students, free downloads Wartzok announced the selection On Jan. 31, Grillo will take over Secretary Robert Gibbs will step down next week, of MS Office and anti virus software of Robert Grillo, assistant vice pres- for Dr. Yao and plans to work towards but he will remain active as a member of Presi- for students, and wireless access in all ident for the division of information the five year plan set forth by the dent Obama’s inner circle as the 2012 re-election 210 general purpose classrooms,” to technology as the interim CIO and department’s division. The upcoming campaign ramps up. Gibbs, 39, plans to hop on Dr. Yao’s leadership of more than 200 vice president. interim CIO is optimistic about his the paid speaking circuit, giving him a chance to IT professionals. “Working with Dr. Yao has been a new role in the department and a make more money. As he leaves his position at the great experience. He brought leader- continuation of the work ethic set In similar news, President Barack Obama is end of January, Dr. Yao expressed ship that helped the University tech- forth by Yao and his position.