Talk:University of Miami/Archive 1

message: Brian, can you explain why you object to the clarification regarding Ray Lewis's status as an alumnus of University of Miami? Jayjg (talk) 16:56, 15 September 2005 (UTC)
replies: text: Brian/Juiced, I have addressed this on Brian's discussion page, which Brian deleted without responding to.  Please discuss your objection to the clarification on Lewis' graduation from UMD. AriGold 17:45, 27 September 2005 (UTC)

text: If you ever have a question for me, please just ask.  It's not hard to find my discussion page.  Anyway, wouldn't the more appropriate place for Lewis be under "Attended but did not graduate", as he did not graduate from Miami and we have the disctinction in the alumni section to seperate those who attended from those who graduated? I also tried doing this a while ago, but Soldia changed it. AriGold 20:13, 27 September 2005 (UTC)
thread_title:  Ray Lewis/Sylvester Stallone 

message: The clarification that mentions the #55 ranking is good. The only thing is, it should be mentioned what year that was, since for all anyone knows it could have been 1950. Does anyone know (and want to insert in the article) what year it was?Tommstein 22:04, 25 October 2005 (UTC)
replies: text: I saw it in this year's publication, 2005. AriGold 12:23, 26 October 2005 (UTC)
thread_title:  'Top university' stuff 

message: New "criticism" section was added, as wikipedia is the forum for articles of factual basis and not simply a spokespiece for the represented article.  All things and all people should be subject to criticism.  All of the facts are cited and refrenced with links to UM's own website and others.  Someone previously removed this added section, please do not do so again.  
If you feel its nuetrality is in question or its factual basis lacking, please begin a discussion about it.  otherwise, don't simply erase pieces becuase they do not fit your own liking.  thanks,
192.88.124.202, you have deleted the criticism page, but have not left an explination for why the University of Miami should not be open to criticism.  Please give your reasoning. As stated above, all sources are more than well cited and refrenced, all sources are accurate information. This is considered vandalizing in wikipedia.  if you continue to do this, you will be blocked.
 This is your last warning.  The next time you vandalize a page, you will be blocked from editing Wikipedia.  Please do not delete the criticism page.
:The vandalism warning tags go on the vandals' user talk pages.Tommstein 08:17, 20 December 2005 (UTC)
thread_title:  Crticism 

message: This article has been protected for two weeks, but there has been no substantive discussion for over a week.  I'm unprotecting to see if normal editing can proceed. --Tony Sidaway|Talk 01:09, 4 January 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Unprotected

message: I propose the 2006 University of Miami Custodial Workers' Strike should get its own article.  That way we can have just a link displayed in the university's article and have mucho space for details on the event itself's entry. Lawyer2b 20:31, 21 April 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  New Article for Strike 

message: Just wanted to say that I think we all have done a very good job in providing good encyclopedic coverage of the strike, while maintaining good balance on an emotionally-charged issue.  I'll continue to do my best, and I hope everyone else can, to keep the coverage informative and balanced.  MiamiDolphins3 23:45, 25 April 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Strike coverage

message: It might be nice to write some history about why Miami came to be and how two universities founded 120 years apart carry a similar name.  Miami University was founded by the US Congress and President Washington I believe.  Might be interesting if someone could include the initial communication between the founders of UM and Miami University.  Anyone else??
:It's a coincidence.  Both schools take their names for local geography.  Those names are based on local native American tribes, both happened to be called Miami. -James Howard (talk/web) 22:54, 2 May 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Original Miami is in Ohio

message: The strike page appears to be having some font format problems today, I notice.  I'll try to get it fixed for us.  MiamiDolphins3 17:03, 2 May 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: [[2006 custodial workers' strike]]

message: This article is fraught with Weasel words in many sections.
See WP:WEASEL
The University of Miami (commonly referred to as UM)
UM can be the University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, University of Mexico, etc.
Univ of Miami may be locally referred to as UM but "UM" is certainly is not nationally or internationally commonly known as University of Miami.
The University of Miami is typically ranked as one of the top academic institutions in the United States.
This sentence should be a model example of weasel wording. The next sentence goes on to state that US News ranks Univ of Miami as ranked 55th overall. Being ranked 55th out of 248 national universities is not "one of the top academic institutions in the United States." Using a sports analogy, being the 55th best college football team does not qualify that team as as one of the top football programs in the United States.
The University is often referred to simply as "The U,"
According to who? A google search returns University of Arizona before Univ of Miami.
Miami has been particularly dominant in football
Another model use of weasel words. The next sentence stating five national championships sufficiently exemplifies that the Univ of Miami football team has been successful.
With four of Miami's five national championships coming in an eight year span from 1983 to 1991, that period in college football is sometimes dubbed "The Decade of Dominance."
Source and who refers to that period by that title? Local fans? Alumni?
Miami is also well-known for producing NFL talent.
Well known by whom?
Miami holds the record for most players selected in the first round of the NFL Draft (six in 2004), as well as most first round draft picks in a two-year period (11 in 2003 and 2004) and most first round draft picks in a three-year period (15 from 2002 to 2004). Since the 2002 draft, an astounding 42 Hurricanes have been selected in the NFL Draft and Miami holds an ongoing record for the most consecutive NFL drafts (12) with a first-round draft pick.
Needs source.
Miami has one of the top baseball programs in the nation.
Another model of weasel words. Again the next sentence adequately states that the Univ of Miami has a successful baseball team.
--------
One way to deal with the weaseliness or peacockiness of using "UM" is simply to use it as an acronym in the article. That should reasonably address the argument "Univ of Miami may be locally referred to as UM but "UM" is certainly is not nationally or internationally commonly known as University of Miami." Note that the University of Kentucky wikipage does the same thing (i.e., uses the acronym UK throughout). Please don't revert before discussing. 65.34.154.254 12:22, 7 June 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Weasel Words

message: UM is ranked 55 out 248 in the national universities categories is the most accurate statement. Stating that UM is 55th out all universities in the US is false.
US News and World Report has four ranking categories for colleges: national, master's, liberal arts and comprehensive. You will not see Villanova, Providence, Williams, Amherst, Wellesley etc., all which are superior academic institutions, ranked with national universities.
Here are the four categories, per US News and World Report which are following the categories defined by the Carnegie Foundation.
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/ranknatudoc_brief.php
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/rankumregion_brief.php
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/ranklibartco_brief.php
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/rankccregion_brief.php
Nowhere in the description of the national universities categories does it claim that it is the top 200 plus universities.
If you disagree, then I recommend that academic rankings be removed from the title summary as advised in the academic boosterism wikipedia guideline.
: The schools you reference are not considered universities; they are appropriately classified as liberal arts colleges because of their more narrow academic programs.  Your description of them as "superior" to UM is suggestive of your own pov biases.  The paragraph is undeniably a technically accurate of the magazine's ranking.  Labeling it (correctly) 55th is hardly boosterism.  Additionally, not all universities made their top list; that doesn't mean they weren't evaluated and excluded as top universities.  MiamiDolphins3 17:23, 8 June 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Academic Ranking

message: I think one sentence or paragraph is needed in the strike section that justifies the continued presence of this section on the main UM page and explains the importance of the issue so that it is not a continued source of VfDs or deletions, as has been the case.  When I review the strike article and think about the issue, it seems to me the biggest issue here was the negative impact it had on the UM administration's credibility.  Clearly, there were unaddressed issues before the strike that could have possibly prevented the whole thing (and a study that revealed all the issues that were at the core of the strikers' demands)--and then the administration's management of the strike itself (the sprinkler episode, etc. etc.) that were another source of serious criticism.  These are the things that make this not just "another strike", so I'd propose putting in something like I originally inserted a few days ago.  I think that would explain to the casual reader the importance of the strike so it does not look out of place and does not come across as a routine, minor and insignificant development.  Just a suggestion.  MiamiDolphins3 15:37, 22 June 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: 2006 UM custodial strike section