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OSCAR THE GROUCH

MAKE ’EM SAY UNC-LE Terps face a deep and talented North Carolina team tomorrow

Diversions lays out our picks for the year’s worst Oscar snubs

SPORTS | PAGE 8

DIVERSIONS | PAGE 6

THE DIAMONDBACK FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2009

99TH YEAR | ISSUE NO. 93

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER

Recession Federal aid could only offset deficit Low tax revenue predictions leave uncertainty despite $3.8B stimulus leads to rise in aid appeals ANNAPOLIS 2009

BY ALLISON STICE Senior staff writer

Even though the state received more than 10 times as much money from a federal stimulus package as Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) expected, officials are still cautiously evaluating the state’s

the state a whopping $3.8 billion over the next two years. While some legislators said the fund virtually guarantees the continuation of a tuition freeze, other officials warned that it may only offset declines in state revenue.

Warren Deschenaux, the state’s chief fiscal analyst, warned the

budget situation and guaranteeing nothing as they watch state revenues continue to deteriorate.

In his budget, O’Malley assumed the state would receive about $350 million from a federal stimulus package. However, the package President Barack Obama signed earlier this week awarded

state may only be able to put between $400 and $600 million from the stimulus package in the general fund for each of the next two years because much of the money is dedicated to certain areas like health and education. If

Please See STIMULUS, Page 3

Univ. targets smaller gifts from donors to ease financial burden

Puff legislation up in the air

BY TIRZA AUSTIN Staff writer

PHOTO BY MATTHEW CREGER AND PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY SAM STONE/THE DIAMONDBACK

University Senate to consider on-campus smoking ban

BY MARISSA LANG Senior staff writer

A

nti-smoking advocates shouldn’t hold their breath waiting for the university to turn the campus into a smoke-free zone, University Senate officials said.

Despite expressed concerns about public health, a proposal presented to the University Senate that would ban smoking on the campus will have a hard time overcoming concerns about the possible alienation of smokers, who are already a minority at the university and in society, and about the policy’s enforcement, key senators said.

“It’s an interesting proposal,” undergraduate Senator Brad Docherty said. “I think it’s definitely worthwhile for the senate to look into. I mean, it also definitely has potential to stir up controversies, but it could make for a healthy debate.”

Kenneth Holum, a history professor who serves as chairman of the senate, the university’s most powerful legislative body, which plays a key role in advising university President Dan Mote and other administrators, said the proposal was brought to the table by an undergraduate non-senator who he declined to name.

Holum said the proposal was one of the most “well argued” and “professionally presented” propositions to come before the senate in a long time and contained an lengthy argument for banning smoking on the campus.

Please See SMOKING, Page 3

To view video interviews with students, visit WWW.DIAMONDBACKONLINE.COM

Campus tours may soon be offered in Spanish

PEACHY

SPORTS | PAGE 7

Staff writer

Before long, prospective students coming to the university may hear a new phrase at the beginning of a campus tour: “Bienvenidos a la Universidad de Maryland!”

Every week, student guides lead about 30 tours for prospective students and their parents, and the tours are all in English. By the end of this year, Maryland Images, the group that organizes tours on the campus, hopes to implement Spanish-language campus tours for incoming freshmen and transfer students at least once a week.

Senior government and politics and Spanish major Kelly Brown, a student coordinator for Maryland

TOMORROW’S WEATHER:

Images, formulated the idea of campus tours in Spanish last spring after returning from a study-abroad trip in Spain.

“I realized how hard it is to navigate bureaucracy when you’re not a native speaker,” Brown said.

Spanish tours of the campus are offered as a special group request but are not a common occurrence.

Churches and other community groups contact Maryland Images for tours in Spanish, but because of a lack of Spanish-speaking tour guides, Images limits the number of these special-request tours.

Brown estimates that these tours only happen about once a month.

“I just want to have the

Please See AID, Page 2

DOTS invests excess funds in car pools, bicycle paths Falling diesel prices create surplus; money could have been returned to students

BY RICH ABDILL AND DERBY COX

Weekly tours could appeal to local Latino communities, native-speaking relatives

BY ADELE HAMPTON

After an increase in student financial aid appeals, the university will step up efforts to get funding for students who may not be able to afford tuition.

This year, financial aid appeals rose between 25 and 30 percent, said Sarah Bauder, the student financial aid director. Much of the increase has been attributed to the struggling economy: parents losing jobs, the weak housing market, shrinking 401(k)s and falling home equity have all been cited as reasons for needing financial aid.

The university has “dramatically” increased the ongoing fundraising by looking for a larger number of smaller, one-time gifts, said Brodie Remington, vice president of university relations.

Remington said they are telling donors, “[Do] whatever you can do right now, and hopefully the economy will bounce back.”

The new focus comes in response to a decline in large monetary gifts and endowments, which are long-term donations, Remington said. The new push will stress the impact of giving smaller gifts until the economy rebounds.

Staff writers

Forward Marissa Coleman led the Terrapin women’s basketball team with 23 points last night in the Terps’ 87-79 win at Georgia Tech, their sixth straight. ADAM FRIED/THE DIAMONDBACK

Rather than return a $109,000 DOTS surplus to students, a committee of students and administrators decided last night to funnel the money into environmental programs.

The committee also approved more than $250 in non-mandatory student fee increases to cover rising costs faced by the Resident Life and Dining Services departments.

After raising student fees to pay for fuel costs last semester, gas prices plummeted, leaving the Department of Transportation Services with the surplus. DOTS Director David Allen originally pledged to return any excess money to students, but the Committee for the Review of Student Fees decided to allocate the money to a carpooling promotion program and to the development of an improved bicycle infrastructure in the area.

“In principle, rebating to students is a great idea,” said Student Government Association Denton Legislator Andrew Steinberg, a member of the committee. But, Steinberg said, the

Please See TOURS, Page 2

Partly Cloudy/40s

INDEX

Please See DOTS, Page 3 NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 OPINION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

FEATURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 CLASSIFIED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

DIVERSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . .6 SPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

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THE DIAMONDBACK | NEWS | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2009

TODAY

WE WANT YOU Story ideas? News tips?

E-mail them to The Diamondback at newsdesk.dbk@gmail.com

NEWSMAKERS

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Q+A

BRIEFS

HAGERSTOWN – A Hagerstown teenager is facing animal abuse charges after neighbors found his weeks-old puppy frozen to a tree.

The Humane Society of Washington County said the puppy named Duncan survived the ordeal.

But officials say the now-8-weekold shepherd mix lost a patch of hair when the neighbors freed him Jan. 30 from a tree in a wooded area behind an apartment complex.

Court records show 18-yearold Christopher William Lorshbaugh faces four misdemeanor charges. Humane Society spokeswoman Katherine Cooker says the teenager has surrendered the puppy to the society, which hopes it will be adopted.

— Compiled from wire reports

CORRECTION Yesterday’s story, “Journalism school taps Klose to be new dean,” misstated the creator of the committee that selected the dean. The committee was created by the provost.

Wear pink to the gymnastics meet, 6 p.m., Comcast Center Pavilion

SCENE + HEARD

BEST of the BLOGS

‘We need champions today’

PERRY HALL – Baltimore Coun-

Teen charged after puppy found frozen to tree

‘FLIP FOR A CURE’

A free concert, 8 p.m., Dekelboum Concert Hall, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center

SCENE + HEARD

Cigarette sparked fatal Perry Hall fire ty fire investigators say a cigarette started a Perry Hall blaze that killed a grandfather who ran back into his home to rescue family members.

Investigators have determined the fire was started by a cigarette that was thrown on the rear deck of the home without being put out.

Fifty-four-year-old Yan Chen died Saturday, one day after the fire that injured him and five others.

Fire officials say Chen escaped the fire but ran back inside to rescue his wife, son and grandson.

UNIVERSITY WIND ORCHESTRA

Len Bias’ mother tells students to be leaders rather than followers

BY DARREN BOTELHO For The Diamondback

The audience was silent as Lonise Bias stepped onto a basketball court at the university where her deceased son became famous to motivate students to move past their grief.

“When my son Len died, a friend of mine told me at the wake to make lemons out of lemonade,” Bias said. “I thought that was a cruel thing to say at the time, but 23 years later, I have lemonade, and I encourage others to do the same.”

Bias’ message of turning one’s life around, no matter what happens, comes decades after her son, Len Bias, died of a cocaine overdose in Washington Hall on June 19, 1986, less than 48 hours after being drafted by the Boston Celtics. Four years later, Bias’ other son, Jay, was murdered less than one mile from the campus.

“I stood on one son’s grave and buried another son,” Bias said. “I should have been cuckoo, and I should have been strung-out on prescription drugs, but I wasn’t.”

After her sons’ deaths, Bias said she became proactive about motivating students about the importance of self-perseverance, responsibility, accountability and leadership through speeches.

Before his death, Len was compared to the likes of Michael Jordan and was projected to earn millions on the basketball court, Bias said. But his death served a greater and more profound purpose than his

career ever would have, she added.

“As an entertainer, after his games were over and he left the court, that would have been it,” Bias said. “Through his death he has encouraged people to find inner strength and become better people.”

Although her sons’ deaths were Bias’ inspiration to become a motivational speaker, mention of them was not frequent throughout her speech.

“I thought she [Bias] was only going to talk about her son, because he is so well-known to the university community,” said Student Athlete Advisory Committee President Jennifer Collins. “Instead, she talked about us and about how we need to overcome the social and peer pressures we face.”

Bias said students need to absolve from peer pressure and “stop the nonsense and quit going along to get along.”

Senior Kristen Seabolt, the vice president of social responsibility for the Pan Hellenic Association, said Bias’ encouragement to be a leader instead of follower was an integral part of her speech and was particularly relevant to the Greek Life community.

“The majority of fraternity and sorority members that were here tonight were freshman, and it is important that they hear this early on, so they can make smart decisions,” Seabolt said.

Toward the end of Bias’ speech she posed a question to the audience: “How many of you [students] are sick and tired

Lonise Bias, mother of deceased former Terrapin basketball player Len Bias, speaks in a packed Ritchie Coliseum Thursday night. JACLYN BOROWSKI/THE DIAMONDBACK

of the people around you?”

No one raised their hands.

“I know none of you can raise your hands, but I know that a lot of you out there are sick of listening to the people around you and acting they way they want you to act,” she said after looking at the crowd. The audience laughed.

Sophomore Lucas Salvatore said Bias helped him realize the importance of ignoring the negative influences of others.

“In a community surrounded by temptations, something you need is inspiration to resist the temptations and stay strong,” he said.

Matt Bowen, vice-president of risk management for the Intrafraternity Council, said Bias related well to the audience.

“Her enthusiasm and passion, along with her connection to the university made this a great and impactful event,” Bowen said. “I didn’t see anyone in the audience texting on their phones or anything — it looked like they were really interested in what she had to say.

A lot of people even ap-

proached her when she was done speaking.”

Staying strong through turmoil and controversy is what determines and builds character, Bias said.

“When pressure comes, that’s when [you find] what you’re made of, and when conduct and behavior is developed,” Bias repeated five times. “We need champions today.” newsdesk.dbk@gmail.com

To view video footage of the speech, visit WWW.DIAMONDBACKONLINE.COM

University expecting fewer 2 Great places for your out-of-state freshmen in fall Diamondback Classified AID, from Page 1

“Given the economic problems of the times, the students’ needs have increased,” Remington said.

“We are doing the best we can to reach those needs as best as possible.”

In a change of approach, Remington said university relations personnel are going to use real stories of economic hardships students have faced and how scholarships have lightened their financial load to attract donors.

Employees are also trying to improve technology to reach alumni across the nation and globe.

“Right now, we are stepping up our effort to contact donors and secure gifts for financial aid,” Remington

said.

Remington said fundraising for financial aid has always been a priority for university relations. Of the four areas the university is raising money for in the $1 billion Great Expectations Campaign, the university has earmarked $350 million for financial aid, the highest amount. The university is halfway to that goal but still wants to increase the push to help students.

“We are stepping up the effort in the context of the larger campaign,” Remington said.

Bauder said students who cannot find the means should not have to worry about having to drop out of school because of finances.

She said all appeals will be

reviewed.

“The university will find means to help students stay in school,” Bauder said.

The economy is expected to impact the number of enrolled students, said Barbara Gill, the assistant vice president of undergraduate admissions. The university will try to award more scholarships and respond sooner to admitted students to retain them.

The university also expects fewer out-of-state students to enroll in the university in the fall because of the cost, Gill said. Out-ofstate tuition cost about $23,076, including a technology fee, for the 2008-2009 school year.

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Spanish-language tours will start in the fall TOURS, from Page 1 resources to provide the Latino community with the best opportunities to discover the university,” Brown said.

Now, in order to jump-start the new program, Maryland Images is translating tour guide manuals and determining which communities to pinpoint.

The university is close to Latino communities like Langley Park, which Brown considers an “untapped resource.” The tours are seen as a way to reach out to prospective students and their families living in those neighborhoods. While students might speak English, it is often their parents who need the translations.

“I want to involve the whole family,” Brown said, “to make them feel comfortable.”

Spanish tours are also seen as a way to boost Latino enrollment, according to Pamela Hernandez, coordinator for Latino student involvement and advocacy.

“This is important, especially because there’s a need for it,” Hernandez said. “It has a lot to do with parents and helping them to know what the school is about.”

Out of the 126 tour guides who volunteer for Maryland

“This is important, especially because there’s a need for it. It has a lot to do with parents and helping them to know what the school is about.”

PAMELA HERNANDEZ COORDINATOR FOR LATINO STUDENT ADVOCACY AND INVOLVEMENT

Images, only eight speak the amount of Spanish required to give campus tours. None are native speakers.

Other universities across the country offer campus tours in Spanish. Hernadez first heard about the idea at her former school in Oregon.

While Spanish majors are welcome to apply, Maryland Images is looking for native speakers, Brown said. She has posted flyers in classrooms, made announcements to professors and contacted the Latino Student Union.

Despite the strong support from minority students, response is slow.

Hernandez said minority groups have been in support of a Spanish-language tour program since its origination,

and their voice has finally echoed in the admissions office. “[That’s] where it should have been,” Hernandez said.

Undergraduate Admissions plans to see this program to its success, said Maryland Images advisor Peggy Tiffany, the coordinator for programs and visitor services.

“There is a collective effort in our office to provide a resource to families,” Tiffany said, “relieving a language barrier.”

Applications for Spanishspeaking tour guides are due by 4 p.m. today and can be found on the Maryland Images website (studentorg.umd.edu/mi).

Applicants go through a short trial tour, in English or Spanish, in order to determine how well students relate the university facts listed on the application. Decisions will be made before spring break, and finalists will be trained throughout the rest of the spring semester. Brown said she hopes to get Spanish tours fully running in the fall of next year.

“At this point, we just need to start,” Brown said. “I’m really hoping that we get the interest from students to make this a reality.” hamptondbk@gmail.com

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2009 | NEWS | THE DIAMONDBACK

3

State income tax revenue in decline Officials concerned smoking ban would be hard to enforce

STIMULUS, from Page 1

the sluggish economy causes revenue from income and sales taxes to decline even further, the entire sum could be wiped out.

“There’s a very high probability that the estimates will be coming down significantly in the next couple weeks,” Deschenaux said.

“If that happens, the stimulus will just be used to maintain the state budget.”

Earlier this week, Comptroller Peter Franchot (D) warned state revenues for January were down 8.2 percent compared to the same month last year.

“Fourth quarter estimated payments for the individual income tax were alarmingly weak, and even with the bar set very low, sales tax performance continues to disappoint,” Franchot wrote in a letter to the governor and legislative leaders earlier this week.

In a statement on the report,

Franchot said the state would have to make painful choices.

“The devastating figures released today speak for themselves,” he said. “They provide yet further confirmation that this country is in the throes of the worst economic tailspin since the Great Depression — one that has spared no region of the country or sector of the economy.”

Since official update revenue estimates will not be available until March, legislators remain guarded about plans for the federal money, although many agreed that it certainly helped the chances of the tuition freeze and University System of Maryland funding.

“Absolutely, now that the Congress has passed President Obama’s stimulus package there can be no excuse for raising tuition this fall,” said state Sen. Jim Rosapepe (D-Anne Arundel and Prince George’s). “One of the explicit goals of the stimulus pack-

age is to hold down tuition. That’s in the law.”

Although others, including Deschenaux, offer no guarantees, some legislators reason the money for the tuition freeze, $16 million, is a small portion of the state budget.

“The tuition freeze — I think that’s something that will hold up and is not really dependent on the stimulus package,” said state Sen. Edward Kasemeyer (D-Baltimore and Howard), vice chairman of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee. “That was something the governor really wanted to do and that the legislature probably would have done without a stimulus package.”

The stimulus money will be used over the next two years, and certain pieces of it are marked for purposes that don’t necessarily benefit the state government.

State budget crunchers are just beginning to decide where the funds will go, but some pieces of

the picture are clear: for example, $1.1 billion is set aside for education, $700 million will pay for Medicaid over the next two years, and a substantial amount will go to infrastructure, transportation and energy efficiency efforts.

“The piece that is beneficial to the state government is just a fraction of the total,” Deschenaux said. “There’s a lot of additional money for infrastructure spending, and that is nice, but it doesn’t help our state general fund at all.”

Until the revenue estimates play out, it will be difficult to see how much will be awarded to the university system and this university, although there are numerous other ways through which stimulus money could trickle down, including through grants awarded by federal agencies.

SMOKING, from Page 1 While the prospect of secondhand smoke was high on the list of outlined concerns, the issues of “unpleasant odors” were also addressed as a detraction from the university experience for nonsmokers on the campus.

Upon review of the proposal earlier this semester, the Senate Executive Committee charged the Campus Affairs Committee with the responsibility of researching its need, its merits and its feasibility on the campus. Their findings will be presented back to the Senate Executive Committee on Monday, after which the proposal could move to the senate floor, where if it meets majority approval, it could ultimately become university policy.

Outraged student smokers, who say they already feel discriminated against, think the university should butt out.

“The university shouldn’t be able to restrict you if that’s what you want to do,” junior English major Anthony Chu said. “Some people want to smoke. Some people don’t. Let it be.”

As it is, university policy already puts restrictions on when and where smokers can light up.

They cannot smoke in the dorms, libraries, classrooms, dining halls or closer than 15 feet from any building entrance, air intake duct or window on the campus, in an effort to prevent the smoke from being blown into open windowsof campus buildings.

Holum, who describes smoking as “unpleasant,” said regardless of his personal views on the matter, he does not think the senate should move forward with the proposal and hopes the senators reviewing the matter will take their smoking constituents into account.

“Smokers are starting to feel more and more marginalized,” Holum said. “And this policy would just make them feel worse.

They’re like lepers. They stand together outside in the cold, puffing on their cigarettes, looking so unpleasant as it is. I don’t know that there is enough reason to deprive people of their right to smoke.”

Docherty, a non-smoker who also acknowledged a concern for the health of those breathing in second-hand smoke, agreed with

sticedbk@gmail.com

Non-mandatory student fees on the rise DOTS, from Page 1 benefit of the “minute amount” that could be given back to students is “completely outweighed by the benefit to the university and our progress to environmental sustainability.”

Anupama Kothari, president of the Graduate Student Government, was on a committee assembled during the fall semester to discuss how to distribute the funds.

“We thought it was really important in the line of green initiatives,” she said.

Even so, many students disagreed with funding a program they said would benefit a relatively small percentage of students, rather than the entire campus.

“It seems like the majority of people wouldn’t be helped by a bike campaign,” said junior microbiology major Edison Culver.

Sophomore finance major Matthew Bernstein agreed with Culver.

“If you’re talking about a large sum of money, you need to keep in mind the return,” he said. “How many people would benefit from this bike thing?”

Junior English major Kevin Keating, who has a car but cannot afford to buy a permit, said he thought there were better uses for the excess funds.

“It’s what, like, $300 for a permit?” he said. “Who in the world would pay that? The money should go to finding a way to somehow cut student costs.”

But SGA President Jonathan Sachs said the amount given back would be minimal, about enough for each student to buy a burrito.

“I think sustainability is more valuable than a burrito,” he said.

A draft of the biking plan, which was designed by a consultant hired by DOTS, was submitted Monday and called for $359,000 to be spent on the program in its first year. It is unclear how Allen decided to allocate the $103,000, said SGA Senior Vice President Joanna Calabrese, who emphasized the need for transparency in the distribution of the funds but was optimistic about the biking plan reaching fruition.

“Not only is it a key component to bringing alternative transportation and keeping the campus in line with the

“I think sustainability is more valuable than a burrito.”

JONATHAN SACHS SGA PRESIDENT

climate action plan and the university’s strategic plan, it benefits the student body in many other ways,” she said.

“Plenty of people could go on about the benefits of biking.”

A forum will be held Monday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Benjamin Banneker room of the Stamp Student Union and will be open for the public to provide input for the biking plan.

Elsewhere on the docket, non-mandatory fees were reviewed by the committee.

If university President Dan Mote approves the recommendations, Resident Life will increase nonmandatory fees by 2.72 percent, the majority of which will go toward renovations.

This year, fees rose by 2.2 percent. Under the plan, students in traditional halls would pay an extra $147.

Students in apartments with

kitchens would pay an additional $153.

The committee also approved a $121 hike in fees for Dining Services, an increase of 3.26 percent compared with about 4 percent this year. Director of Dining Services Colleen Wright-Riva said much of the money will go toward food costs. Food prices, which the department expected would go up by 10 percent this year, have instead increased by about 15 percent, Wright-Riva said.

“Overall, the recommendations that were made by the committee are good recommendations made after thoughtful deliberation,” Steinberg said. “An increase has to be expected in such a volatile economy.”

Sachs stressed the importance of student involvement in the decision.

“I think that the recommendations were what a lot of us wanted. ... I think the process is a good one,” he said. “And we enjoy this process because of student leadership.” abdilldbk@gmail.com, coxdbk@gmail.com

Holum’s sentiments.

“It’s tough to say,” Docherty said. “I think that as a senator, you always want to vote in the best interest of the campus as a whole, but you also don’t want to discriminate against any minorities.

Smokers are a minority. And there are professors that have been on this campus for 20-some-oddyears, and when they’re smoking for that long, can a policy really force them to kick the habit?”

Some smokers said they understood the concerns about health but doubted the extent of secondhand smoke that could be taken in from walking around the campus, outside, in open air.

“I don’t think it’s a direct health issue if [smokers] are doing it outside,” sophomore French and government and politics major Tim Young said. “I mean, I’m no scientist, but I can say that I think it’s definitely an encroachment on freedoms.”

Though Holum said he thinks the intentions of the proposal are good, he said he cannot see a real need or pressing health issue that really merits moving such a controversial issue — especially one that would single out and alienate countless members of the campus community.

“I find that I avoid the little clusters of smokers, personally,” Holum said. “It doesn’t smell good. But that’s the thing. You can avoid them. It’s easy.”

Another problem with the proposal is the question of enforcement.

“It’s a very hard policy to enforce,” Holum said. “How would you do it? Would University Police give out tickets? And if that didn’t work, what are they going to do?

Put smokers in handcuffs?”

But, Holum added, if students, like the undergraduate who proposed the policy to begin with, are passionate about pursuing the issue, the senate will honor their concern by revisiting it, as with the good Samaritan policy.

“If it turned out to have legs, it will be brought up again,” he said.

Holum said he has not read the Campus Affairs Committee’s report that will be revealed Monday, but, right now, it seems, the notion of a cigarette-free campus is likely to go up in smoke. langdbk@gmail.com

Gordon must pay $49,000 in fines to avoid eviction from Perk dered him to pay $7,000 per month in a bond to the court, a sum that would be released to the winner of the foreclosure dispute when the case is ultimately settled.

The property investor, Alireza Aliaskari, has been paying property taxes and a $5,600-permonth mortgage on the Perk property for more than a year.

He and his attorney, Robert Hillman, have declined to be interviewed.

Gordon has continued to collect rent from tenants on the property, who also had their property taken to the street before he paid up.

STUDENT MEMBER WANTED FOR STUDENT PUBLICATIONS' BOARD Maryland Media, Inc., publishing board for the Diamondback, Eclipse, Terrapin, and Mitzpeh, has openings on its board of directors for two full-time students.

The Board of Directors sets general policy, approves budgets and selects the Editors-in-Chief for the student publications. The term of office is one year and begins in May, 2009. The Board meets about once a month during the school year.

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Applications are due by Friday, February 27th at noon.

Interviewed during a break in yesterday’s hearing, Gordon said he spent a day this week putting it all back, and he described the experience as “fairly traumatizing.”

In court yesterday, Hillman had asked the judge to allow Gordon to be evicted without interruption either immediately or if he did not pay the $49,000 bond by the scheduled date.

Otherwise, Hillman said, Friday’s process would likely be repeated, with Gordon paying up only at the last second, wasting taxpayer dollars spent on another aborted eviction. The judge denied that request.

Gordon — who was acting as his own attorney — said he is confident he will turn around the momentum that formed against his position when he did not ap-

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pear for the first foreclosure hearings, which he said he had not been notified of.

“Sometimes these things work out,” Gordon said. He had paid the $35,000 last week with an emergency loan from “a friend of a friend,” he explained.

During the hearing, Hillman described Gordon’s “miraculous” abilities to make these things work out.

Gordon avoided two evictions when first he and then his wife, Brewer Thompson, who is also on the mortgage, attempted to file for bankruptcy protection.

He dodged two others by paying owed fees at the last minute, and he has also tied the dispute up in numerous court cases and appeals.

“We have a situation where there’s just an onslaught of play

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UPPER MARLBORO – The founder of the closed College Perk coffeehouse must pay $49,000 to avoid eviction while he appeals the property’s foreclosure, the Prince George’s County District Court ruled yesterday.

Chris Gordon narrowly avoided eviction last Friday after paying $35,000 he previously owed to the court, only after the county sheriff’s office had already removed most of his belongings from the Route 1 property, a process that may be repeated next month.

The property, which includes a main building and several bungalows, was sold in foreclosure to a real estate investor last January, and the coffeehouse has been closed since it was damaged in a fire last summer.

Gordon is appealing the foreclosure on the grounds that his mortgage lender committed fraud in the loan and failed to give him proper notification of the foreclosure proceedings.

Last Friday’s was the fourth eviction attempted on the property.

In the meantime, as Gordon appealed the foreclosure in several courts simultaneously, Judge Patrick R. Duley had or-

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against the system,” Hillman said.

Gordon will face an unrelated challenge from the city of College Park next Tuesday, when the council will vote on whether to recommend the county liquor board renew the Perk’s liquor license.

Some council members have questioned whether a shuttered establishment whose ownership is in question should be issued a liquor license, and council opinion seemed to drift further against the Perk after it learned of Friday’s eviction attempt.

Gordon said he still plans to reopen the coffeehouse when he gets a settlement from his insurance company over the summer fire. holtdbk@gmail.com

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THE DIAMONDBACK | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2009

Opinion

THE DIAMONDBACK

STEVEN OVERLY

YOUR INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK PHONE: (301) 314-8200 | FAX: (301) 314-8358 3150 SOUTH CAMPUS DINING HALL | COLLEGE PARK, MD., 20742 NEWSDESK .DBK@GMAIL.COM

EDITOR IN CHIEF

ROXANA HADADI MANAGING EDITOR

BEN SLIVNICK

MARDY SHUALY

OPINION EDITOR

OPINION EDITOR

Staff Editorial

Guest Column

One for the books

I believe in dialogue

I

come to place before the legislature of Massachusetts the condition of the miser- have substantive advantages that merit their increased cost.

But “who’s going to regulate the textbooks?” asks Joshua Michael, a student regent. able, the desolate, the outcast,” once proclaimed Dorothea Dix, a renowned activist and reformer from the 1800s. We’ve come to place the condition of those Michael argued that if textbook selection is to be monitored, the policing process would not only interfere with academic freedom but would also entail a costly buover-paying for textbooks before the legislature of the state of Maryland.

It may seem a modest claim to put beside Dix’s, but the skyrocketing prices of text- reaucracy. Ultimately, this would translate into increased student fees, he said. And if books have been recognized throughout the country as a serious plight. The U.S. Gov- textbook selection isn’t monitored, then the legislation doesn’t add much to the policy ernment Accountability Office reported that between 1986 and 2004, college textbook already adopted by the regents.

But we agree with Student Government Association President prices increased 186 percent. Last Friday, the Board of Regents Jonathan Sachs, who argues that the suggestion of a costly textadopted a policy that hinges on educating faculty members on book police is silly. Instead, he sees a series of check boxes at the how to save their students money when assigning textbooks. Year The state’s textbook bill bottom of the textbook assignment forms that faculty have to subafter year, state lawmakers have taken on the issue but failed to mit. Three or four check boxes at the bottom of a form may not radproduce legislation. Annapolis is taking another swing with the merits support. ically transform the process a professor goes through in picking College Textbook Competition and Affordability Act of 2009. The which texts to assign, as even Sachs admits. But it is one more checkpoint that serves bill isn’t perfect, but it’s worth fighting for.

Members of the Board of Regents oppose the proposed legislation for a variety of to remind professors that requiring the 28th edition with the accompanying DVD reasons. The bill would require universities to post book lists publicly a week after might cost students hundreds of additional dollars, when the 27th edition just has a difthey are received, even if they haven’t been approved by the faculty members teach- ferent-color cover and the software isn’t going to be used anyway. Sachs also points out ing the courses. The regents are right to object. It’s clear the provision will result in the that the cost of compliance will be divided between tens of thousands of students and posting of faulty information, likely resulting in students ordering the wrong books that the potential increase in student fees is trivial when compared to students’ potenand losing money. But this is a fixable detail, and we hope the legislature will adopt an tial savings.

Besides valuable provisions that require textbook publishers to provide a wealth of amendment that conforms to the textbook timeline adopted by the system.

The more contentious feature of the bill mandates that faculty members “affirm information about older and cheaper versions of textbooks to universities, the bill has and acknowledge” a variety of facts before submitting their booklists. The faculty an advantage that should not be overlooked. Once kissed by the governor’s pen, the would have to confirm that if they are assigning new texts or new editions, the books bill will become law. It will carry a weight that no system policy does.

Our View

Editorial Cartoon: Jenna Brager

Housing crisis: It ain’t over till it’s over

I

t’s been about two years since student leaders took to living in tents on McKeldin Mall to protest the dire housing situation on the campus. To the average onlooker, it would seem that the student housing landscape has since improved. Private developers seem to be tripping over themselves in proposing new projects; the University View expansion, Starview Plaza, The Varsity, Mazza Grandmarc apartments and Northgate Condominiums are all expected to be completed within the next two years. The university, for its part, has not only started construction on South Campus Commons 7, but has also won funding for the new Oakland Hall, a new high-rise in the Denton Community. Will we finally see the end of the housing crisis?

Absolutely not.

The housing crisis continues to force students from their homes. Students and their families continue to be burdened with the exorbitant rents of off-campus housing. The Department of Resident

MATTHEW

VERGHESE Life may have inspired some false confidence when they exhausted the waitlist trying to fill vacancies for the spring semester, but hundreds of sophomores, juniors and seniors will soon make the annual exodus from the campus. They will find themselves facing the challenges of locating safe, affordable and accessible housing in the surrounding communities.

The tragedy of the housing crisis goes beyond the fact that the university failed to properly address a burgeoning housing problem for years. The campus community is being irrevocably altered. Despite not making an iota of improvement to the housing crunch, the university has

reduced the equality of access to Commons and University Courtyards by restricting roommate selection and pull-ins based on class year, effectively ignoring the plight of students who take more than four years to graduate.

I do not fault Deb Grandner or the rest of Resident Life for making these decisions. Instead, I feel student leaders have failed to change the antiquated Housing Commitments Policy. The policy, created by the Residence Hall Association in 2000, established the order in which available spaces are allocated to students. However, more students than ever now want to live on the campus and enjoy all aspects of the college experience that the university has to offer. The university has transformed itself from a predominantly commuter school to a genuine college community where students seek to live closer to the campus.

But therein lies the principal question: What kind of on-campus community do we want?

Rather than using a 10-year policy as a

shield from criticism and to rationalize poor choices, student leaders and Resident Life should begin to reexamine how we allocate housing. Should the university continue to blindly cater to secondyear students at the expense of everyone else? Since university housing is the most affordable, should preference be given to those with low and median incomes? Can the university extend the Maryland experience to transfer students — particularly those from community colleges?

Student Government Association and RHA leaders can no longer sit idly by and hope that new housing construction will allow them to ignore the continuing effects of the housing crisis. Rather than continue an outdated status quo, student leaders should begin a conversation on crafting a new Housing Commitment Policy that reflects the campus community Maryland deserves.

Matthew Verghese is a graduate student in public policy. He can be reached at mmverg@gmail.com.

Online comments: World Wide Web of jerks

I

am the most hated man in College Park.

At least, if you believe everything you read on the Internet, I am. Judging by a comment on one of my articles online, I seem to be a tool that is best served killing myself. The comment was signed, “Everyone in College Park.”

But if you believe the Internet, a lot of crazy stuff is true. Juicy Campus — God rest its horrible soul — was a wealth of conjecture and nonsense about people you know and come into contact with daily. What a wonderful, crazy site that was. People could mark entire fraternities as rapists, entire sororities as whores. This was truly the golden age.

But, alas, in this troubled economy, the Juice got cut loose. Fortunately for windbags everywhere who need to vent their racist, sexist or ignorant jargon, there is one

shining beacon, one happy place where all you batshit-crazy people can congregate and say horrible things, and that place is The Diamondback Online.

Who the hell are you people, anyway? It seems like there is a legion of nutter butters ready to attack any seemingly normal article that gets posted online. It’s like they take whatever the subject is and add the word war to it. Black Male Initiative? Race war. Religious displays? Holy war. Speakers on the topic of sex? Morality war.

Girls who go out to get wasted and find disgusting men? Whore war.

Maybe I made that last one up.

Let’s press on.

These people come in all different shapes and sizes (I presume — obviously, I don’t know what any of them look like), but they’re all about the same amount of crazy.

My favorite is the people who sign their comments with something

ROB

GINDES like “UMD Alumnus ’97.” Like we’re supposed to be impressed they graduated from this dump.

Dude, we go here. We’re not impressed.

There are always comments from people that go something like, “What, the frats can’t have a little fun anymore? When I went here, we got hazed just for saying the word frat! Rabble rabble! UM Alumnus ’97.” Go make a conference call or something and leave the youth to us, grandpa.

When the comments branch off in a billion different directions from the article’s actual subject,

those always end up in a racial slur or a Hitler reference. These are fun, because I always imagine what kind of weed the people who write these things are smoking and where in College Park that quality is available.

But most often they just turn into a hate fest. An article on eating disorders garners a ridiculous comment about it being a “good diet.” A displeased reader on a column I wrote about television not being funny: “What’s not funny is this piece of writing.” But the one that stood out the most was the letter from “Everyone in College Park” telling me that it would be best if my life ended ASAP. There’s some crazy, untrue stuff on the Internet, isn’t there? ... Isn’t there?

Rob Gindes is a junior journalism major. He can be reached at gindesdbk@gmail.com.

POLICY: The signed letters, columns and cartoon represent only the opinions of the authors. The staff editorial represents the opinion of The Diamondback’s editorial board and is the responsibility of the editor in chief.

PAOLO UGOLINI Atheism has become a resurgent vocal alternative to religion. The Barna Group, a faith-based stat-tracker, confirms this overall trend among university students.

I’ve had ties to this campus since 1996, and my personal experience at the university backs up the statistics. Today, I am encountering more students who express atheistic views than I did 10 years ago, when I became a Christian here. So it didn’t surprise me when I walked past Hoff Theater early this semester and saw a poster of Bill Maher burned onto a piece of toast, advertising the film Religulous.

Doubters and skeptics aren’t new to the world nor to the university. But atheists and non-believers are beginning to coalesce into a new evangelistic movement.

Unofficial spokesmen for this brand of “new atheism” are best-selling authors.

Humanist groups in England and the United States made headlines by sponsoring anti-religion displays and advertisements during the holiday season. Some are calling for public interest groups to be formed on behalf of non-believers, and President Obama made history when he mentioned “non-believers” in his inaugural address. Many atheists and agnostics cringe at the notion of being lumped together, but the hallmarks of a fledgling movement are there. And if you’ve seen the last three minutes of Religulous, then you know the movement has a sermon to preach — or, at least, Maher does on its behalf.

My purpose for writing this column, however, is not to make an argument against this movement. Obviously I do not share the same conclusions about God that these folks do, and I intend to spread the faith where they seek to squash it. But my concern for us here at the university is this: How will the believer and the nonbeliever seek to understand each other?

Sadly, as I have engaged the debate between believers and non-believers, I’ve seen an unfortunate “pot-calling-the-kettle-black” dynamic. For every believer who pegs an atheist as a hopelessly heartless manifestation of godlessness, there is an atheist convinced that the believer is a hopelessly irrational sky-fairy worshipper. For every Pat Robertson sound bite warning Pennsylvanians that rejecting intelligent design could trigger an earthquake from God, there is a Richard Dawkins quote comparing believing scientists to Nazi appeasers. Tit for tat. But posturing and ranting do little to advance truth, something both sides claim to seek.

In that case, both sides are right about one thing: It is hopeless. Both sides start to betray the things they claim to stand for.

Christians do their cause little justice when they outright villainize the people who don’t share their faith — it makes it hard to love them. And a common refrain that I hear among atheists is that faith needs to be replaced with rational discourse. But when those same voices resort to condescension and name-calling to make a point, hasn’t “rational discourse” been compromised?

I recently read a book, There is a God: How the World’s Most Notorious Athiest Changed His Mind, about Antony Flew, a life-long atheist philosopher who recently became convinced of the existence of the divine. Decades ago, he was part of the Socratic Club at Oxford University, along with Christian apologist C.S. Lewis. The club featured robust debate and passionate discussion between believers and nonbelievers. As Flew describes, the driving passion behind the get-together was simply to “follow where the argument leads.”

I, for one, like the idea of believers and non-believers engaged in sincere dialogue with a sense of mutual respect. If you like that idea too, then let’s get together — the more the merrier! Shoot me an e-mail.

Count me in for a good talk — it sure beats stone-throwing.

Paolo Ugolini is a university alumnus from the class of 2000 and is working as a minister with the Disciples of Christ campus ministry. He can be reached at paolo_ugolini@hotmail.com.

AIR YOUR VIEWS Address your letters or guest columns to the Opinion Desk at opinion.dbk@gmail.com. All letters and guest columns must be signed. Include your full name, year, major and day- and nighttime phone numbers. Please limit letters to 300 words. Please limit guest columns to 600 words.

Submission of a letter or guest column constitutes an exclusive, worldwide, transferable license to The Diamondback of the copyright in the material in any media. The Diamondback retains the right to edit submissions for content and length.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2009 | THE DIAMONDBACK

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Features HOROSCOPESTELLA WILDER

CROSSWORD 54 Blurred 58 Niacin, e.g.

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62 Ski run 63 Gymnast’s stickum 64 Horses and sheep 67 Sahara mountains 68 Rogue 69 Bunion site 70 Campus figure 71 Jades 72 Ave. crossers

ACROSS 1 Mae West role 4 Grandson of Genghis 9 Shore up 13 Keogh relative 14 “En garde” weapons 15 Freak out (2 wds.)

16 Some house pets 18 Modify 19 Organic compound 20 Able to feel 22 Oater hero 25 Play the trumpet 26 Become acclimated 28 Kind of wreath 32 La —, Bolivia 35 Tall flowers 37 Narrow squeak 38 Rolling — — (rich) 40 Fibbing 42 Mex. miss 43 Whale finder 45 Get underway 47 Mind-reader’s letters 48 Network news VIP 50 Boxes a bit 52 Little rascals

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orn today, you are an open, expressive, humorous and highly evolved individual who likes the best of everything, and who knows how to attract the best that life has to offer directly into your orbit. This doesn’t mean, of course, that everything you do will be a success; you do not have a Midas touch, but you do know how to be ready for the good things when they come along. You cannot turn a defeat into a victory, but you can certainly win even against formidable odds — as long as there are any odds at all in your favor.

B

You balance the best of the intellectual and the artist, trusting both your mental processes and your instincts to see you through.

Sensitive to those around you, you are quick to run to the aid of another even before he or she is aware that help is needed. You enjoy working and playing with others.

Also born on this date are: Gloria Vanderbilt, designer; Sandy Duncan, actress; Patty Hearst, heiress; Cindy Crawford, model and actress; Robert Altman, filmmaker; Sidney Poitier, actor; Ansel Adams, photographer.

To see what is in store for you tomorrow, find your birthday and read the corresponding paragraph. Let your birthday star be your daily guide.

TODAY’S CROSSWORD SPONSORED BY:

guard against jumping into situations that are over your head.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — What are your priorities? The fact is that you’re not making yourself clear when it comes to what you really need and want.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) — You may be asking a little too much in return for what you are offering. Be sure the deal you are asking for is fair to everyone.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Are you really ready and willing to stick to protocol? Or are you going to insist on doing things in your own unusual manner?

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) — Don’t behave in a way that can be misinterpreted as selfish and self-serving. Let your generosity shine instead.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Slow down and listen to what others are saying around you.

It’s time to put in a little extra effort where friends are concerned.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) — You’ll be quick to pick up a new skill, but this doesn’t mean that you’ll be ready to play with the big boys. There’s much to learn.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — You are likely to be influenced greatly by the emotional rhythms underlying almost every situation.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) — You know how to keep the team together. Focus on getting things done according to the rule book, but do allow moments of inspiration.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Don’t put things in terms that you cannot modify or take back.

Don’t say anything without thinking about it first.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — You are expected at this time to live up to certain very high standards. You, too, have standards you want others to live up to as well.

Copyright, 2009 United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

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THE DIAMONDBACK | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2009

Diversions

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE:

Drive-By Truckers

Drive-By Truckers guitarist Mike Cooley extols the virtues of non-stop touring and talks about recording with legend Booker T. Jones. Check out the article online under the Diversions tab at:

WWW.DIAMONDBACKONLINE.COM

arts. music. living. movies. weekend.

FEATURE | THE ALTERNATIVE OSCARS

best picture snubs

Giving credit to the uninvited

THE SEARCHERS (1956) Few American films have inspired future American filmmakers half as much as John Ford’s psychological Western, The Searchers. John Wayne is at his absolute finest as Ethan Edwards, confronting the onscreen cowboy myth he helped create. The film was widely overlooked until its champions (Scorsese, Lucas, Spielberg) sung its praises, but the film was recently named the greatest American Western of all time by AFI.

Diversions celebrates the Academy Awards with 2009’s worst Oscar snubs

BY DAN BENAMOR, THOMAS FLOYD, ZACHARY HERRMANN, TRIPP LAINO AND VAMAN MUPPALA Senior staff writers

VERTIGO (1958) Alfred Hitchcock’s swirling tale of romantic obsession was heralded by the soon-to-be French New Wave directors as an absolute masterpiece and jumped to No. 9 on the American Film Institute’s most recent Top 100 American movies list. But at the time of its release, Vertigo received just an insulting two Oscar nominations — one for art direction and another for sound.

BLADE RUNNER (1982) Despite all the recent attention it has received through theatrical and home video re-releases, Blade Runner was a complete flop back in the ’80s. It was outperformed at the box office by the likes of The Thing, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, but since then has enjoyed critical and popular attention as a visionary piece cinema regardless of its sci-fi genre. The film lost to E.T. in the visual effects category at the Oscars.

Oscar has an attitude problem, and it’s worse than ever.

Most beloved blockbusters this side of The Lord of the Rings and Titanic don’t receive as much as a nod or a wave from the prestigious awards ceremony. Foreign and animated films are grouped into their own, less celebrated categories, as if the work those filmmakers put in is clearly of little importance. An actor can deliver a tour de force performance, but if the voters don’t enjoy the film’s style, they will unfairly punish the cast when filling out their ballots.

Whether it’s the pretentious criteria, indecipherable voting process or general disconnect with the average moviegoer, the Oscars are about as flawed an event as can be.

In fact, Gus Van Sant’s Milk is the only Best Picture nominee that can say it truly deserves the honor in a category plagued by the usual overblown period dramas. So before you go investing yourself in Sunday night’s show, check out Diversions’ picks for the films that were unjustly robbed of their rightful shots at Oscar gold.

THE WRESTLER Darren Aronofsky’s moving character study may feature Mickey Rourke’s universally lauded performance as that broken down piece of meat, Randy “The Ram” Robinson, but this poignant effort

Classified CALL

has been regrettably overlooked in the Best Picture and Best Director categories. A touching portrait of a man fighting to find his place in a world he simply doesn’t understand, The Wrestler was too raw to be a serious candidate for the big prize and its pompously glitzy standards.

Renowned for creating elaborately crafted head-trippers Requiem for a Dream and The Fountain, Aronofsky tackles the not-soglamorous underbelly of professional wrestling with gritty authority. Despite straying from his previous idiosyncratic style of quick cuts and striking visual stimulation, the 40-year-old still captures some of 2008’s most memorable screen images while telling The Ram’s tragic story.

And of course, we can’t forget the mind-blowing injustice that was Bruce Springsteen’s Oscar snub. As the fitting lyrics from The Boss’s original tune play over the end credits, the already staggering emotions of the film’s heartwrenching finale become all the more powerful. When the Academy deprives itself of a free Springsteen performance by cutting the number of nominated songs from five to three, who, exactly, is winning? — T.F.

THE DARK KNIGHT In all fairness to the Academy, it did award The Dark Knight eight nominations, no small feat for a superhero flick. And all signs point to Heath Ledger coming away with

The Dark Knight suffered from Oscar superhero prejudice. COURTESY OF MOVIEWEB

a posthumous win for his iconic portrayal of The Joker. But the Caped Crusader deserved better — namely, recognition in the Best Picture and Directing categories.

More so than any of the nominees in both of these categories — maybe more so than any mainstream film released in 2008 — The Dark Knight was willing to challenge its audience. Just as The Joker taunts Batman to prove him wrong, Christopher Nolan and his brother Jonathan give a slightly overblown view of a society almost entirely consumed by its fear and paranoia, and then they dare us not to recognize Gotham as an American reality.

With composure unmatched by any other major director this year, Nolan turned a summer blockbuster into a psychological play-

ground where the performances overshadowed the explosions. For all the attention paid to Ledger’s show-stopping turn, not nearly enough has been said of Nolan’s visual finesse.

And while Nolan doesn’t need an Oscar nomination to legitimize his success, it would have been an appropriate gesture. — Z.H. diversionsdbk@gmail.com

For the full Oscar snubs article — including looks at Gran Torino, Let the Right One In and Synecdoche, New York — check out the Diversions tab online at:

WWW.DIAMONDBACKONLINE.COM

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2009 | SPORTS | THE DIAMONDBACK

7

Kizer roars, Terps roll

Terp attack made its name against G’town Group now more experienced and dangerous

BY MICHAEL KATZ

Freshman center puts up her best game in ACC play in road win at Georgia Tech “Lynetta definitely brings a lot of energy to the team,” said Coleman, who was a ATLANTA – There weren’t perfect 11 of 11 from the a lot of people in Georgia free throw line. “Just the Tech’s Alexander Memorial emotion she has, we defiColiseum to watch the No. 9 nitely fed off it tonight, Terrapin women’s basket- especially in times of the ball team play the Yellow game when things weren’t Jackets last night. But even going right.”

A quick 12-0 if the building had Georgia Tech run been filled to with less than capacity, it’s a good seven minutes bet fans still WOMEN’S remaining threatwould’ve heard BASKETBALL ened a once-23Terp center No. 9 TERPS . . . . . . . . 87 point Terp lead, but Lynetta Kizer.

The freshman Georgia Tech . . . . . . . 79 after a Strickland 3pointer with four gave a commandminutes left, the ing performance in last night’s 87-79 Terp vic- Terps (22-4, 9-2 ACC) were tory, screaming loudly and able to score enough down enthusiastically after key the stretch to pull out the plays on her way to a career- eight-point win.

Kizer looked as comforthigh 22 points, along with 10 rebounds, five steals, three able in the low post as she has all season. On one play blocks and two assists.

“One thing I say about in the first half, she myself is just having my smoothly backed down her teammates feed off of me,” defender and pump-faked Kizer said. “If I can bring toward the middle of the anything to the team, I can lane before spinning back to bring energy, and that’s her left for a nifty layup.

In the second half, she what I like to do.”

While senior Marissa Cole- backed down again, this time man led the team with 23 finding a cutting Coleman points, last night’s win with an accurate bounce marked the first time in the pass for an easy layup.

“She just gave us a team’s current six-game winning streak that two Terps tremendous post presence,” other than Coleman and coach Brenda Frese said. guard Kristi Toliver took on “You could just tell she was ready from the tip. She was such a heavy scoring load.

Guard Marah Strickland, active. She was aggressive.”

The Woodbridge, Va., starting for the secondstraight game in place of native McDonald’s High Sa’de Wiley-Gatewood, who School All-American scored did not travel with the team the Terps’ first eight points, because of an illness, hit setting the tone for her first four three-pointers and dominant performance in ACC play. scored 15 total points.

Tied at 22 with 10:31 left But the story of the game in the first half, the Terps was Kizer’s emergence.

Staff writer

BY AARON KRAUT Senior staff writer

Freshman center Lynetta Kizer celebrates a night in which she had 22 points, 10 rebounds and five steals. ADAM FRIED/THE DIAMONDBACK

went on a 13-1 run lasting roughly five minutes to wrestle away control of the game from the Yellow Jackets (18-8, 5-6).

Toliver, who finished with 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting, found Kizer running down the floor for easy transition lay-ups. Kizer even asserted herself on the defensive end.

With just less than eight minutes remaining in the half, Kizer deflected an entry pass into the post and quickly recovered the loose ball before being fouled, tilting her head back and letting out another scream of joy.”

I definitely did feel comfortable, and I know my guards feel comfortable giving me the ball in the post, as well,” Kizer said. “The game’s definitely slowing down, and I’m just getting more confidence as each game goes along.”

Coleman and Toliver combined to score 17 points in the half but often deferred to Kizer, who outran her defender down the

court on several occasions and beat out Georgia Tech rebounders for offensive boards and put back baskets, shooting 7-of-8 from the field.

“As a guard, she’s definitely a post player who you can find in transition,” Coleman said. “She’ll go one-two to the basket, and she’ll be able to finish it.”

Despite turning the ball over 19 times, the Terps were able to handle Georgia Tech’s full-court press, which the Yellow Jackets ran for the majority of last night’s game. The Terps shot nearly 53 percent from the field.

And while only 1,361 spectators were there to witness it, much fewer than the number expected for the Terps’ showdown with No. 7 Duke on Sunday at Comcast Center, Kizer made a lot of noise and a big statement with her performance.

“This is what we need from our big girl,” Frese said. “This kind of energy.” akrautdbk@gmail.com

SENIOR GRADUATION PORTRAITS

T

he 2009 TERRAPIN YEARBOOK, in association with Carl Wolf Studios, will be taking graduation portraits the week of February 23-27, 2009. Although it is TOO LATE for these pictures to be included in the 2009 TERRAPIN, many of you called to request this portrait session.

There is absolutely NO cost or obligation on your part. Several poses will be taken, both with and without cap and gown, if you prefer. You will then have an opportunity to purchase portraits at a reasonable charge.

You may make an appointment by calling 1-800-687-9327, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. until Friday, February 20th, or schedule your appointment on the net! Visit our site at www.ouryear.com using Maryland’s school code: 87101.

Beginning Monday, Feb. 23rd, appointments can be made by calling the Terrapin office at (301) 314-8349 between 11 a.m.–7 p.m.

DATES: February 23-27, 2009 • One Week Only!!

TIME: 11am-7pm PLACE: 3101 South Campus Dining Hall (TERRAPIN YEARBOOK Office) PHONE: 1-800-687-9327 or www.ouryear.com School code: 87101

Last season, the Terrapin men’s lacrosse team trotted out three freshmen at the head of their offense in the season opener against Georgetown, the first all-freshman starting attack in coach Dave Cottle’s tenure.

If it was hard to believe Cottle made the decision on the bus ride to Washington, it was even harder to believe what happened next.

The greenhorns — Grant Catalino, Travis Reed and Ryan Young — combined for eight goals in the Terps’ 11-6 upset of then-No. 4 Georgetown. One year later, the attack leads the No. 3 Terps (2-0) into this annual early-season measuring stick matchup against the No. 8 Hoyas on Saturday at 1 p.m.

“Before the game [last year] I know that I was very nervous, especially having to go out there with [Catalino] and [Reed], who had no experience, as well,” Young said. “This year, I feel like, when we go out there, we’re gonna have a lot more confidence and a better feel for the game.”

The self-assurance is justified, as the Terp attack now ranks among the finest in the nation. Not only are last year’s starters a year older, but the unit also gets a boost from the transfer of Will Yeatman. The junior, who had 21 goals and 25 assists for Notre Dame in 2007, already leads the team with 10 points after two games.

But what makes these Terps different from other prolific units across the country is, well, pretty much everything.

The addition of Yeatman gives the Terps four players who have started almost every game of their careers.

And, as Cottle pointed out, the Terps present defenders with two “abnormally big” attackmen with Yeatman and Catalino, who weigh in at a combined 500 pounds.

“The depth of the unit is what’s different,” Cottle began. “And then the size is different, and then how those three pieces — or four pieces — they kind of blend together, so that’s the unique part about the attack.”

If that’s what makes the Terps a rare unit, it’s the distinctiveness of the players that makes them successful.

No two players seem to overlap, each excelling in a different area without infringing on the others. The

Terps vs. Georgetown Where: Ludwig Field When: Tomorrow, 1 p.m.

TV/Radio: WMUCsports.com harmony is not lost on the players.

“The way we all play complements each other,” Catalino said, “Travis is shooting, Ryan is dodging, and me and [Yeatman] kind of do a little bit of everything.”

A year after debuting against the Hoyas, the attack will now have the pleasure of facing Georgetown goalie Jack Davis, who is making his first career start.

The Terps will look to jump on him early. Cottle warned that “if you get a guy starting his first game and he stones you early, he’s gonna be a bear.”

With little to scout, the Terps will shoot within their comfort zone early rather than look to exploit a specific weakness.

“A very important thing for us to do is to take good shots early, not take bad shots that he can save and get confidence off of,” Reed said. “It’s nice [facing an unknown goalie] because when you have a shot, you tend not to overthink it — you just kind of shoot it naturally — and sometimes that’s the best way to go.”

Unlike last year, the Terps are the favorite heading into their first real test of the season, and the development of the attack is a big reason for that.

On Saturday, the Terps will need another big day from their top scoring threat. The difference is that this year they expect to get it.

“Those three sophomores, they played great that day,” Cottle said.

“If we could get that same effort out of those guys, I think it will speak well for us.”

TERP NOTE: The Terps will face former teammate and attackman Brett Weiss, who transferred to Georgetown this past summer. mkatzdbk@gmail.com

Terps start season short-staffed Baseball team’s already-lacking pitching has taken its lumps

BY MICHAEL LEMAIRE Staff writer

The numbers don’t lie: 76.1 innings pitched, 7.78 earned run average. Not exactly inspiring numbers for three opening weekend starters.

Terrapin baseball coach Terry Rupp and pitching coach Jim Farr were already concerned about the lack of experience on their pitching staff heading into their opening series this weekend against North Carolina-Wilmington. Then, in the past month, they have lost set-up man Matt Quinn to an elbow injury and suspended staff ace Scott Swinson for breaking an unspecified team rule.

Swinson just recently returned to the team but will only be available out of the bullpen, and Quinn isn’t expected back until the Georgia Tech series in early March. Rupp acknowledged how important Swinson, who finished 2008 with a 4.96 ERA in 85.1 innings, is to the rotation.

“Before [Swinson’s] situation came up, we knew he was going to be one of our anchors, he was the only weekend guy who had solidified his role,” Rupp said.

“Now we just have to slide another guy in, and it’s a good opportunity for someone to step in and win a job because those jobs are up for grabs.”

But the team is thin on experienced starting pitching, and the staff was forced to scramble to fill the sizable hole left by Swinson. The result is that Ian Schwalenberg will be “sliding in.” Schwalenberg is the most experienced pitcher starting this weekend, having pitched 37 innings last season. But he had his fair share of struggles, accumulating an 8.27 ERA and allowing opponents to hit .333.

Farr explained Schwalenberg earned the opportunity with his recent work in intrasquad scrimmages. “[Schwalenberg] has pitched extremely well these last two times out,” Farr said. “He threw six innings last Saturday and a total of about 58 pitches, so I think he deserves that spot right now until we get Swinson back in the mix.”

The other two starters will be Brett Harman, who will start

Terp pitching coach Jim Farr (left) has a very inexperienced staff this season. MATTHEW CREGER/THE DIAMONDBACK

the opener on Friday, and lefthander Eric Potter, who will provide a change of pace sandwiched between the two righthanders. Both sophomores, Harman and Potter showed glimpses of their potential last season in limited roles.

Harman struck out 15 hitters in just 16 innings, and Potter struck out 12 hitters in just six innings against Maryland Eastern-Shore.

But they also went through growing pains. In addition to his impressive strikeout numbers in limited innings, Harman walked 11 batters on his way to a 6.19 ERA. Potter also struggled with his control, walking 23 batters in 23.1 innings, and finished the season with a 8.87 ERA. “With the exception of Swinson, we have a lot of unproven arms; there is a lot of potential, but a lot of unproven guys,” Farr said. “Some guys got their feet wet last year, but they just haven’t pitched a lot at this level yet.”

The team will also be without the services of Quinn, who hyperextended his elbow in the fall. As a freshman, Quinn was one of the team’s most reliable relievers last year. He notched four wins and four saves with a 3.93 ERA. Although the team doesn’t expect him to be out long-term, Rupp is erring on the side of caution.

“He has been throwing some and we don’t expect it to be a long-term injury,” Rupp said.

“But we want to be real careful with it, especially early with

Terps vs. UNC-Wilmington Where: Wilmington, N.C. When: Today, 3:45 p.m.

Radio: WMUCsports.com weather concerns — we want to put him in the right situation, and we don’t want to have him re-injured.”

Without Quinn anchoring the bullpen, the team will use a veritable hodgepodge of relievers this weekend to try and bridge the gap between the starters and closer Dan Gentzler. Farr will use situational matchups to determine who he will send to the mound in different situations.

When the team struggled late in games last season, it was partially because they were unable to find a mix of consistent relievers to count on to hold leads. For a team that must get a fast start to the season, Rupp knows his inexperienced staff must grow up in a hurry.

“Obviously we have to pitch,” the ninth-year coach said. “If we are able to pitch like we are capable of, I am confident we are going to swing the bats. It’s important to what we need to do when we get down there.” lemairedbk@gmail.com

8

THE DIAMONDBACK | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2009

It’s on the inter-webs!

Sports

TERPGAMEDAY

THE MATCHUP

Maryland Terrapins

North Carolina Tar Heels

16-9, 5-6 ACC

24-2, 10-2 ACC

RPI: 61, SOS: 49

RPI: 4, SOS: 20

WHEN: Tomorrow, 3:30 p.m.

WHERE: Comcast Center TV: ABC DATA: Terps and North Carolina close out season series after 108-91 Tar Heel win on Feb. 3. For the Terps, the game represents one of three remaining difficult home games, along with Duke and Wake Forest.

TERPTRACKER TEAM STATS TERPS

UNC

71.8 41.7 31.1 77.3 38.0 14.9 12.9

91.7 48.9 38.8 75.9 42.3 19.3 13.3

Average PPG Field Goal % 3-Point % Free Throw % Rebounds/G Assists/G Turnovers/G

INDIVIDUAL STATS TERPS POS

MIN PTS REB AST

G G G F F

25.2 33.9 19.6 28.6 22.1

A. Bowie G. Vasquez S. Mosley L. Milbourne D. Neal

9.8 16.0 5.4 13.0 7.8

3.4 2.8 5.3 4.4 3.6 1.4 5.5 0.7 4.2 0.9

TAR HEELS POS

MIN PTS REB AST

G G F F F

28.7 28.8 26.3 25.8 29.5

T. Lawson W. Ellington D. Green D. Thompson T. Hansbrough

15.9 15.1 13.6 11.2 21.4

2.6 6.5 4.8 2.7 4.5 3.0 6.3 0.7 7.5 1.0

Live

FROM TERRAPINTRAIL.COM

By Greg Schimmel

G

ary Williams seemed irrationally optimistic in Mark Selig’s story Thursday about the Terrapin men’s basketball team’s situation for the rest of the season.

Here’s an excerpt: “We’re 5-6, we have five left, everything’s still there for us,” Williams said in his opening statement after Tuesday’s loss. “We play enough good teams coming up that, if we can win some games in the stretch, it can put us in good shape. That’s what we’re going to talk about, and go from there.”

But what Gary seems to fail to consider is the Terps most likely aren’t going to be able to beat those “good teams coming up.”

North Carolina, the Terps’ next opponent Saturday, is arguably the best team in the country, and nothing in the 108-91 loss against the Tar Heels a few weeks ago made me feel like an upset is even remotely possible.

–Read the full post at TerrapinTrail.com

SERIES RECORDS ALL-TIME SERIES LAST MEETING

Check out The Diamondback’s previews for the weekend’s women’s lacrosse, wrestling, tennis and gymnastics action at www.diamondbackonline.com.

Read more men’s basketball, lacrosse and football coverage and ACC swimming updates at TerrapinTrail.com.

Tar Heels lead 113-55 Feb. 3, 2009

Terrapins vs. No. 3 North Carolina

WEAPON OF CHOICE Terps must face Tar Heels’ many scoring options

BY MARK SELIG Senior staff writer

After the Terrapin men’s basketball team gave up 59 second-half points Tuesday night, a reporter asked coach Gary Williams about his team’s defense.

“Pick your poison,” Williams responded, referring to the opponents’ offense. “They have a good combination. They have good 3-point shooters, and they have good inside scorers, so it’s tough to defend.”

And he was only talking about the inside-out tandem of No. 13 Clemson.

Saturday against No. 3 North Carolina, the Terps will have to decide which toxic force to focus on from the following choices: 1.) Tyler Hansbrough, the incumbent national player of the year.

2.) Ty Lawson, one of the nation’s most efficient point guards.

3.) Wayne Ellington, who burned the Terps with 34 points earlier this month.

4.) Danny Green, a do-it-all small forward capable of being a go-to guy.

5.) Deon Thompson, a fifth doublefigure scorer in the starting lineup.

Pick your poison.

When the Terps visited the Tar Heels on Feb. 3, Williams directed his defense’s attention to Hansbrough, who Terrapin forward Dave Neal understandably needed some assistance in guarding.

Tar Heel perimeter players Lawson, Ellington and Green quickly and frequently hammered the Terps for making that choice. The trio combined for 15 3-pointers on 20 attempts. Even Hansbrough got in on the action, hitting his fifth 3-pointer of the season in the second half.

“We couldn’t stop them from the 3point line,” guard Greivis Vasquez said that night. “I thought Ellington, [Lawson] and Green played a great game from the 3-point line. It was going to be hard for us to beat them the way they shot the ball.”

Williams and the players admitted the Terps weren’t aggressive enough defensively that night, allowing the Tar Heels to get more open looks than they should have garnered.

Some of the Terps’ woes that night have to be attributed to bad luck. Even if a player is alone in a gym, seldom will he make 3-pointers with the regularity that the Tar Heels made them.

“It feels like teams get hot against us,” Neal said. “We played Duke; [Clemson] hit some big shots; North Carolina hit a ton. I guess with us, we can’t make excuses anymore. We’ve gotta take them off their shot at the 3point line.”

The Terps have the worst 3-point field goal defense in the conference, opponents making 35.6 percent of

Forward Landon Milbourne and the Terps have the difficulty of matching up against a North Carolina team ranked third in the country thanks largely to its diverse offensive options. ADAM FRIED/THE DIAMONDBACK

their shots beyond the arc. In the past five games, the Terps have surrendered 53 long balls. Making matters worse, North Carolina has the best 3point field-goal percentage in the conference.

“We know we have Carolina coming in — the way they shot the three against us last game, we’ve got to really defend the three this time,” Neal said. “We’ve got to make them penetrate, help on the drive and take away our post game too.”

That all sounds easier than it will

be to apply. Trying to stop Hansbrough one-on-one throughout the game isn’t viable, given the Terps’ lack of interior size. And the Terps learned last time that doubling him can open up a host of other options.

Against Clemson, Williams summoned 6-foot-9 forward Jerome Burney for the first time since December. He might see minutes again, given the Terps’ need for bulk against a bigger squad like North Carolina.

Williams spoke about employing a

larger rotation against Clemson because the Tigers play so fast. He may have to do the same against the up-tempo Tar Heels as well.

Either way, he’ll need to find a new method in stopping the Tar Heels, who scored 108 points against the Terps in their last meeting.

That, or hope that North Carolina shoots a bit colder from outside this time around.

Pick your poison. mseligdbk@gmail.com

RECENT MEETINGS 2009-(A)- L, Terps 91, North Carolina 108 2008-(A)- W, Terps 82, North Carolina 80 2007-(H)- W, Terps 89, North Carolina 87 2006-(A)- L, Terps 57, North Carolina 81

TERPS’ LAST 3 2/17 @ Clemson L 93-64 2/14 vs. Virginia Tech W 83-73 2/8 @ Georgia Tech W 57-56

TAR HEELS’ LAST 3 2/18 vs. N.C. State W 89-80 2/15 @ Miami W 69-65 2/11 @ Duke W 101-87

3-POINTERS

1 2 3

KEEP THE PACE The Tar Heels will run. A lot. But in the first meeting, when the Terps ran too, North Carolina had difficulties defending in transition.

When games slow down, the Tar Heels’ quick players succeed in defending against a halfcourt set. Though it’s a risk to try to run with the Tar Heels, as they can put the game away early if the pace is swift, being too deliberate won’t benefit the Terps.

WAYNE’S WORLD Wayne Ellington is a very good shooter. Against the Terps early this month, he looked like an all-time great.

In a 34-point, nine rebound effort, Ellington shot 12-for-15 from the field including 7-of-9 beyond the arc.

Extending to the perimeter and getting a hand in Ellington’s face is a must for the Terps defense this time around. Last game, Terp coach Gary Williams said his team struggled flying at shooters.

PLAY WITH URGENCY It’s not a must-win game for the Terps, but a victory will do a lot to keep them in legitimate NCAA Tournament contnetion.

Tomorrow’s game is the first of three remaining home games against top 10 teams. The Terps probably need to win one of them, and what a great confidence builder this would be for the rest of the way, The Terps scored an improbable upset against then-No.1 North Carolina last season. Who’s to say they can’t do it again?

ONE-ON-ONE TERP COACH GARY WILLIAMS VS. TAR HEEL COACH ROY WILLIAMS Gary and Roy rank second and third, in either order, in terms of “Most Accomplished ACC Coach.” And while both fall short of what Mike Krzyzewski has done at Duke, these are two masters of their craft, each with a National Championship in hand.

In a coaching matchup like this, fans can expect each to come out thoroughly prepared. Gary and Roy know each other well enough to game plan at a level of expertise the equivalent of a chess match.

Since Roy rejoined the Tar Heels in 2003, he has a 63 record against Gary and the Terps. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he has the 20th-year Terp coach’s number.

In Chapel Hill, N.C., earlier this season, both coaches were equally frustrated with their teams’ defensive performances. While the Tar Heels won 108-91, the significantly less talented Terps managed to score with ease against the Tar Heels’ often-criticized defense.

In addition, in the previous two meetings between the two teams, Gary has outcoached Roy and led the less talented Terps to shocking victories.