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The Student Sports: Newspaper Baseball drops of Florida two to SBC leader International University BEACON Pg. 12 THE Vol. 18, Issue 61 WWW.BEACONNEWSPAPER.COM April 20, 2006 Program helps Faculty Senate debates 3-day classes create jobs for BY ANA SANCHEZ Currently, 42 percent of class space is This proposal could be implemented News Editor used between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 as early as Spring 2007. This would only foreign nurses p.m., although the data presented to The affect Monday-Wednesday classes and A proposal to implement University- Beacon would not specify if this includes would leave Tuesday-Thursday classes, wide three-day classes has caused a heated both University Park and Biscayne Bay evening classes and weekend classes as BY BETTINA LETT debate within the Faculty Senate. Campus. they are now. Contributing writer The pros and cons for establishing this With the exception of St. Thomas Members of the Senate addressed measure – which would add 50-minute University in Miami Gardens, FIU is the many concerns over the consequences Although they started in 2005, classes on Monday, Wednesday April only university in the state that does not of having three-day classes. it won’t be long before Milton 18 and Friday – were discussed at the have three-day classes. Professor Grover Larkins from the and Ana Castro obtain bachelor’s meeting along with extensive questions “Being average is okay - being below College of Engineering opposes the degrees in nursing. and concerns. or at the bottom is not,” said Bruce idea of three-day classes because of the The couple is among 59 other The proposal was formed in response Hauptli, president of the Senate and pro- attendance factor. students enrolled in the Foreign to a Board of Governors ruling that fessor in the department of philosophy. “FIU is different from other universi- Educated Physicians Program, all PECO funding – funding given to Once the faculty Senate takes a vote, ties. 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. [classes] are solid which began during the summer of universities for construction purposes Interim Provost Ronald Berkman will booked. Sure you’re trying to spread 1998 and is approved by the Florida – would be denied to universities that are take that recommendation to President the pie by making 759 classes available Board of Nursing. not utilizing enough of their classroom Modesto A. Maidique in order to make but you won’t be able to fi ll it,” Larkins The program allows foreign doc- space. a fi nal decision. said. tors, such as the Castros, to earn The BOG, which oversees Florida’s Berkman assures that the changes will Another concern expressed by mem- certifications as registered nurses. public university system, has not deter- increase effi ciency for the students being bers of the Senate is that it would take The program allows the doctors mined what the cut-off point for class- that, following the change to three-day away time that is being used on Fridays to bypass the initial board tests that room utilization will be. classes, students will also be able to for research and labs. are required to get a practitioner’s As of now, FIU is below the aver- pick their schedule for the entire year as “Each department has a different license without formal training in age level of classroom utilization when opposed to picking them one semester American universities, which would compared to other Florida universities. at a time. See CLASSES, page 2 make it otherwise difficult, if not impossible, for some to practice medicine in the United States. The School of Nursing does not offer the Foreign Physician program online. However, if a professor has ‘SHE’S OUR FAMILY’ a class at University Park, the class can be broadcast to students at the Biscayne Bay Campus. Custodian takes At BBC, there are a few class- rooms on campus that are specifi- cally designed to allow students to part in students’ pay attention to the professor and even participate in a classroom dis- lives, education cussion without being in the same classroom as the instructor. There are also web-enhanced BY HARRY COLEMAN courses taught primarily in the Editor in Chief standard classroom setting. Faculty members, such as Rosa When seven students needed hous- Aponte, said that the students in ing, Esperanza De La Torre welcomed the Foreign Physician program are them into her home. modest and ambitious. When students need advice and guid- “They are humble and they work ance, De La Torre is there. so hard, because before they get When Greek members need assistance into the program they go through in the Graham Center, De La Torre tries several rigorous interviews,” said her best to help. Aponte, a former secretary of the De La Torre, GC custodian supervi- School of Nursing who assisted the sor, has become a familiar face to stu- students in the program and now dents and faculty of the University. works in the College of Business “Esperanza is more than just part of at BBC. the custodial staff, she’s a part of the The students come from such University, she’s our family,” said senior countries as Peru, Cuba, China and Christine Denton, who serves as Student SHARING: Custodian Esperanza De La Torre (center) spends time with students at the some countries in Africa. Government Association vice president. Graham Center as she interacts and advises students. De La Torre has been at the With only 70 spots available, the “I consider her my home here and I go University since 1980. CHRIS CUTRO/THE BEACON competition is steep. Admittance to to her for a lot of advice and feel many the program is offered once during students can go to her in that way.” with students is what she cares about since 1979. “She believes God put the fall semester. De La Torre has been at the Univer- the most. her here to help students with [their] The program lasts for five semes- sity since 1980, when University Park “Without students, there would development, fears and frustrations. If ters and students have to sign on to consisted of only four buildings: Primera be no University,” De La Torre said. she had an opportunity, she would have work with a hospital after his or her Casa, Deuxieme Maison, GC and a small “Everyday I love coming to work been a therapist.” graduation from the program. two-fl oor library. because I love working for the students. Taking the University home has never Currently there are 61 students Throughout her years at the Univer- This University is theirs.” been an issue for De La Torre. She enrolled in the program. sity, De La Torre has been recognized De La Torre has worked in GC often assists students, including those Not only are there academic with various awards, including the Presi- her entire time at FIU. This is where in fi nancial need. qualifications required of the stu- dential Award and the Distinguished Ruth Hamilton, executive director of Between 1983-87, she housed seven dent, but the student must also Performance Award Division of Student GC, noticed De La Torre’s affect on international students who could not adhere to the Nurse Practice Acts of Affairs. students. afford housing. the State of Florida, which allow no Even though cleaning and supervis- “Students like her because she doesn’t Students from Venezuela, Spain, ing a night staff of seven is De La Torre’s see herself as a custodian,” said Ham- See NURSES, page 4 primary job, speaking and interacting ilton, who has been at the University See CUSTODIAN, page 2 Next-gen DVD format wars, Pg. 5 Fun classes part 5, Pg. 6 Heat getting a bad rap, Pg. 12 2 The Beacon –April 20, 2006 NEWS www.beaconnewspaper.com NEWSFLASH De La Torre helps international students Compiled by Ana Sanchez from Beacon staff From CUSTODIAN, page 1 to this country,” Hamil- description.” with buildings across its and wire reports ton said. “When parents One of the serious campus. Honduras and England of international students issues De La Torre has She credits current FIU were welcomed in her visit, the fi rst person they helped students deal with President Modesto A. Rape suspect caught home to live with her own ask to meet is her.” is drugs and alcohol. Maidique –whom she children. Every night, De La “She’s very concerned said often sits down to eat After an escape from the police, Carlos Garay “They would call me Torre puts out cookies about drugs and alcohol, with her in GC – with the was caught April 16 hiding in his parents’ attic in mom,” De La Torre and coffee for students especially after parties at development. West Miami. recalls. “I would take studying late at night in Gracie’s Grill,” Hamilton “He’s given every- While Garay was missing, he was thought to care of them but they GC.