Florida International University FIU Digital Commons The aP nther Press (formerly The Beacon) Special Collections and University Archives 12-3-2010 The Beacon, December 3, 2010 Florida International University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/student_newspaper Recommended Citation Florida International University, "The Beacon, December 3, 2010" (2010). The Panther Press (formerly The Beacon). 686. https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/student_newspaper/686 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]. A Forum for Free Student Expression at Florida International University Vol. 24, Issue 43 www.fi usm.com Friday, December 3, 2010 HAITI MOLDOVA RUSSIA Post-election violence erupts European alliance ahead in elections Call for new arms treaty ratifi cation Protesters demanding cancellation of Haiti’s weekend presidential Moldova’s governing pro-Europe alliance was leading the opposition Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is warning that his country election clashed with U.N. peacekeepers Tuesday, the United Nations Communists, election results, but the coalition was just short of win- will fi nd it necessary to build up its nuclear forces, if the United mission and Haitian radio reported. ning enough legislative seats to end ayear-long political deadlock. State’s doesn’t ratify a new arms reduction, called new START, treaty. SEASON FINALE VICTORIA LYNCH/THE BEACON KRISTI CAMARA/THE BEACON KRISTI CAMARA/THE BEACON Darriet Perry, Wesley Carroll and TY Hilton [left to right] are poised to break an array of different school records on Dec. 4 in preparation for postseason bowl trip. Attendance could factor into bowl destination decision IGOR MELLO The Golden Panthers will school will be selected to play in Although FIU Stadium can Staff Writer have to do it in front of Alison New Orleans. hold 20,000 spectators, they have FIU VS. MTSU Comeaux and possibly Paul “We’re looking for an exciting not been able to sell out a game With a share of the Sun Belt Valteau, members of the R+L team, a team that can draw people, yet this season. According to • When: 6 p.m. Dec. 4 Conference already in posses- Carriers New Orleans Bowl exec- and once they are there can put attendance records, FIU has an • Where: FIU Stadium sion, FIU will look to gain the utive committee. on a good show,” said Valteau on attendance average of 16,524 in • Radio: Radiate FM(95.3, 96.9, conference title outright with a According Valteau, a former Nov. 20 during FIU’s impressive their fi rst four games. win over Middle Tennessee State bowl chairman, attendance will 38-17 victory on the road against 88.1); FIUSM.com University. play a factor in to what Sun Belt Louisiana-Lafayette. FOOTBALL, page 4 Intern retreat rife with allegations of underage drinking GABRIEL ARRARÁS Zapata told Student Media that he was not the drinking was taking place originally, they did resign on Nov. 18, however the details of her News Director aware of any drinking taking place. found that not much had changed. resignation have not been made public. According to Conklin, she inquired as to From there they left to one of the other rooms Ramirez refused to comment on the Underage members of the Student Govern- whom the alcohol belonged to; Autiello told being rented out by SGA. resignation. ment Council from the Modesto Maidique her it was his. It was at this point that Conklin “We stayed there hoping that they would Autiello told Student Media that this alle- Campus brought alcoholic beverages for confronted Autiello and Farinas, asking them to fi nish,” said Conklin, who returned hours later gation is false. Student Media reached out to underage interns at this year’s intern retreat held stop drinking and leave the room. to her original room to fi nd it empty. Farinas but she would not respond to emails at the Embassy Suites hotel in Boca Raton. Autiello denied these allegations in an inter- The following Monday, Oct. 25, rumors despite several attempts. Among the key offi cials implicated in the view with Student Media. circulated about what had actually happened According to Velez and Conklin, several incident were SGC-MMC Vice-President Nick To no avail, Conklin met with SGC-MMC during the retreat. According to Conklin and meetings took place after Ramirez found out to Autiello and former SGC-MMC Intern Coordi- Senate Speaker Pro Tempore Hector Mujica, Velez, two members of SGC-MMC President discuss possible consequences. nator Laura Farinas. SGC-MMC Senate Speaker William Velez and Helena Ramirez’s cabinet informed her about “Toscano simply told us during our fi rst Sara Conklin, the former SGC-MMC several others to discuss what they should do. the weekend’s activities. ‘fact fi nding’ meeting that the punishments Director of Governmental Relations, arrived After deliberating, they decided that their best “As far as the mood and the atmosphere, could range from dock of pay, request to resign, at her room in the Embassy Suites which she option would be to leave the hotel all together. there was defi nitely concern. They were visibly removal for those in the cabinet, vote censure was sharing with Farinas and two other female “Once we saw the drinking with interns upset,” said Conklin, referring to Ramirez and or being referred to the Student Conduct and council members. There she found several was happening we didn’t want to be part of it,” Toscano. Confl ict Resolution Offi ce, which could lead SGC-MMC senators and council members said Velez. “We noticed that even after we told Conklin also met with Ramirez separately to to academic misconduct that would perma- drinking alcohol with interns, many of who are them no, they still came back and we wanted to tell her side of the story. nently taint our personal academic record,” said underage. avoid the situation [so] we decided to leave the “I was mostly embarrassed that they were Mujica. By this time, Assistant Director of Campus hotel.” drinking with interns because of what it makes While Conklin, Mujica, Velez and others Life Jose Toscano had left the premises of the Velez, along with Conklin, Mujica and fi ve the organization look like,” Conklin said. did not participate in the drinking, they were hotel because of a family emergency, leaving others left the hotel to go to a restaurant located According to Conklin, Mujica, and Velez, instead being punished for leaving the hotel— Assistant Director of Campus Life at Biscayne nearby and stayed there for approximately two both Autiello and Farinas were “repeatedly Bay Campus Rafael Zapata in charge. hours. When they returned to the room where asked to resign” but refused to do so. Farinas SGA, page 2 2 The Beacon – Friday, December 3, 2010 NEWS www.fi usm.com WORLDS AHEAD Punishments ‘unreasonable’ SGA, page 1 Arneson. “With elected offi - rect information. cials you have two options: “When he told us that an action that Toscano deemed come to an informal agree- this could get out to Student a “liability,” in case something ment, or proceed with a formal Conduct and we could get were to happen to the students impeachment. There is no punished for what we did by who left the hotel. power to fi re them because them and it would be much “We were being punished they are elected offi cials.” worse than what he would do, for leaving the hotel, which After the meeting with I thought it was coming from according to the Campus Life cabinet members, Ramirez his heart,” said Conklin. Administration is against and Toscano also met with “I do believe that the policy,” said Mujica. “I, as well Mujica and Velez separately. options presented were not for as the other council members According to Mujica and anyone’s benefi t but more so that left, were unaware that Velez, they were asked to to reach some sort of compro- we would be violating policy resign from their positions. mise on a punishment for what by leaving the hotel, espe- Both Ramirez and Toscano had occurred,” said Mujica. cially since we did it to avoid a declined to comment on that Toscano denied that any potentially larger problem.” matter. students were pressured into Both Mujica and Velez “I wholeheartedly refused making a decision. have not found where this rule to accept that option and told “I can see where people against leaving the hotel is President Ramirez and Adviser might have felt that they had written. Student Media has not Toscano that the punishment been misled because at one been able to verify it as well. was unreasonable and that point open communications It is standard procedure for if we had to be punished for had stopped,” Toscano told students to be asked to sign a leaving the hotel we should Student Media. waiver form when they go on get the same punishment as Conklin eventually a University sponsored trip, the other council members that resigned on Nov. 17, citing this however, Conklin, Mujica and left, which was docked pay,” incident and the need to work Velez never signed the form. said Mujica in a statement to more hours as the reason for Instead of driving up on the Student Media. her resignation in an interview University bus, they chose to While a decision to cut with Student Media. drive up and attend on their pay was made, according to According to Arneson, own accord.