Legend refunds still to be set, students may get cash back

By: David Barrios / Senior Staff Writer Almost two months after the cancelation of one of the semester’s most-highly anticipated events, “An Evening With John Legend,” several students entered the Student Government Council at University Park offices, all of them with one question in mind: Is there any word on refunds? The event, canceled on Feb. 9, just two days before the planned lecture and acoustic performance by the five-time Grammy winner, cost students $20 for bleacher seating or $25 for floor seating in the U.S. Century Bank Arena. However, no official refund policy or date has been officially announced yet. “It’s really simple. When do I get my money back? I paid $25 to…

Abuse victims speak out at annual event

By: Amy Ramirez / Staff Writer A stand will be taken to bring awareness to issues of abuse, rape and assault to the University community. Take Back the Night is an annual event that is organized in many college campuses to remember victims who have been affected by violent demonstrations and gives a voice to the survivors who speak out for freedom. “Take Back the Night’s purpose is promoting awareness and allowing people to heal,” said Suzanne Onorato, director of the Women’s Center and one of the main organizers of the event. It will be organized by more than 15 University offices and student organizations, including the Women and Leadership class, the National Pan-Hellenic Council…

Group helps Third World businesses start up

By: Olga Velez / Staff Writer In an effort to help low-income people in developing countries, a new group is being formed at FIU and its first meeting will take place April 3. The group will allow students to improve the lives of workers who don’t have enough income to borrow money from banks and start their own business, or simply upgrade their homes and lives. This group, FIU Micro-Lender, will allow students to make a difference through a partnership with a non-profit organization known as Kiva. Kiva is the “world’s first person-to-person micro-lending Web site, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs in the developing world,” according to its Web site. “Kiva is…

Football lands big time recruit

By: Sergio Bonilla / Asst. Sports Director When the Golden Panthers landed Larvez “Pooh Bear’ Mars, the football team had its most coveted recruit in program history. Now, Mars has another four-star recruit alongside him. Head coach Mario Cristobal announced tight-end Dudley LaPorte gave FIU a national letter of intent on March 26. La Porte is listed at 6-foot-5, 250 pounds. “He is a very large, explosive athlete with good body control,” Cristobal said. “He is a great line of scrimmage blocker as well as a guy you can detach from formations and use as a wide receiver.” LaPorte is a four-star recruit, according to Scout.com 2007 Junior College ranking. He was named all-state wide…

Black Student Union seeks place in council

By: David Barrios / Senior Staff Writer Members of the Black Student Union packed into the University Park Student Government Council chambers with questions and proposals at hand for the University-wide Council. Their main request to instate the BSU as a governing council in SGC-UP was passed after an hour of debate during a March 25 meeting. During the same meeting, a revised version of the Student Government Association constitution was introduced by Kenasha Paul, the SGC vice president for Biscayne Bay Campus. A final draft has yet to be agreed on and is tentatively set to be introduced to the ballot for the April 1 and 2 elections. Among the changes made were the…

University police to start biking around campus

By: Sergio Montealegre / Staff Writer Campus public safety is shifting gears as a new patrol squad rides in to improve security. Starting fall 2009, FIU police officers will begin patrolling on bicycles around both the University Park and Biscayne Bay campuses, alongside the force’s squad cars and officers on foot. But the bike patrol isn’t something new to the University, according to Bill King, chief of police. About seven years ago, there were bike patrols on campus, but they were discontinued due to the difficulty in finding officers that were adequately trained to patrol on bicycles. “We didn’t have enough people on staff,” said King. “It was only now that we had enough people…