Vol. 106, Issue 17
Sept. 9, 2026 - Sept. 22, 2026
MIAMI’S NEW DYNAMIC DUO Malachi Toney, Darian Mensah headline 45-6 win over Stanford By Sebastian Font & Jayden Gonzalez Co-Sports Editors It takes more than five hours by plane to cover the 2,565-mile distance to Stanford from the University of Miami. Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney found the Stanford end zone in less than two minutes. Their connection wasted no time striking early and often, leading to one of the most historic nights in college football as the pair set multiple program records. The Hurricanes came out of the gates firing on all cylinders and never let their foot off the gas en route to a statement 45-6 Week 1 win over the Stanford Cardinal. Malachi Magic There’s always a moment in a legendary athlete’s career where they shift from budding superstar to a possible all-time great. Toney had his moment in the first half against Stanford, putting up a video game-like stat line of 10 receptions for 182 yards and two touchdowns. The moment has never been too bright for the electric 18-yearold who, as a freshman, set Miami’s single-season reception and receiving yard record last year — but this game felt different. Now a sophomore and a captain, Toney wasted no time in making an impact by reeling in 75 yards and a touchdown on Miami’s opening drive. And as he strolled into the end zone, he traded out his iconic “305” celebration for a new one, the Heisman pose. After scoring again on the following drive, Toney hit the pose again — signaling to the college football world that he wants to be known
Rathskeller to host watch parties for select Miami football games
as the best in the country. He ended his night midway through the third quarter with 12 catches for 234 yards and three touchdowns, setting a program record for receiving yards, which had previously been set in 1984 by Eddie Brown (220). Known locally as “Baby Jesus,” Toney continues to be the stuff of legend for the Miami faithful. Shades of the 2024 Hurricane offense Led by No.1 overall pick and Heisman finalist Cam Ward, the 2024 Hurricanes set the college football world alight with 44.3 points and 537 yards per game, both program records. While it’s a lofty comparison, this 2026 Hurricanes offense demonstrated a high level that puts them in the upper echelon of college offenses. Making his first start as a Hurricane, Duke transfer quarterback Darian Mensah carved up the Stanford defense, throwing more touchdowns (5) than incompletions (3). In doing so, he set a program record for passing yards in a UM debut (401), which also marked a career-high. “It’s just an honor to be the quarterback of this team,” Mensah said. “I was eager to get on the field … a dream come true.”
David Lebowitz
// Co-Photo Editor
Sophomore Reciever Malachi Toney celebrates in the endzone after a touchdown against Stanford on Sept. 4, 2026 at Stanford Stadium.
David Lebowitz // Co-Photo Editor Redshirt Senior Reciever Cooper Barkate catches a touchdown pass versus Stanford on Sept. 4, 2026 at Stanford Stadium.
David Lebowitz // Co-Photo Editor Redshirt Junior Quarterback Darian Mensah leaps into the air as he comes onto the field versus Stanford on Sept. 4, 2026 at Stanford Stadium. Mensah only played three quarters as the Canes emptied their bench midway through the third, meaning there’s still room for this Miami offense to grow. Thankfully, this Hurricane side didn’t show signs of the 2024 defense, which routinely gave up points in bunches, notably 42 points in a crushing loss to Syracuse in the final week of the regular season which cost the Canes a playoff appearance. Despite struggling in zone coverage and giving up 144 yards on 13 catches, the new-look Hurricane defense only allowed six points against the Cardinal. Miami’s offense should have no problem putting the team on its back while the defense works out its growing pains. First tree chopped down Yes, it’s only Stanford, a team that went 4-8 last season and barely scraped by Hawaii in its Week 0 season opener.
David Lebowitz // Co-Photo Editor Redshirt Junior Runningback CharMar Brown leaps into the endzone versus Stanford on Sept. 4, 2026 at Stanford Stadium.
But if the Hurricanes wish to avenge their national championship loss last season, they must emphatically dominate every team in front of them on their quest for a sixth national title. They did just that Friday night against the Cardinal, with an impressive 39-point win over a team that was already game-sharp. The Canes could’ve come out sleepwalking in this cross-country affair, but instead they set the tone early and carried the momentum throughout the evening — showcasing why many believe this team to be a championship contender. There’s a long season ahead, with plenty of crucial games on the way, but as head coach Mario Cristobal always emphasizes: “Stay focused on 1-0.” If this team can avoid a slip-up along the way, there should be no reason Miami can’t win its first ACC championship and return to the College Football Playoff.
David Lebowitz // Co-Photo Editor Sophomore Reciever Malachi Toney catches the opening touchdown against Stanford on Sept. 4, 2026 at Stanford Stadium.
Ava Stroshane // Staff Photographer The Rathskeller, UM’s on-campus bar, brings in students with DJ Thursday on Sept. 3, 2026.
By Spencer Werner Contributing Writer With multiple football games scheduled mid-week or conflicting with travel plans, Miami fans are in for a rough ride this season. To help students support the Canes through these inconvenient dates, the Rathskeller — Miami’s on-campus bar — will stream the games live and host watch parties throughout the 2026 season. According to the University, the Rat plans to stream at least five of the Hurricanes’ games: • Sept. 10 at home versus FAMU • Sept. 18 at Wake Forest • Sept. 26 at home versus Central Michigan • Oct. 3 at Clemson • Oct. 31 at UNC, only if it’s a day game • Nov. 7 at Notre Dame • ACC Championship, if UM qualifies Typically, the Rat only stays open until 8 p.m. during the week and is closed on the weekends. But, given the number of games that will run past closing time, UM is making exceptions for the benefit of on-campus Canes fans. Miami’s home opener against Florida A&M, for example, is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 10, at 8 p.m. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
Miami-Florida State football rivalry scores Progressive sponsorship By Riley Donner Contributing Writer In a twist of rivals-turned-partners, Progressive Insurance is now the presenting sponsor of the Miami-Florida State rivalry matchup. Miami Athletics announced the multi-year deal on Thursday, August 28th, marking an innovative partnership between the in-state opponents. The insurance company will focus on activating and driving engagement in South Florida ahead of this season’s game at Hard Rock Stadium. However, this partnership isn’t limited solely to when the teams square off on Oct. 17. Starting this season, Progressive logos will be displayed on the field during every home game at both the Hurricanes’ Hard Rock Stadium and the Seminoles’ Doak S. Campbell Stadium. “Few rivalries in college sports carry the passion, history and statewide significance of Miami vs. Florida
State,” UM Chief Revenue Officer Jesse Marks said. “Progressive’s partnership allows us to build on that tradition while creating an innovative model for how brands can engage with our fans.” In a college football landscape that’s routinely becoming business-oriented, Miami is selling its brand from a position of strength. The Canes played for a national title in January, beating Texas A&M, Ohio State and Ole Miss in the College Football Playoff before losing to Indiana 27-21 at home. Miami participated in five of the 17 most-watched college football games last season, with its national championship and quarterfinal games ranking as the first- and third-most-watched, respectively. The move to draw in more sponsors will also drive up revenue, which is directly tied to how much schools are able to pay their athletes. On July 1, 2025, schools began paying student-athletes directly as a result of the House settlement,
with a cap of around $20.5 million per school this year, projected to rise to $33 million by 2035. The cap is determined by schools’ average revenue from media, tickets and sponsorships. So, securing high-paying sponsorships means the school can pay more competitively and afford better players. However, field sponsorship is new territory. The NCAA only recently approved sponsor logos on the playing surface for regular-season games. Each school gets three spots: one at midfield and two smaller ones wherever the program chooses. This month alone, Progressive has purchased logos for 13 other programs – almost all of them oneschool deals — making the UMFSU sponsorship deal unique. Legends Global brokered the deal alongside both schools, a pattern with B:10.25" the University of Miami. Legends hasT:10" been handling Miami’s multimedia rights since 2021 S:9.75"
Sovannreach Po // Graphics Editor and began offering sponsorship, ticketing and fundraising services in 2023. The company also took over venue management at the Watsco Center in February of this year and negotiated UM’s new agreement with Ticketmaster in July.
Progressive is the third deal Legends has brokered in the last seven months. The two programs have rarely played nice with one another in their historic rivalry, but now they share a sponsor.
S:1.25"
INDEX:
SPORTS | PAGE 2
NEWS | PAGE 3
A&E | PAGE 5
OPINION | PAGE 6
V’S TAKE | PAGE 7
SPORTS
2
September 9, 2026
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
Rathskeller to host watch parties for select Miami football games By Spencer Werner Contributing Writer CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 With Hard Rock located more than 45 minutes from UM’s Coral Gables campus, attending could become particularly difficult, especially with traffic. While the University offers free bus transportation, the hike to Hard Rock could leave students facing a difficult choice: Skip their afternoon classes to make the trip or miss the game. For Canes looking
to avoid the hassle of commuting, watching the game at the Rat provides another option — students can grab a bite to eat, settle in after class and cheer on their team alongside their peers. For the Central Michigan game on Family Weekend, the Rat will host a Pre-Party for Pre-registered Families as part of the Family Weekend Program. General admission will start 15 minutes before kickoff and will remain open throughout the game. However, plans have not been put in place for other complicated dates. On either end of Thanksgiv-
ing break, Miami is hosting its last regular-season games against Virginia Tech (Nov. 21) and Boston College (Nov. 28). With many students expected to travel for the holiday, support at both games could be low. However, the Rat plans to open for the ACC Football Championship if Miami is playing. Opening the Rat for these matchups could offer students a much-needed break from studying for final exams and recreate the home-team atmosphere Canes fans experienced during this past March Madness tournament.
Ava Stroshane // Staff Photographer Students get together at The Rathskeller on Sept. 3, 2026 for DJ Thursdays.
OPINION: The NCAA is grossly unprepared for the New Era of College Football By Omar Pinto Staff Writer The NCAA’s interim NIL policy took effect on July 1, 2021, starting the process of turning college football from an amateur sport into something resembling a professional league. Fans never thought they would see the day that football players tried to leave the NFL for a college roster, but, strangely enough, that’s what’s happening. Hundreds of former collegiate athletes flocked to the court system in search of temporary restraining orders that grant them an extra year of eligibility — including former Hurricanes like Wesley Bissainthe and Alex Bauman. Arguably, the face of the recent chaos has been former Ole Miss tight end Dae’Quan Wright. Wright dressed for a preseason game with the Browns on Aug. 22, was cut on Aug. 23, and then committed to and enrolled at LSU on Aug. 24. In doing so, he became the first player to ever return to college after
being on an NFL roster. Now, Wright can still play football at a high level and could make more through NIL than he would as an NFL rookie. So, how did the sport get to the point where going back to college can be more financially attractive than playing professional football? After years of receiving indirect endorsements, on July 1, 2025, following the House v. NCAA antitrust settlement, Division I schools were allowed to provide direct financial benefits to athletes through a new revenue-sharing system, turning student-athlete life into more of a full-time job. Now, the best college players are getting paid well north of $5 million, while the NFL rookie minimum is $885,000. The transfer portal has become a free agency. College players rotate from school to school every year based on money, coaching and team fit, factors that used to be the main influence for only pro players. The Hurricanes have arguably embraced this situation better than anyone else, reaching into the transfer portal to pluck their last three
quarterbacks, with an estimated roster cost north of $40 million. Not only can players quickly switch schools, but they can now move from professional football back to college. College athletes deserve to be paid for their play, but so far the NCAA has handled the situation poorly. The NCAA’s new five-year eligibility plan has already led to lawsuits, and courts have temporarily allowed certain players from the 2022 recruiting class to regain eligibility. In opposition to the courts, the SEC and Big Ten have sought to prevent players who have signed professional contracts or declared for the professional draft from returning to college. Judicial courts have pushed back against those restrictions. If college football conferences can’t control who plays, then who’s in charge? Thanks to NIL and the changing economics of college football, fans have also seen the death of the Power Five, with more conference realignment seemingly inevitable. The talent pool is becoming increasingly lopsided, leaving many fans worried about the future of a sport once built
Courtesy of @Canesfootball on X UM Senior Linebacker Wesley Bissainthe leads the huddle pregame before facing Texas A&M on Dec. 20, 2025. on school pride and passion. However, NIL isn’t all bad; it has also allowed these players to capitalize on their value and take more control over their careers. NIL hasn’t ruined college football; it has simply revealed that college football is operating like a professional business without professional rules. A few years ago, the path was simple: play college football, get drafted
and become a professional. Now, we’ve seen players bounce around from school to school, in some cases for nine years, go from college to the NFL, only to then potentially decide that college is the better financial option and return to it. The old definition of college football no longer exists. If the NCAA doesn’t get a handle on the sport it governs, football fans could see it spiral further out of control.
Sadusky scores in final seconds to lift Miami soccer over FIU By Omar Pinto Staff Writer For more than 89 minutes, Miami women’s soccer was in a scoreless deadlock with its cross-town rival, FIU, on Sunday evening. But, when FIU’s Yasmine Decombe was shown a red card with 13 seconds remaining in the match, the Hurricanes got one last chance to steal victory on the road against the Panthers. Ciara Alarcon whipped the ball into the box, finding the head of Madelynn Sadusky, who pushed it past FIU’s Valery Restrepo to seal the win for Miami with six seconds remaining. Coming into the game with four wins, the Canes were favored over the one-win Panthers, but the match turned into a hard-fought affair that seemed destined for a draw. While the score was tied until the final seconds, Miami dominated offensively, peppering the Panthers with 23 shots to FIU’s 11. The Canes also earned 11 corners to the Panthers’ three. Despite their offensive advan-
Lorelei DiSanto // Contributing Photographer University of Miami Women’s Soccer team celebrates after Sophomore Ciara Alarcon gets their first goal in for the night against Florida International University at Cobb Stadium on Sept. 7, 2025. tage, UM was unable to control possession throughout the game, as FIU bested UM with 54% possession total. However, 50% of the Panthers’ possession came in the middle third, whereas half of Miami’s was in the attacking third. FIU spent the majority of the game attempting to control the ball, playing solid defense, and holding
out until the Hurricanes would make a mistake and attack on the counter. Those opportunities came far and few between for the Panthers, as FIU totaled just three shots on goal compared to the Hurricanes’ 10. In the first half, Kambryl Armstrong created two chances to put the Canes up early. Restrepo turned the junior forward away both times — a story that
Lorelei DiSanto // Contributing Photographer Freshman Teagan Melenhorst struggles to get the ball past her many Florida International University opponents at Cobb Stadium on Sept. 7, 2025. continued for most of the match. Despite the loss, Restrepo was dominant for the Panthers, making nine of a possible 10 saves against the high-powered Miami attack. That trend continued for most of the second half, as the FIU goalkeeper made four saves in 18 minutes, putting the Panther on her back. Miami, however, stayed unrelenting on offense, pushing un-
til the final whistle and finally breaking through with Sadusky’s game-winning goal. With the win against its crosstown rivals, Miami (5-1-1) is now undefeated in six straight matches. Following the opening-season loss to Jacksonville, the Hurricanes are playing some of their best soccer just before ACC play begins next Friday on Sept. 11, at 7 p.m.
Miami volleyball struggles continue, defeated in straight sets to UCLA
Bella Ochoa // Senior Photographer Freshman Outside Hitter Ella Thompson serves to UCLA at the Freeman Indoor Stadium on Sept. 4, 2026.
By Sarina Augustine and Julianna Waisburg Contributing Writers Miami volleyball couldn’t find its first win Friday night, losing to UCLA in its home opener (25-20, 25-20, 25-23). The newly named Freeman Indoor Stadium was loud from the jump, with Canes fans cheering from the stands and erupting with jeers when UCLA got a chance to serve. Miami entered the season coming off a 27-6 campaign in 2025 that ended with a second-round NCAA Tournament loss
to Kansas. But after losing their first three games, the Canes have struggled to find the same rhythm. In some ways, the game’s statistics indicate the teams should have been a close match. Miami and UCLA each finished with 38 kills, but UCLA attacked more efficiently, hitting .310 compared to Miami’s .188. UCLA also committed eight fewer attack errors, with 12 compared to Miami’s 20. Miami came out of the first set looking like it might keep up with the Bruins. Outside hitter Ruth Martinez quickly made her presence known, recording four early kills in the first set for UM.
Bella Ochoa // Senior Photographer Hurricanes Volleyball celebrate an ace against UCLA at the Freeman Indoor Stadium on Sept. 4, 2026. Sophomore transfer Asia Harvey added another attack, while Miami’s defense kept UCLA from pulling away. Martinez’s spike put UM up 11-7 and forced UCLA to call its first timeout of the match, but the lead didn’t last long. After Miami used its first challenge unsuccessfully, the Bruins came out of the timeout with a run of their own and eventually took the first set 25-20. The second set followed a similar pattern as the Canes stayed within reach and eventually tied the set 1414 after a UCLA attack error. However, the Bruins responded immedi-
ately with three consecutive points, putting Miami in another hole. A few miscommunications between Miami players gave UCLA easy points. Those small mistakes added up in a match where Miami was often within just a few points of the Bruins. With UCLA leading 19-14 in the second set, Miami finally put together a run. Junior Ariana Rodriguez recorded an ace, followed by two kills by standout freshman Ella Thompson, cutting the Bruins’ lead to 19-17 and forcing UCLA to call a timeout. Miami coach Jose ‘Keno’ Gandara made a bold move by using the
team’s second, and last, challenge of the match, but was again unsuccessful. With both challenges gone before halftime, the Hurricanes could not request reviews for the rest of the match. Following Miami’s unsuccessful dispute, the Bruins scored three consecutive points, leading to UCLA’s closeout of the second set, 25-20. But in the third set, Miami came alive with more composure. Martinez, who had been quiet in the second set, returned and put up 11 kills while hitting .474. Harvey then came up with back-toback points to put Miami ahead 21-19, forcing UCLA into a timeout. For a moment, Miami looked like it could have forced a fourth set. After a yellow card to the Bruins’ bench was upgraded to a red card, Miami took a 23-21 lead. UCLA answered immediately, tying the set at 23-23. Brooke Harwood then recorded three consecutive kills to close out the set and give UCLA the 25-23 win. Although the Hurricanes are off to a slow start record-wise, they’ve been competitive in each game, with tightly contested sets not going their way. If the program wishes to turn the tide on its season, Miami must find ways to convert promising performances into set wins.
SPORTS
September 9, 2026
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
NEWS
3
Canes star WR Malachi Toney signs NIL deal with Adidas
Courtesy of Adidas Sophomore Miami Wide Receiver Malachi Toney poses for photos with the Adidas brand after signing on Sept. 3, 2026
By Bella Armstrong Senior Staff Writer Miami football’s Malachi Toney has signed a brand new Name, Image and Likeness deal with Adidas, the apparel company announced on Thursday, Sept. 3. The partnership was unveiled alongside promotional photos of Toney wearing classic black-andwhite striped Adidas apparel. Since bursting onto the scene last season as a true freshman, the wide receiver has become one of the biggest names in Hurricanes football. The Liberty City native hauled in a program record of 109 receptions
for a total of 1,211 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. His performance earned him ACC Player of the Year and made him one of the three cover athletes on EA Sports College Football 27. Toney’s impact extended well beyond the receiving game. He added 113 rushing yards and a touchdown, threw for 82 yards and two scores out of Miami’s wildcat package. And on special teams, Toney recorded another 298 yards as a punt returner, finishing the season with a team-high 1,622 all-purpose yards. Now entering his sophomore season, the 19-year-old has become one of college football’s most recogniz-
able young stars — and Adidas is betting on him. The young star joins an Adidas athlete roster that includes the biggest stars at both the professional and college level, including Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. Former Hurricanes Rueben Bain Jr., David Njoku and Braxton Berrios have also represented the brand. Although details surrounding Toney’s agreement with Adidas have not been publicly disclosed, it provides the apparel giant with another young, skilled player to its roster of athletes with growing careers. The deal also builds upon an al-
Courtesy of Adidas Sophomore Miami Wide Receiver Malachi Toney poses for photos with the Adidas brand after signing on Sept. 3, 2026 ready close connection between Adidas and Miami athletics. The company has served as the Hurricanes’ official apparel and footwear provider since 2015 and currently outfits all of UM’s athletic programs. Although the contract between UM athletics and Adidas is set to expire in 2027, this new partnership between one of UM’s biggest names supports the growing buzz that the
University and Adidas are open to renewing. In addition to signing with Adidas, Toney has also signed on for a campaign with FIT House Brands alongside quarterback Darian Mensah. So now, the duo will collaborate on the field to reach the bright lights of the national championship while working together off the field to create content for the brand.
NEWS International students stressed and outraged over new visa restrictions By An anonymous international student The Department of Homeland Security announced new student visa policies in July, one of which adds a hard deadline to how long international students can stay in the U.S. The change replaces the flexible “Duration of Status” policy, which allowed students to stay for the entire duration of their degree, with a strict, four-year maximum, “Admit Until Date.” This puts jeopardizes international students who were hoping to take advantage of the Optional Practical Training program to get an extended visa that would allow them to work in the U.S after graduation. OPT is an extension to F1 visas, which permit students to enter the U.S. to pursue full-time academic studies. OPT gives students the opportunity to work for up to 12 months — or 24 months, if the job is STEM related — in their field of study after completing their degree. In addition to the new federal restrictions, the University of Miami has tightened authorizations for Curricular Practical Training, the process that allows international students to have internships, following a warning that government agencies will more closely monitor the program. Moving forward, fewer international students might be accepted into the program. New visa guidelines The final DHS rule was published on July 16, 2026, but UM students were not immediately informed of the change. The University did not respond to questions relating to why students were not told of the new federal policies sooner. “It caught me off guard,” said Student A, who wishes to remain unnamed. “There was no news in the media about it. I never thought they would do this to international students.” The updated nationwide guidelines will take effect on Sept. 15, less than a month after ISSS — UM’s International Student and Scholar Services — informed international students through email on Aug. 21 and 26. International students will now have a strict four-year limit on their visas with a 30-day grace period — decreased from 60 days — to leave the U.S. after completing their academic program. People who will need more than four years to finish their programs will have to apply for an Extension of Stay through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. They are exempt if the regular length of the program is over four years, like architecture.
“Students admitted to academic programs whose normal length exceeds four years, such as Architecture and certain doctoral programs, are not automatically required to file an Extension of Stay (EoS) when they arrive in the United States,” The University said in a statement to The Hurricane. “The program length reflected on their Form I-20 or DS-2019 is used to determine their authorized stay. Because individual circumstances can vary, students are encouraged to consult with ISSS regarding how the new regulations may apply to their specific situation.” UM recommends students consult ISSS about their specific case. One of the new policies also states undergraduates cannot change majors or schools during their freshman year, while graduate students cannot change their program at all. Once they complete their programs, students can only move to higher-level education, meaning from a bachelor’s to a master’s, not the other way around. How UM students are impacted Every year, international students make up 7% to 8% of the admitted class at UM, totaling more than 800 people. The updated guidelines affect every one of them, not only the ones arriving after September 15. Despite the impact on their lives, none of the half dozen international students interviewed by The Hurricane felt comfortable being named for fear of backlash from the current administration. Just last month, a federal judge in California ruled that the Trump administration has unconstitutionally deported students. UM students did not want to be named and risk their visas being revoked as well. “It definitely changed my plans completely,” said Student B. “Now I plan to try and look for schools or employment opportunities in other countries.” International students who exit the U.S. after Sept. 15 will receive an updated I-94 form at reentry that reflects the new AUD guidelines. Unless they apply before March 18, 2027, students seeking Optional Practical Training work permits after graduation will have to apply for an Extension of Stay. UM recommends applying for OPT 90 days before program completion, and as soon as someone is eligible. These new restrictions put a barrier on an already difficult process. “Not many companies accept OPT; you’d be auto-rejected a lot,” said Student C. “And you need that broad experience. It helps your resume.” The consequences for traveling while OPT applications are pending are also still unknown.
“If there is only one application pending with [U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services] and not two, it is easier,” said Kristin Pongé, the Associate Director of UM’s International Student and Scholar Services, on an ISSS-hosted webinar. “There is always a certain risk associated with travel. Since this is very new and we haven’t seen students travel since OPT is pending, I would caution against it.” Students’ response On top of the national restrictions, UM received a “reminder” from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program on Curriculum Practical Training eligibility on Aug. 12. International students are only authorized to do CPT if it is part of their Academic Bulletin, meaning every student must do it to complete their degree. ISSS has halted processing of CPT applications that are not necessary for degree completion until further notice. Everyone approved for a Fall 2026 program before this change will, however, be able to complete it. “Based on this guidance and consultation with legal counsel, ISSS will process CPT authorization applications only when the off‑campus practical training is required for program completion as specified in the Academic Bulletin,” according to an email international students received from the University on Aug. 21. The new nationwide rule, released in the Federal Register, makes no mention of “substantial changes” in CPT aside from the “admission and extension” period. UM’s decision was triggered, according to a statement to The Hurricane, by the Student and Visitor Exchange Program’s indication that it would “increase its review of CPT applications.” However, UM specified that the guidance issued is “not specific to Florida or The University of Miami.” Regulations on CPT apply to all U.S. universities. “It’s already been difficult to find an internship because of all the other policies that were changed in the last [two] years, but now the fact that it’s legally impossible makes it a huge source of stress,” said Student C, who wishes to remain unnamed. Banned from “non-required” internships, international students fear they will be at a disadvantage moving forward if they manage to remain in the U.S. to work. While not necessarily required, internships can make someone’s resume more competitive and increase their chances of getting a job. “If we’re legally not allowed to have an internship in this country anymore, of course post-graduation employment becomes almost impossible
via Wikimedia Commons Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem holds a DHS component meeting at DHS Headquarters in Washington, D.C., Aug. 27, 2025. to find here as a result,” said Student D, who wishes to remain unnamed. Resources UM is offering During this uncertain time, UM is offering resources to help international students. “The University of Miami recognizes that changes in federal immigration policy and guidance can create questions and additional stress for international students,” said the University in a statement to The Hurricane. “International Student and Scholar Services is providing individual advising appointments and informational webinars for students.” As changes occur, UM is keeping its faculty informed as well so they can provide appropriate support to students. Student advisors are available to all international students, alongside Cane Navigators. “The University is also sharing guidance with faculty members, advisors, and program directors who are helping students understand how the requirements may affect their academic programs,” the statement said. UM’s ISSS website also provides all relevant information on visa policy changes, including the past webinars. Students are advised by The University to contact ISSS at isss@miami.edu if they have any questions. Students who changed their major should request an updated Form I-20 or DS-2019 — documents issued by the U.S. government, proving a person has been admitted into a full-time academic program and can pay for it— from ISSS as soon as possible. Similarly, students who are expected to finish their programs later than originally expected,
should apply for a Program Extension through ISSS. “Depending on the timing and individual circumstances, additional steps may be required to maintain an authorized stay in the United States,” the University said. For any student having increased stress or anxiety, UM’s Counseling Center and well-being resources are available, including licensed psychologists and online resources. ISSS also encourages students to look at DHS’ Study in the States for further information, and to “stick to reliable resources.” The University also says it will continue to update students and campus partners with important information. “If anything is unclear, students are encouraged to contact their ISSS advisor directly for clarification and individualized guidance,” The University said in a statement to The Hurricane. “Information regarding ISSS advising services, including advisor contact information for advising by telephone, email, or Zoom meeting, as well as the ISSS walk-in advising schedule are listed on the ISSS website.”“ISSS is here to help. All of the processes are on our website,” Pongé said as she ended the Aug. 28 webinar on the new visa guidelines. Still, international students feel like UM could work with other universities to push back on the new DHS regulations. “I know we are not the most legally challenging school, so we probably want to stay neutral,” said student E, who wishes to remain unnamed. “So we’re gonna hope other schools [legally] challenge, but I don’t know.”
NEWS
4
September 9, 2026
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
Former UM urologist, professor arrested on sexual battery charges By Katie Karlson & Vivian Amoia Editor-in-Chief & News Editor A former University of Miami urologist and professor was arrested on Aug. 20 after allegedly performing unnecessary procedures on students and employees. Dr. Ranjith Ramasamy joined UM in 2015 as the Miller School of Medicine’s director of male reproductive medicine and surgery and an assistant professor of urology. In 2020, he became an associate professor. Four years later, the 45-year-old left the University for a consultant urologist position at the Jumeirah American Clinic in Dubai. The United Arab Emirates does not have a formal extradition agreement with the U.S., but following an investigation by the Miami Police Department, Ramasamy agreed to return to Miami to surrender. Authorities arrested Ramasamy at Miami International Airport and, shortly after his arrest, he attended bond court. In a statement to CBS News Miami, Ramasamy said, “I never performed any unnecessary medical procedure. I never assaulted anyone. I never sexually assaulted anyone, never.” Ramasamy posted a $120,000 bond and is currently on house arrest. He was ordered not to have contact with any of the alleged victims. At the time of publishing, Ramasamy’s Florida medical license (ME123131) is listed as “Clear/ Active,” and his New York license (249812) shows as “registered.” According to the arrest warrant, the earliest allegations against Ramasamy date back to 2016. Arrest warrant cites multiple victims According to the arrest warrant, Ramasamy targeted male students and employees ranging from their late 20s to early 40s. The warrant includes statements from six alleged victims, but only
three are connected to sexual-battery charges. The others are mentioned as “other bad act” witnesses. A “bad act witness” is when someone’s past bad behavior is used to challenge their credibility on the witness stand. The first alleged victim was doing postgraduate work under Ramsamy and served as his chief of staff in 2020. He claims that after a few months of working together, Ramasamy began asking questions about his personal life. After telling Ramasamy he was having struggles with his relationship, he was recommended to undergo lab work, which returned completely normal. Still, Ramasamy then recommended a semen sample from the victim, which he willingly gave in the lab. According to the victim, semen test results typically take about 20 minutes, but after just two minutes, Ramasamy claimed one of the results was “extremely low.” He would need to have weekly scrotal ultrasounds, according to Ramasamy, which were performed over the course of two to three months but he did not feel improvement. During an examination in 2021, the accuser claims Ramasamy digitally penetrated his anus and stroked his genitals until he ejaculated. The alleged victim did not consent to this procedure. A urology expert — who was cited but not named in the arrest warrant — reviewed the alleged victim’s medical records and statements and determined that there was no clinical reason to perform the procedure described. The second alleged victim was a medical-student research fellow who worked for Ramasamy in 2022. Ramasamy allegedly asked him to give a semen sample for a research project, to which he consented. He says he was later told he would need a rectal prostate exam for further evaluation. The victim says his examinations were significantly longer and more aggressive than those he had seen Ramasamy perform on patients. He says he didn’t consent to the “unique maneuvers,” in which
he was forced to ejaculate. For over six months, Ramasamy allegedly performed prostate “massages” on the victim. The warrant also states that these procedures were performed alone and after normal business hours. During one exam, Ramasamy allegedly performed a digital rectal exam without consent from the victim. The alleged victim explains he went along with these procedures because he was in fear of disrupting their professional relationship. The relationship continued through December 2023, when the victim consented to surgery by Ramasamy to remove something that’s redacted from the warrant. An unnamed urology expert analyzed the second victim’s records and statements and says there was no clinical reason for the first semen sample and the rectal procedures that followed. The third alleged victim connected to the sexual battery charges was a student of Ramasamy’s in 2016. He says he was asked to give a semen sample, after which Ramasamy suggested a second sample and additional testing. He agreed to become Ramasamy’s patient after he was told the second sample was worse than the first and that he had a condition that could cause fertility problems. The results of the sample are not documented in the alleged victim’s medical records, according to the warrant. In March 2017, Ramasamy performed surgery on the victim and later recommended routine STD testing. In October of the same year, Ramasamy began performing prostate “massages” on the victim to make him ejaculate as supposed “tests.” A urology expert reviewed the records and statements and said that Ramasamy performed an invasive surgery based on undocumented semen analysis results and used a false STD test to suggest additional exams. The expert also states that there was no medical reason for weekly exams and that this practice violates the standard of appropriate medical practice. The warrant also states that Ramasamy performed a cystoscopy, a bladder and urethra examination,
using a lighted tube with a camera, without consent from the victim. Title IX complaints had been filed with UM, sources claim The Miami Hurricane interviewed a resident in the UM urology department while Ramasamy was a faculty urologist there. According to the source, who wishes to remain unnamed, a Title IX investigation was filed with UM against Ramasamy in the spring of 2024. The source also claims to have known the accuser and details about the alleged assault that occurred in 2016. A post on X by Dr. Alex Tatem on February 22, 2026, supports the source’s statement. Tatem — a private practice urologist in Indiana — claimed that UM knew about the ongoing sexual assaults. During the interview The Hurricane conducted with him, Tatem said he sat on the same boards as Ramasamy and frequently interacted with him at urological events. Within the post, Tatem included an email sent on April 1, 2024, from Maria Sevilla — UM’s deputy Title IX coordinator — regarding the complaint filed against Ramasamy. In the email sent to people involved in the investigation, Sevilla wrote that “certain of the allegations have been corroborated” and Ramasamy would not be returning to UM. The email also read that UM would “submit the required disclosure” to the Florida Department of Health. The source provided similar information, stating that UM had claimed it would file a formal report with the FDHL following the Title IX complaint. But when the source began making calls, they realized that no report had been filed. On May 4, 2024, the source filed a complaint with the Florida Department of Health against Ramasamy, citing their knowledge of sexual assault “under the premise of medical research.” The Hurricane reviewed and verified this complaint. The Hurricane also verified communication between the source and the New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners
via Miami Dade Corrections and Rehabilitations Ranjith Ramasamys mugshot taken on Aug. 20, 2026, after being arrested in Miami International Airport. and the Texas Medical Board. The Hurricane reached out to the University for comment but has not yet received a reply. Existing culture exaggerated these issues, source says Within the urology department, the source said there was a “bro mentality,” and the men competed with one another to see who had the highest sperm count. According to the source, it did not seem odd when Ramasamy asked for semen samples because he frequently requested samples for this competition. The source said they knew of a victim in 2016 — aligning with the arrest warrant — but that the victim was unwilling to report the assault and needed a more complex understanding of urology to understand why what Ramasamy was doing was wrong. According to the source, Ramasamy also singled out women, creating a hostile environment with the intention of excluding the women so he was only surrounded by men. Ramasamy faces three felony charges of sexual battery. At the time of publishing, Ramasamy is scheduled to appear in court to set a plea on Sept. 17, according to Miami-Dade County court records.
A semester later, has UM fixed its Wi-Fi problems? By Hope Mallon Contributing Writer After semesters of University of Miami students reporting slow Wi-Fi connections across campus, the University continues to make changes in an attempt to improve the connections. Now, as students return this fall, the question remains whether those changes have made a difference. New fixes, same Wi-Fi problems University of Miami Information Technology has been focusing on updating the network’s infrastructure, security and troubleshooting. UMIT introduced Wi-Fi Tune-Up Stations to help students who are having trouble staying connected to the network. Students can bring their wireless devices to the stations at the Student Technology Help Desk in the Ungar Building or at Richter Library, where they can have their device updated for optimal performance and report connectivity problems. UMIT has also made changes to the security behind UM’s wireless and wired networks. Students may receive a notification asking them to ‘trust” an updated security certificate when connecting to the network. Despite those changes happening behind the scenes, students are still experiencing challenges with the Wi-Fi. Leila Milos, a sophomore who works at Richter Library’s front desk, says that although she has noticed fewer students coming to the desk this semester with Wi-Fi complaints, she is still experiencing issues in her residential dorm. “I live in Eaton,” said Milos. “[The Wi-Fi] can sometimes be a bit spotty.” Milos and her co-workers emphasized that reliable Wi-Fi is crucial in the library because much of a student’s academic work is now done online. “The library is where everyone comes to do their work,” said Milos’ co-worker who wishes to remain unnamed. “Most classwork, or like homework, is online. Everything is online, to be honest. I think it is crazy how much we pay in tuition, that there are still so many issues with connection.” Josephina LaBore, a junior who works at the front desk of Shalala Student Center, said students’ Wi-Fi experiences can also depend on the device they are trying to connect to. “It wouldn’t let me connect my laptop, because it wasn’t Apple,” LaBore said. “No matter what I did, it would not connect for my whole first semester here.” She went on to say how her peers believed that MacBooks were the eas-
Researchers look for iest to connect, while other brands like Those numbers provided a snap- solution to sargassum piling Lenovo or Dell faced more issues. shot of the network, but they did not necessarily match what students up on Miami Beach Three bars but still no connection were experiencing. Despite relatively For students, the real measure of the University’s Wi-Fi is not necessarily the number that appears on the speed test. It is whether they can sit down on campus and study without switching to cellular or submit an assignment without worrying if the connection will drop. Last year, The Miami Hurricane reported widespread Wi-Fi complaints. Students described connections that would slow down or stop working altogether. Some said they had to use cellular data to study in the library, or that network issues interfered with class presentations. “IT representatives meet bi-weekly with Student Government members on the topic of technology at the U and discuss any areas of concern related to Wi-Fi on campus,” the University said in a statement to The Mi-
via Google and Brian Muley // Photo Editor Time out connection error message shows on UM student’s MacBook as they attempt to use Google Docs on UM wifi on Sept. 3, 2026. ami Hurricane last February. The University also said it had invested in upgrading access points across campus and conducting onsite assessments in areas where students reported connectivity problems. At the time, The Miami Hurricane tested Wi-Fi speeds at several locations across campus using Fast.com, which is owned by Netflix. The test measures the download and upload speeds of the Wi-Fi your device uses, in megabits per second (Mbps). According to Astound, 25 to 100 Mbps is a good middle range, while 100 to 500+ Mbps is high and supports higher quality, like 4K videos. Whitten recorded a download speed of 140 Mbps, while Cox recorded 150 Mbps. Shalala had a faster connection at 320 Mbps. In the residential colleges, Pearson recorded 290 Mbps and Coral recorded 270 Mbps.
strong speeds, students continued to report unreliable connections.
This semester’s connection test reveals varied Mbps To see how the network compares now, The Miami Hurricane conducted new Wi-Fi speed tests. At Whitten University Center, the test recorded a download speed of 380 Mbps; at Cox Science Center, 285 Mbps; and at Shalala Student Center,130 Mbps. At Richter Library, the speed test recorded 107 Mbps, the slowest result among the locations tested. In residential areas, Coral Residential Village recorded around 290 Mbps, while Lakeside Village recorded 260 Mbps. The results show that Wi-Fi speeds across campus can vary significantly depending on location. Compared with testing conducted last year, Whitten and Cox showed substantially faster speeds, while other locations produced slower results. The testing also cannot provide a complete picture of the student experience. Wi-Fi speeds can change throughout the day depending on how many people are connected to the network and where a device is specifically located. The locations tested also changed slightly from last year’s testing. Mahoney-Pearson is no longer a residential building, so Lakeside Village was tested instead. Still, even a brief Wi-Fi problem can have consequences for students trying to get to class, join a meeting or meet an assignment deadline. LaBore said reliable Wi-Fi is important because students depend on it for nearly everything they do on campus. “I often walk into work, and the Wi-Fi won’t connect so I am not able to clock-in right away,” LaBore said. “That causes me to be marked as late, even though I am actually here” She also said connection problems can affect students when submitting assignments. “I’ve had assignments that I thought were submitted and then I later realized they didn’t submit,” LaBore said. “So, then they were marked as late or incomplete.” For college students, a strong WiFi connection has become as essential to campus life as a CaneCard. With classes, assignments and communication increasingly dependent on the internet, students do not just need Wi-Fi that sometimes works; they need to know it will work when it matters.
By Joseph Lizzi Contributing Writer
Beaches across Miami-Dade are seeing piles of seaweed stack up faster and thicker than usual, and scientists at the University of South Florida say this season is one of the worst on record. Sargassum is a brown seaweed covered in small, berry-like air bladders that float in large mats across the open ocean. In moderate amounts, it plays a useful role by providing fish and other marine life with places to feed and hide. The increase in sargassum mats has been building for more than a decade, but this year’s was especially severe. Researchers at the University of South Florida traced the influx of the seaweed back to 2010 and 2011, when sargassum was pushed out of its usual home in the Sargasso Sea and into tropical waters. It then found what it needed to thrive: warm water, high nutrients and year-round sunlight. The problem isn’t that sargassum exists, but how much of it is now piling up on shore. “There was a big line right in front of the beach and it stinks,” said freshman Edward Reed. “It discouraged me from going in the water” Reed is not the only one who was affected by this trend. Global News reported that the smell and unsightly buildup are a real problem for a city that depends on its beaches. Large-scale sargassum events are known to damage coastal tourism and air quality along the shore.
Rose Flannery, a UM architecture student researching the water systems tied to sargassum growth, put the damage in blunt terms. “It reduces the amount of light coming into the ocean... plants and marine life aren’t getting light,” Flannery said. “It’s also consuming a lot of the oxygen going into the water, so it actually drowns the fish.” Rather than clearing it; Flannery’s team focuses on the water systems that feed sargassum growth in the first place — namely stormwater runoff. Farm and urban pollution, carried by cars, pesticides and rainwater, builds up nitrogen and phosphorus in local waterways that eventually reach the ocean and becomes one of the nutrient sources feeding the algae’s expansion. Her team is working on a solution: permeable concrete designed to let stormwater filter through rather than run straight into storm drains and out to sea. Her team is exploring how to take collected sargassum, heat it and mix it into the concrete itself. Flannery and the team have been doing their research in the Advanced Materials Research Lab. With the help of the University and Dr. Ali Ghahremaninezhad the research won the VISTA award, a competitive 25,000 dollar grant created by the VoLo Foundation that honors graduate student research. “We are hoping to use that problem as a solution,” Flannery said. So now the question isn’t whether sargassum will keep showing up — it’s whether solutions like Flannery’s can scale up fast enough to meet it.
Wes Fleischer // Contributing Photographer Sargassum dries in the sun on South Beach on Sep. 4, 2026.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
September 9, 2026
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
5
A review of Centennial Village’s newest dorms — Vista, Biscayne and Grove By Hannah Brown Contributing Writer
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Centennial Village Phase Two welcomed its first residents this fall, adding three more residential colleges to the University of Miami’s newest housing community for first-year students. Vista, Biscayne and Grove opened two years after Coral and Ibis, bringing Centennial Village to a total of 2,025 beds across its five Residential Colleges. According to Housing and Residential Life, Vista is the smallest of the new buildings, housing about 270 students compared to the 450–500 in Biscayne and Grove. Tiffany Idol, the director of Residence Life, took The Hurricane on a tour of the new Centennial buildings. She explained that the three buildings each have distinct color identities — aqua, orange and green — as part of a branding system created for all Centennial Village residential colleges. Most lobbies feature accents of their designated color. The new buildings offer students a variety of amenities, including community spaces, study rooms, recreational areas, a meditation room and a sky bridge. These shared spaces have made meeting people easy, and residents think they are one of the best parts of living in Centennial Village.
“Everyone is so happy to be living in these brand-new residential colleges,” Idol said. “What’s great now is that all of the first-year students are on the same side of campus, so they can easily meet others and make new friends.” Resident Assistant Ty Raimann has watched the community develop during the first month of the semester. “I love how everyone on our floor hangs out together in the common areas and in each other’s rooms,” Raimann said. Students echoed that experience. “I put a whiteboard on my door with questions for people on the floor to answer,” said Aubrey Levitan, a first-year student living in Grove. “It’s been a great way to spark conversations, get to know my neighbors and help new friendships form quickly.” Levitan also highlighted the convenience of late-night dining and her appreciation for Ronda Holmes, a dining hall worker who has become a familiar face in the Centennial Village dining hall. “Ronda makes my day every day when she says ‘welcome beautiful’ every time I walk into the dining hall,” said Emma Lisiecki, a first-year student. “She also featured me in one of her TikToks (@rondaholmes1) at late night dining which was really cool.” While students have praised the so-
cial atmosphere and modern facilities, living in the brand-new buildings has also come with some growing pains. Residents have expressed concerns about Wi-Fi connectivity in the buildings. “The glitchy WiFi makes it hard to join my Zoom class and call my family back home,” said Andrea Ricabal, a student living in Grove. Beyond technology issues, students have also noted challenges with maintaining cleanliness in the dorms’ shared spaces. “The communal bathrooms can definitely get messy,” said Alesa Kastle, a freshman living in Biscayne. “There’s often water and hair on the floor and sinks, so that’s probably been one of the less enjoyable parts of adjusting to dorm life.” Biscayne is the only building with resident rooms on its second floor and the rest of floors 1–2 across Centennial Village are communal spaces, which may contribute to heavier shared-bathroom use. Despite these frustrations, many students say the experience has been positive overall, particularly because of the friendships they have formed with other residents. “I’ve made so many new friends on my floor,” said Parker Walley, a student living in Biscayne. “I defi-
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A new mural in the terrace bridge between Grove and Biscayne Residential College on Sep. 4, 2026. nitely got homesick during my first few weeks at school, but the people on the fifth floor have really made it feel like home.” Only weeks into the semester, the newest Centennial Village buildings are still finding their rhythm. But, for the first group of residents to call them home, the halls are already becoming an important part of their experience at UM.
UM Homecoming 2026 is being reimagined with 4 major changes stop by grab‑and‑go activities at the Rock. Valdes said the change is meant to broaden participation and reach students who may not have engaged with performance‑based events in the past. “We wanted to make sure that Homecoming was uniting our campus and extending our reach beyond our usual audience,” he said.
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Wes Fleischer // Contributing Photographer
Significant changes are coming to the 2026 Homecoming schedule, including a reworked competition format and adjustments to long‑standing traditions. In a statement released on Instagram, the University of Miami’s Homecoming Executive Committee said the changes are part of a broader effort to “better align with [their] core mission” of strengthening campus unity, institutional pride and alumni engagement. According to HEC, the goal is to preserve the traditions that define Homecoming while introducing new formats that make individual events more flexible and accessible. “By honoring our past and building for the future, we are excited to create an experience that reflects the very best of the Canes community,” HEC said on its Instagram. HEC Chair Raul Valdes said the Committee has spent the past year reviewing how students and organizations engage with Homecoming. “In the past couple of years, we have seen a decrease in the number of student organizations competing within Homecoming,” Valdes said. “This year we wanted to focus on increasing student organization participation to make sure that Homecoming remains a campus‑wide event and is as inclusive as possible.” Some students say they are still learning about the changes and how this year’s schedule will unfold. Senior Paige Swarthout said she has historically only attended the more popular events during Homecoming week. “I have never attended one
Courtesy of Raul Valdes ?????? Homecoming event or activity besides the football game and concert,” Swarthout said. She added that she often wasn’t aware of when other events were happening. “I never knew when other Homecoming things were going on,” she said. “My friends never knew either. We went to the concert our freshman year, but I honestly don’t remember who the last couple of artists were.” Swarthout said she wasn’t aware of any new changes happening this year, but she hopes the updates will make the schedule easier for students to follow and encourage more people to attend. The HEC highlighted four important updates in the Instagram post. No more mandatory organization competitions First, the Committee has eliminated the cumulative Homecoming competition and its traditional leaderboard. Without a week‑long scoring system, organizations are no longer expected to participate in every event to remain competitive. Valdes said the overall competition
often favored larger organizations that could attend every event. “Now that there isn’t this requirement to be at every event, organizations can compete in what they are passionate about and earn the recognition and prizes for the specific competitions they find themselves in,” he said. New points system Instead of earning points across an entire slate of activities, organizations can now compete selectively. Each event will award its own points, meaning groups can choose the competitions that best match their strengths or traditions. The shift is designed to make participation more flexible and remove the expectation of committing to the full week. Canes Spirit Day The long‑running Alma Mater competition has been replaced with Canes Spirit Day, a campus‑wide celebration focused on school pride rather than performance, scheduled for Nov. 12. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to wear orange and green and
Canes Showdown Organized Cheer has also been reinvented as Canes Showdown, a performance showcase that allows for a wider range of talent. Instead of a single cheer‑based routine, participants can take the stage through live music, lip‑sync performances or dance. What’s staying the same? Valdes said several long‑standing events will remain part of the schedule, including Hurricanes Help the Hometown and Homecoming Kickoff. He said the Committee is also reviewing logistics for the annual boat burning ceremony. “The boat burning ceremony is one of our favorite events of Homecoming as well, and we are actively thinking of ways to make sure that the entire experience of Homecoming is memorable,” he said. Valdes also emphasized that visibility is a priority for the Committee. “We are always looking for ways to improve Homecoming’s visibility on campus, and part of the changes we are making this year are meant to make Homecoming more inclusive to all,” he said. Of course, students can still expect a dramatic headliner reveal for the concert, and buzz is also surrounding the recently revealed Homecoming theme: Flip The Script.
Internationally acclaimed violist David Aaron Carpenter joins Frost faculty By Alejandra Chavez Contributing Writer After years of performing with major orchestras around the world and learning from renowned musicians, David Aaron Carpenter is bringing his international experience to the classroom. Carpenter joined the Frost School of Music as a visiting professor of viola for the 2026-2027 school year. His relationship with Frost School of Music began before he joined its faculty. Carpenter reached out to Jodi Levitz, the Frost professor of viola, about becoming involved with the school after moving to the Miami area. What started by teaching one master class evolved into multiple visits, meaning Carpenter became familiar with students and their progress. When Levitz decided to take a leave this year, she asked Carpenter to temporarily take over her viola studio. “I’ve never been in a teaching position before,” Carpenter said. “I’ve only given master classes.” Taking on this position at UM has allowed Carpenter to bring the lessons of his international career into the classroom while challenging himself in a new role. His teaching is also influenced by the mentors who shaped his own career, including violinist and conductor Pinchas Zukerman. In 2007, Carpenter became the first American selected for the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative, where he
Courtesy of David Aaron Carpenter ????? studied under Zukerman. “I would say I’ve been very blessed with the mentors that I have had throughout my career, and I’ve studied with many, many, many teachers,” Carpenter said. So far, Carpenter’s experience with Frost students and faculty has left him optimistic about the school’s future. He said that the collaborative environment allows students to work closely with accomplished musicians such as conductor Gerard Schwarz, who served as music director of the Seattle Symphony. Carpenter said these opportunities distinguish Frost from other music schools.
That collaboration is central to the Frost Method, the school’s approach to music education that emphasizes learning through performance and collaboration while preparing students for professional careers in music through taking marketing or business classes. “I would love to see Frost School of Music just grow and become really the premier music school in the country,” Carpenter said, hoping to contribute to that growth during his time at UM. Now, having 10 to 11 students, Carpenter can work consistently with the same students and watch their development.
“To see one week to the other, and just telling them a minor tweak here and there,” Carpenter said. “ I can even see tremendous progress in the first week or two.” Despite joining Frost as a professor, Carpenter has also become a student again by auditing a Japanese course. The class has presented a different kind of challenge for a musician accustomed to performing before large audiences. “I never get nervous, ever, on performances,” Carpenter said. “This [Japanese quiz] is stressing me out.” Learning Japanese has also given Carpenter a new appreciation for the workload UM students balance. “If it takes me hours, then it’s going to take a lot of other students the same amount of time, but they have another four or five courses,” Carpenter said. “I commend all the UM students.” His wide-ranging interests align with Frost’s emphasis on developing musicians whose education extends beyond performance. Carpenter said his experiences studying various subjects, from theater to economics, encouraged him to remain curious throughout his career. Carpenter will bring that perspective to Frost students on Sept. 18 with a talk on entrepreneurship and music at Gusman Concert Hall. The event will explore his career and how his experiences both within and beyond music have shaped his approach to the industry. That curiosity has also shaped Car-
penter’s approach to the viola itself. Throughout his career, he has worked to expand perceptions of what the instrument can do by performing and transcribing repertoire traditionally associated with other instruments. “It just shows the capabilities of the viola,” Carpenter said. “It could be like a cello or it could be like a violin. It’s right in the middle.” Carpenter also believes classical music has an opportunity to reach a new generation. After attending the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, he said he was struck by how young the audience was. “I’ve never seen such a young audience,” Carpenter said. “I feel like classical music is really coming back.” A classical performance offers an experience that differs from other forms of live music for Carpenter. Sitting through a major orchestral work requires patience and attention, but he believes that experience can create a deeper connection between listeners and the music. As Carpenter begins his year at Frost, he hopes to pass along the lessons he has gained throughout his career while helping shape the next generation of classical musicians. “I’m incredibly grateful that I have this opportunity that pushes me to imparting what I’ve known all these years from my mentors and giving it to the next generation, and seeing the level of the musicians here, from the pianist, to the violas, the violinists, cellists, I’m very hopeful for the future of classical music.”
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
6
September 9, 2026
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
From Sebastian to stand-up: UM graduate reimagines entertainment rankings Spencer Wright takes the stage with new app, Cinova By Hanna Himelstein Contributing Writer
Courtesy of Spencer Wright Former Sebastian the Ibis and Comedian Spencer Wright performs a stand-up routine in New York City in July, 2026.
By Charlotte Schuyler Contributing Writer Before Spencer Wright was performing stand-up in comedy clubs, he was already making crowds laugh. The only difference? No one could see his face. Wright, who graduated from the University of Miami with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, spent part of his time at UM behind one of the most recognizable faces on campus: Sebastian the Ibis. “I love UM and was extremely loud about it,” Wright said. “My friends made me audition so I could have a way to show school spirit, while also not being allowed to talk.” His first appearance in the suit was at a pep rally at the Ratskeller in 2015, where former Sebastian, John Routh, watched from the crowd. “He told my boss, ‘he needs to work on his walk, but he’ll figure it out,’” Wright said. And so he did. Without relying on speech or facial expressions, Wright learned how to get a reaction from a crowd through movement alone, whether that meant dancing, eating popcorn or kicking his feet up at The Rat. “I learned how to be animated and get laughs through just actouts,” he said. Some moments, though, he could never have planned. During homecoming, NFL Hall of Famer and Miami Hurricanes legend Ed Reed put Sebastian in a headlock.
“He whispered in my ear, ‘You’re a legend Sebastian, don’t forget it,’” Wright said. “You can’t tell Ed Reed no, so I just nodded and saluted him.” After graduation, the bird suit came off, but the performer underneath remained. Wright began posting comedy sketches in 2020, gaining millions of views across social media. He has since performed stand-up around the country while growing his audience through TikTok and YouTube. The transition from performing anonymously in an ibis costume to standing alone onstage may seem drastic, but to Wright, the two versions of himself are not that different. “I think Sebastian was my own personality, but just at 200%,” Wright said. “Now in stand-up, it is still me, just at 150%.” Before playing Sebastian, Wright said he was interested in performing but never had the confidence to pursue it fully. Those years inside the costume turned out to provide more than just school spirit. Wright credits Sebastian with giving him the skills and confidence that pushed him to pursue stand-up. “After portraying the best mascot in college sports, doing stand-up felt easy,” Wright said. “I wouldn’t be a comedian if it wasn’t for Sebastian.” Sebastian allowed Wright to do what he loves while keeping his face hidden. In the process, he gained the confidence to show it.
Dylan Rattet graduated with a bachelor’s degree in economics from the Miami Herbert Business School in May 2026. After graduation, he had one month before starting his job as a financial analyst for Under Armour. He spent that month in Europe, where he came up with the idea for Cinova. Cinova is a modern entertainment app that eases the stress of deciding what movie or TV series to watch. The app exposes users to movies and TV series, allowing them to rate what they’ve watched, directly access streaming platforms, read critic reviews and connect with friends. “During this month, I was grinding. I was re-learning how to code and figuring out what I wanted to do in this app, what features I didn’t like in the other apps that already exist,” Rattet said. “And with all that, I was just spending countless hours working on it.” He also had help from his hometown friend, Ethan Nigrin. “He’s a mastery student in mathematics and he helped with the math behind what gets recommended to you on the app,” said Rattet. Together, Rattet and Nigrin launched Cinova. One of the app’s main features is its ranking system. “You start by rating a movie or TV show you have watched,” said Rattet.” The app will ask you if this movie was exceptional, excellent, good, mediocre or poor.” Depending on what rating the user clicked, the app will cross-reference movies previously rated similarly and recommend movies in other categories. Four scores will also be generated for the user: a Cinova score, a friends score, a critic score and an individual rating that can be entered manually or be curated by the app. What makes this app different from its competitors — like Letterboxd — is the generation of a Cinova score. The Cinova score
Courtesy of Dylan Rattet Dylan Rattet’s user profile on Cinova on Sept. 1, 2026. allows the user to see averaged out scores of everyone else on the app. Along with the Cinova score, the app includes modernized features that foster entertainment-centered social connections. “You can DM friends, send them movies directly and see where to stream them. You can look in the app, see what your friends have rated certain movies and see what the critics’ score is,” said Rattet. “You can see what everyone on the platform thinks about the app, and then just pick a movie straight from it.” Unlike other apps, Cinova also allows flexibility when it comes time to rate the movie or TV show. “On other sites, you are stuck with either rating a movie — let’s say an 8 or 9, whereas on this app, you don’t have to be stuck with a whole number. You could give a rating of 8.5, 8.2 or something in between,” said Rattet. For more personalized recommendations, users can use the Cova feature. Cova allows users to pick a movie or TV show, the genre they want to watch and their preferred streaming services.
Users can also see their strongest matches according to Cinova, or they can interact with Cova’s swiping feature. “It’s kind of like Tinder. You swipe left for not interested, right for interested or up for already seen, and you can click straight into the movies or watch a trailer,” said Rattet. For those who enjoy TV more than movies, Cinova offers a unique outlet for sharing thoughts on new and old series. “The apps out right now don’t have TV. It’s a super big hole in the market, so, I’m hoping this app helps people find a different platform to rate something they are passionate about,” said Rattet. Right now, Cinova is just a side gig, but Rattet is hopeful that it will eventually become his full-time job. In terms of jobs, Rattet is also looking for a marketing intern. The internship will focus on running Cinova’s Instagram. “I want Cinova to be the future where people discover new movies and also rate them,” he said.
OPINION
Iguanafication dangers at UM:The lizards lurking beneath your feet By Niki Kawa Contributing Writer They’re green, scaly, peculiar creatures. It’s not uncommon to see these giant, dragon-like lizards roaming around Lake Osceola. But what students may not realize is that these reptiles aren’t supposed to be here at all. UM’s iguanas have become an ordinary part of campus life, making it easy to overlook the toll they take on our surrounding community. Iguanas threaten Miami’s native wildlife and infrastructure. Preventing that damage from escalating starts with changing our own behavior; UM students can help by keeping food away from iguanas and avoiding interactions that encourage their presence on campus. “I think they are super cool and nice to look at when walking to class. I do not think about their impact on
“I typically never see them eating other animals or plants, so I guess I did not really think about their effect on the environment.” Lauren McDonald UM Junior
our environment,” said a sophomore psychology major at UM. With native ranges in Central Amer-
ica, parts of South America and some Caribbean islands, these iguanas are far outside their natural territory. They’ve been well-established since 1964, when a pet dealer reportedly released more than 300 iguanas around Miami. Today, iguanas are just one part of a much larger invasive species problem. South Florida is considered the region with the most invasive species in the world, according to a 2023 study by researchers at UM. From peacocks to Muscovy ducks, South Florida is no stranger to nonnative animals. On UM’s campus, green iguanas are among the most visible invasive examples. Sidney Blumenfeld, conservation ecology subcommittee chair for Student Government’s ECO Agency, spoke about the local impact of invasive species. “A couple of on-campus examples would be the instance of green iguanas eating newly planted native firebush in one of our native gardens as well as the time they ate the mangrove propagules that were a part of the mangrove planting initiative,” Blumenfeld said. “My biggest concern about having a large population of green iguanas on UM’s campus is that it would make it even more difficult to maintain our gardens.” Sharing the walk to class with an iguana or two can feel like a harmless part of the UM experience, but their natural behaviors come at the expense of Florida’s native wildlife. As iguanas dig and take over burrows, they displace gopher tortoises and prey on their young. This predation compounds existing risks to gopher tortoises, a threatened species whose burrows provide shelter for more than 350 other animals. Those involved in campus conservation efforts may see this damage firsthand, but it can go unnoticed by the average student. “I typically never see them eating other animals or plants, so I guess I did not really think about their effect on the environment,” said junior Lauren McDonald. For people living in Miami, the consequences of the expanding iguana population extend beyond wildlife and into the infrastructure beneath our feet. The
Lorelei DiSanto // Contributing Photographer A colorful orange iguana rests in the grass along Lake Osceola at the University of Miami. burrows female iguanas dig to lay their eggs can weaken the ground beneath sidewalks and other structures students rely on every day. Even after noticing an unstable sidewalk on the way to class, most would never think to trace the issue back to the iguana roaming beside it. “I did not realize they were negatively affecting infrastructure,” McDonald said. She added that learning about the damage changed the way she saw their role in our environment’s ecosystem. Iguanas are not inherently bad — they are just reptiles exhibiting their natural behaviors in an unnatural environment. Their introduction is not ours to undo, but its consequences are still ours to face. Students might not have to repair the infrastructure themselves, but surrounding communities pay the price. Reducing that burden begins with understanding how everyday choices can contribute to their continued presence. Yet recognizing that burden can depend on a person’s past experiences with the animals. “There are some people whose ex-
perience with green iguanas consists of admiring them basking on rocks in the sun, bobbing their heads. In that situation, those people may not even think about the iguanas’ environmental impact,” Blumenfeld said. For those who grew up in South Florida, familiarity can make them fade even further into the background. “I don’t think much when I see them because I’m so used to them,” said senior Nicole Jahangani, who grew up in the area. Managing iguanas at UM is not a task for students to take on themselves, but this does not make them powerless. They can help by avoiding behaviors that encourage iguanas to remain on campus, such as feeding them or leaving behind food and open snack bags. Students can also keep their distance rather than encouraging interactions with the animals and report nonnative iguana sightings through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s IveGot1 reporting system. These small choices can help students avoid contributing further to an existing problem. That responsibility does not justify cruelty toward animals. Florida’s anti-cruelty laws still apply to iguanas,
even though they are invasive and otherwise unprotected. Feeding is one seemingly harmless interaction that can add to the problem. An animal lover might be tempted to toss an iguana a snack or capture the moment on camera, but doing so can attract additional wildlife and create unnatural concentrations. Feeding an iguana might feel unique to life in Florida, but behaviors like this can encourage their populations to continue spreading. Not only can this threaten our own safety, but it can threaten theirs, too. At UM, iguanas remind us how serious environmental problems can subtly blend into the scenery. After seeing them bask beside Lake Osceola day after day, it becomes easy to mistake familiarity for belonging. Iguanas might be here to stay, but we do not have to normalize an environmentally destructive invader. We cannot reverse their introduction, but we can stop feeding them, attracting them and treating their continued spread as inevitable. The longer we continue to sit back, the closer we inch toward making today’s damage tomorrow’s normal.
OPINION
September 9, 2026
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
The Herbert Wellness Center needs a facelift
Andrea Padron // Contributing Photographer Wellness Center staff member hands towel to UM student on Sept. 4, 2026.
By Lazaro J. Chavez Jr. Senior Staff Writer For a University where students pay very high tuition, you would assume that its on-campus fitness center would be top of the line. UM’s Herbert Wellness Center has plenty going for it. Its basketball courts, racquetball courts and other recreational spaces are useful and generally well-maintained. However, several minor details — from the towel requirement to cramped lockers and narrow showers — make the facility feel less impressive than it should. Let’s talk about the towel policy. To work out, you are required to bring a towel to the gym for “sanitary reasons.”. The Wellness Center policy states you must wipe down equipment when you are done with a workout. If you don’t have a towel, you have no other choice but to buy a towel at the Pro-Shop, located in front of the racquetball courts. Towel prices range from $1 for daily purchases to upwards of $20 for the entire semester. The towel policy is ridiculous, considering two things. For one, there are multiple stations with disinfectant wipes throughout the gym, which would clean equipment far better than a dirty towel would, according to a study conducted by Private University Products and News. Secondly, the policy that you must enter the gym with a towel or else be forced to pay the University even more money than you have already
paid them is absurd in and of itself. Right next to the Pro-Shop are the locker rooms, which are another issue. While daily locker rental is free, they are way too small. If you’re a student with a busy day and need a larger locker with extra clothes, shoes and shower necessities, slightly larger lockers are available. However, despite their larger size, certain duffle bags still need to be shoved inside to fit. I carry a relatively large bag that holds my extra pair of shoes, clothes, towels and other toiletries, and I have had to use excessive force to get it into the locker. The locker room showers also present a big challenge. The showers are very narrow and small, meaning you either have to be an average-sized person or, if you’re on the taller side like myself, you are out of luck. You have to angle yourself to get a proper shower, and they aren’t necessarily the cleanest bathrooms on the planet. Another area for improvement is the room for core exercises. There are not enough mats, the fake grass feels weird and there are only a handful of medicine balls for weight training. This is also not helped by the fact that the room is designed so that sound echoes off the walls, which means that if someone even whispers, everyone working out is privy to a full-on conversation. The Herbert Wellness Center has the potential to be a great student facility, but its outdated policies and cramped spaces hold it back. For what students pay to attend UM, the Wellness Center deserves a facelift.
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9:20 p.m. is too late for class By Hope Mallon Contributing Writer Walking to class while the sun is still out and leaving in the pitchblack of night has become a reality for University of Miami students stuck with night lectures. Three-hour classes that meet once a week and run until as late as 9:20 p.m. can take up a huge part of a student’s day, leaving little time or energy for anything beyond the classroom. While night classes can provide students with flexibility when building their schedules, that flexibility disappears when a required class is offered only at night. UM should not only have one section of a course that meets at night, taking up someone’s entire evening. The University should rethink how these classes are structured and when they are offered, especially when some three-hour classes begin at 6:35 p.m. and do not end until 9:20 p.m. Three-hour classes should include a mandatory break, and UM should offer multiple sections instead of only offering one required course that is scheduled to end as late as 9:20 p.m. Last semester, I had two three-hour classes on Tuesdays: one at 8 a.m. and the other at 2 p.m. Even though I found both of those classes interesting, there came a point when my brain simply started to check out. By the last hour, I found myself fighting to stay focused. Of course, I understand why threehour classes exist. Having a class meet once a week rather than multiple times can make the schedule more manageable, and some students prefer to get everything done in one day. Meeting only once can also give students more flexibility throughout the rest of the week. But sitting in the same classroom for three consecutive hours is a lot to ask of students. “I chose the shorter classes, so people don’t have to sit as long,” said Professor Anthony Musto, who teaches a class about physical activity and is the executive director of the Wellness Center. Beyond the health implications for sitting for extended periods of time, another major issue is the quality of learning students receive in these longer classes. A 2013 study on attention suggests that staying engaged for longer periods is not always easy. The study examined attention and retention among undergraduate students watching a 40-minute lecture. Researchers found that attention and retention of material declined over time. The study lasted only 40 minutes. Now, multiply that by nearly four times and you have a three-hour lecture. This is where a break becomes important. I am not arguing that UM needs to eliminate three-hour courses altogether. But, if students are going to spend three consecutive hours in
one classroom, there should be an actual opportunity to step away, eat a snack, use the bathroom and reset before returning to the material. As someone who tries to go to bed somewhat early, I cannot imagine walking out of class at 9:20 p.m. and knowing my night was not over yet. By the time students leave, they may still need to eat dinner, finish homework, study for exams, prepare for the next day and get enough sleep. An article published by The Miami Hurricane in November 2025 reported that students whose classes end around 9:20 p.m. can have trouble getting dinner before the dining halls close, adding another problem to an already long school day. For students who rely on campus dining, missing dinner may mean going without a meal or spending money on ordering food. One student quoted in the article said that her Tuesday class ends at 9:20 p.m. and that she does not eat dinner that night because she cannot afford to order food. There is also research that more directly relates to evening learning. A study of 78 undergraduate students conducted by researchers at Baylor University compared students who learned from a college-level lecture at noon with students who learned at 7:30 p.m. The researchers did not find that learning in the evening itself significantly hurt test performance. However, they found that shorter sleep and later bedtimes explained 13% of the variation in students’ test performance. Sleep and later bedtimes can affect how well students perform academically. For a student leaving class at 9:20 p.m., that is worth considering. College schedules are complicated, and students have different responsibilities outside of academics. For some students, later classes
actually are the best option. “I chose to take afternoon classes since I work multiple jobs that typically occur during the day, so afternoon or night classes allow me to work during the day before my classes,” said Megan Belk, a sophomore studying accounting and finance. Not every student wants an 8 a.m. class. Some students work during the day. Others have internships, club meetings or other responsibilities that make afternoon and evening classes more convenient. A 2023 study published in Nature Human Behaviour examined data from tens of thousands of university students and found that attendance was about 10 percentage points lower for 8 a.m. classes compared with later class times. Clearly, an 8 a.m. class and a 9:20 p.m. class pose two different scenarios. But studies support that class timing matters. But both show why class timing matters Students’ sleep, attendance and academic experiences can all be impacted based on when they are expected to be in the classroom. Alyssa Ziccardi, a sophomore studying communication sciences and disorders at Pennsylvania State University, said she does not support requiring night classes. “I personally do not take any night classes and neither do my friends,” said Ziccardi. “I think that night classes should only be for individuals who need to take them, like adults who work and have kids, not 20-year-old students.” Students need flexibility. But flexibility should not mean expecting them to spend their entire evening in a classroom. At some point, three hours becomes too long, and 9:20 p.m. becomes too late.
Norah Lubeck // Contributing Graphic
V’S TAKE
V
Un apologetic . Bold . Un filter ed .
V’s Take is The Miami Hurricane’s most controversial and longest running column.
V’s Take is a satirical work published biweekly by students and for students using our generation’s “colorful” language. V addresses all things love, sex and gossip on campus. V is not for the politically correct or easily offended.
dearv@themiamihurricane.com For the guy who would treat Lucia from GTA 6 better than his girlfriend Instead of giving the perfect advice my beautiful, loyal readers are used to (I love you all dearly), I’m going to change it up a little. This edition of V’s Take is intended specifically for straight men planning on telling their girlfriends to stop “acting up” because “Lucia wouldn’t treat them like this.” I know, I know — very out of character. Normally, I don’t address the nitwits personally. And yet, as I rage-write this with an energy drink at 2 a.m., I must confess… I’m pissed. “Grand Theft Auto,” after a very long hiatus, is set to release its sixth iteration this year. And I know everyone is excited, considering we all thought pigs would fly before we’d ever actually see GTA 6 go live. And one of the defining aspects of this release is Lucia — the female co-protagonist of the game’s story mode. She’s also the first named, core female protagonist in the franchise’s history with a specific role that is central to the plot. She’s dangerous. She has tattoos. She commits felonies. I get it. I, too, support women’s wrongs. But apparently, somewhere between Rockstar announcing its first female protagonist in a modern GTA game and men collectively losing their minds over her, some of you have decided on making Lucia your new standard for female behavior. “Lucia wouldn’t complain about this.” “Lucia would understand.” Of course she would. She is not real. Lucia is never going to get annoyed because you said you’d be home at 10 and stumbled through the door at 2 a.m. She is never going to ask you to remember her birthday, meet her parents, put your dishes in the dishwasher or explain why your location mysteriously disappeared for
Xoxo, V
four hours on a Saturday night. And most importantly, she is never going to expect you to become a better boyfriend. Because Lucia does not have expectations for you. Your girlfriend does. And somehow, I think that’s the part some of you actually find objectionable. There is something deeply hilarious about holding a flesh-and-blood woman to the behavioral standards of a character whose every action, expression and emotional response has been written, animated and programmed in advance for your pleasure. But your girlfriend has free will. Unfortunately for you, that means she will use it. She is going to disagree with you. She is going to get pissed off. She will have needs that occasionally inconvenience you. She might even — God forbid — expect you to communicate. That does not mean she is “acting up.” It means you have a woman in your life. That used to mean something to men! So by all means, root for Lucia. Commit an absolutely irresponsible number of virtual felonies with Lucia. But if you find yourself looking at the actual woman sitting beside you and thinking she could learn a thing or two from your new virtual girlfriend, I would like you to consider one very important distinction: Unless Lucia can give you actual head, I would recommend treating your woman correctly. Or someone else will. And he will get … actual head. Do with that information what you will.
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V’S TAKE
September 9, 2026
THE MIAMI HURRICANE