030310

BIG STAKES

SING SONGZ

No. 5 Duke comes to town to face red-hot Terps

Trey Songz talks about opening for Jay-Z DIVERSIONS | PAGE 6

SPORTS | PAGE 8

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Activist coalition sees loss of momentum

THE DIAMONDBACK Our 100TH Year, No. 96

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER

THEN AND NOW GREIVIS VASQUEZ

THE GENERAL Vasquez has evolved both on and off the court since arriving in the U.S.

S.T.A.R.E.’s goals largely left unachieved

BY ERIC DETWEILER Senior staff writer

At a McDonald’s along Rockville Pike, not far from Montrose Christian School, David Adkins quickly decided he was going to like working with Greivis Vasquez.

After picking up Vasquez at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on a late summer afternoon in 2004, Adkins, then a Mustang basketball assistant, and his newest player made a fastfood stop.

Within minutes, Vasquez, who at the time had a limited command of the English language, formulated a question that has defined his American experience. The skinny guard, fresh off a plane from Venezuela, about to embark on his high school basketball career in a new country, asked: “When do we train?”

Looking back, the scene seems ripped from the beginning of a feel-good Hollywood movie. But nearly six years later, it’s clear that work ethic has guided Vasquez, now a 6-foot-6-inch, 23-year-old Terrapin men’s basketball senior. Through a sometimes tumultuous American education — on and off the court — the star has persevered toward his goal of an NBA career.

Tonight, Vasquez takes to the Comcast Center court for the final time as a Terp against No. 4 Duke, giving fans a final closeup at the first ACC player to amass more than 2,000 points, 700 assists and 600 rebounds in his career.

From brash youngster to confident leader,

BY ADELE HAMPTON Staff writer

After a semester of momentum, campus activism has come to a standstill.

In the fall, students boldly took over the steps of the Administration Building and, with bullhorns and chants, issued a list of demands: the reinstatement of Associate Provost for Equity and Diversity Cordell Black, additional transparency from the administration and a true emphasis on campus diversity. The group called itself S.T.A.R.E, Students Taking Action to Reclaim our Education, and consisted of an array of the university’s cultural and advocacy student groups. Their Facebook group grew to nearly 1,000 members.

But today, the megaphones are silent, Black hasn’t been reinstated and the group has yet to hold a meeting. While the group’s leaders said they’re reorganizing, much of the ambition S.T.A.R.E. started with in November seems to have disappeared.

“All of us are getting back in the loop,” Community Roots Co-President and S.T.A.R.E. organizer Kelechi Agbakwuru said. “In a lot of ways it hindered us to be together on everything. When it came to implementation, things got more difficult.

see VASQUEZ, page 7

see S.T.A.R.E., page 2

Fire, power outage hit Courtyards Students alarmed but unhurt by small electrical blaze

BY ADELE HAMPTON Staff writer

College Park Mayor Andrew Fellows presides over a city council worksession last night, after a public hearing on College Park’s strategic plan. CHARLIE DEBOYACE/THE DIAMONDBACK

Residents: City strategic plan is vague, lacks university focus

BY NICK RHODES Staff writer

Residents questioned the College Park City Council’s strategic plan last night for lacking specifics and not placing enough emphasis on building relationships with the university.

The plan, which has been in development since August, aims to set guidelines and goals for the council to follow over the next five years. It is expected to be finalized in April.

While a poll of city residents showed building a stronger relationship with the university was a low priority for most, the residents who spoke last night emphasized what the university could do for College Park.

Fourteen-year resident Phil Sawicki said he hopes to spend

TOMORROW’S WEATHER:

the rest of his life in College Park and expressed some criticism of the plan.

“I hesitate to say this because I know a lot of well-meaning people put a lot of effort in this plan, but when I read it, I was disappointed,” he said.

Sawicki explained he saw a lot of what in the plan but little ‘how.’ He also had hoped the plan had more of a connection with the school it shares its town with.

“What do you do with the 300 pound gorilla in the road, namely the University of Maryland?” he asked. “The city has problems when it comes to the university.”

Mayor Andy Fellows said the vagueness of the strategic plan was intentional.

“The intent of the strategic plan

see PLAN, page 3 Cloudy/40s

A power line pole outside the entrance to University Courtyards caught fire at about 9:45 p.m. last night, knocking out students’ power in the apartment complex and blackening street lights along Rt. 193.

Courtyards residents were left without power for about 45 minutes as Pepco electricians cut the power source and fire fighters tended to the flames.

About 20 minutes after the fire was put out, power was restored to the area.

“There was power fluctuation in the area before we got a 911 call that a transformer blew on University Boulevard and Boteler Lane,” Prince George’s County Fire Department spokesman Mark Brady said. “The

Fire trucks respond to small fire outside University Courtyards late last night. JACLYN BOROWSKI/THE DIAMONDBACK

transformer was on fire. … Pepco was called, and they came to the scene to wait until the fire burned out.”

Students stood in the rain and watched as the fire, which consumed about 3 feet of the wooden pole, burned the top of the power line beam.

Firefighters hosed the flame from the median in the middle of Rt. 193.

“We were sitting in our apartment, and all of a sudden, it was like a lightning strike and the world was ending,”

see FIRE, page 2

Students fight for representation in grade disputes Senate committee recommends denying undergraduates’ seat

BY MELISSA QUIJADA Staff writer

After University Senate officials threatened to remove undergraduate representatives from senate committees that deal with and review issues revolving around unfair grading practices, student leaders are rallying to preserve the seat.

INDEX

NEWS . . . . . . . . . .2 OPINION . . . . . . . .4

The senate, which has been considering changes to the university’s procedures for the review of alleged arbitrar y and capricious grading for multiple semesters, will vote on the proposed amendments to the review policy in its first meeting of the semester today.

According to the proposal issued by the senate’s Academic Proce-

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

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

dures and Standards Committee, which was charged with amending the policy in line with university regulations, undergraduates should not be allowed to hold positions on committees that determine whether a grade was given arbitrarily or capriciously because these same

see SENATE, page 3

www.diamondbackonline.com

2

THE DIAMONDBACK | NEWS | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 2010

www.diamondbackonline.com

S.T.A.R.E.

ONLINE

from page 1

TODAY

The issues haven’t gone away. ... We’re definitely coming back to it. But we’re going to work separately until something big happens.”

Although S.T.A.R.E. set farreaching goals toward administration reform and called for phone bombing (repeatedly calling and leaving messages) campus administrators and sit-ins on the steps of the Administration Building to voice their discontent and draw change, little action came of their demonstrations and inspirational talk.

While Provost Nariman Farvardin has released more budgetary documents to the public and opened the doors to additional student participation in administrative decisions, the steps are a far cry from what S.T.A.R.E. demanded — a release of all university documents dealing with the budget or diversity and a halt to all department reorganizations and faculty layoffs. And Black is still scheduled to leave the administration on June 30.

Because of the snow and missed classes, coordinating students and events has been difficult, said S.T.A.R.E. organizers. Instead, the student leaders of campus groups like the Black Student Union, Community Roots, the Student Government Association and the Latino Student Union, who were united under S.T.A.R.E., have returned to their individual organizations.

The focus for these groups has

PROVERBS OR PLAYBOY? The way members of the Atheist Agenda at the University of Texas-San Antonio see it, UTSA students have more use for Penthouse or Playboy than the Quran or the Bible.

The student atheists kicked off their highly publicized annual “Smut for Smut” campaign on Monday, manning a booth in the middle of a crowded campus plaza where passersby can trade in religious texts for pornography.

In past years, the controversial publicity stunt has garnered new members and a ton of press, including a chance for an Atheist Agenda president to debate Tucker Carlson on MSNBC in 2005.

This year, hundreds of protesters circled the booth, singing hymns and holding signs that read “Jesus Saves” and “Jesus Loves the Atheist Agenda.” The student atheists held their ground on the stairs of a campus building, proclaiming their belief that texts such as the Bible promote misogyny, intolerance, violence and genocide. Meanwhile, agnostics sat in the middle, attempting to keep the peace between the two sides.

And now for a breakdown of the factions. From the San Antonio Express-News: “It’s a First Amendment right,” said Bradley Lewis, 18-year-old freshman from Pearland who said he plans to join the Atheist Agenda. “If religious groups can put out missionaries and go knock on my door and wake me up at 7 a.m. on a Saturday morning, I can put a table outside of the college.”

Robin Lorkovic, an 18-year-old freshman from Houston, disagreed. Lorkovic stood near the “Smut for Smut” table holding a cardboard sign that said “God Loves You! Keep your Bible and learn from it!”

“I don’t really feel like that is appropriate at all,” Lorkovic said.

“I am a Christian, I believe in God’s love and I am here to stand my ground and stand up for what I believe in.”

Let’s hear from the agnostics, quoted in the UTSA student newspaper The Paisano: “Well, we don’t really believe in either side. We believe both foster hate,” UTSA junior Victoria Arzu said. “They know they’re doing it for show, and they know that either party could be mistaken in their beliefs. We choose an agnostic position because it’s the smartest thing to do.”

Later in the afternoon, Atheist Agenda president Carlos Morales debated one of the Christian protesters in a civil fashion before the crowd. And that’s really what the event is all about, those involved say.

“This is ultimately why this is going on,” Lewis said. “It’s an icebreaker to get people talking about these things.”

For more posts like this one, check out the Diamondback newsroom’s blog, Campus Drive, at blogs.umdbk.com/campusdrive, updated daily.

FRIEND US! Become a fan of the Diamondback on Facebook and get the latest news from your campus and your community in your feed.

Add us by clicking on www.facebook.com/pages/TheDiamondback/

SUMMER IN MAINE Males and females.

Meet new friends! Travel!

Teach your favorite activity.

Tennis Swim Canoe Sail Waterski Kayak Gymnastics Archery Silver Jewelry Rocks English Riding Ropes Copper Enameling Art Basketball Pottery Field Hockey Office Softball Photo Newsletter Soccer Lacrosse Dance Theater Costumer June to August. Residential.

Enjoy our website.

Apply online.

TRIPP LAKE CAMP FOR GIRLS 1-800-997-4347 www.tripplakecamp.com

S.T.A.R.E. led a rally and 600-student march to the administration building to protest the removal of Associate Provost for Equity and Diversity Cordell Black from his position last semester. FILE PHOTO/THE DIAMONDBACK

shifted from “Bring Back Black” and “This is what diversity looks like” to Haitian and Chilean relief efforts, recruiting more minority students and lobbying in Annapolis.

“S.T.A.R.E. definitely does still exist in some fashion,” Black Student Union President and S.T.A.R.E. organizer Amber Simmons said. “But right now we’re

more focused on what we can do individually. Obviously, we can’t keep doing this forever. We need to get more students to pass the torch. We need more black students at this university.”

The group is helping to organize this campus’ March 4 National Day of Action. Tomorrow, students at universities across the country plan to walk

out of classes to defend public education and combat what they say are unfair administrative and budget decisions. Here, students plan on rallying against tuition hikes, faculty layoffs and mergers at the Art-Sociology Building. But so far, Thursday’s walkout appears to be an isolated event as S.T.A.R.E. latches on to a national movement.

“S.T.A.R.E. is planning a walkout at noon,” Community Roots Co-President and S.T.A.R.E. organizer Jazz Lewis said.

“We’re all planning to walk out in solidarity with other schools around the country. [S.T.A.R.E.] intends to get back together.

We’ll be back. It’ll happen.” hampton@umdbk.com

STUDENT MEMBER

!

D E D N E T X E E DEADLIN WANTED FOR STUDENT PUBLICATIONS' BOARD

The electricity at Courtyards went out for 45 minutes last night as firefighters extinguished a small blaze on a powerline pole.

JACLYN BOROWSKI/THE DIAMONDBACK

FIRE from page 1 senior economics major Dan Mayer said. “The power flickered like three times and then there was no power.”

Although the fire was confined to the top of the pole and was considered low-risk according to Corrigan, students standing outside said fire trucks were slow to respond, taking about 30 minutes to arrive at the scene.

But for most students, the short flare-up was nothing more than an inconvenience.

“I was using my computer and watching Lost, and the lights flickered and there was

a boom,” senior psychology major Brittnie Batter said.

“And then the lights went off.

I’m not nearly as freaked out because it was an electrical fire. It really didn’t impact my life other than missing the last 15 minutes of Lost.”

Only one fire truck was dispatched to Courtyards, and no one was hurt, College Park Volunteer Fire Department Chief Bill Corrigan said.

“The power’ll be back in 30 minutes,” Pepco worker Ricky Dawson said looking up at the blaze shrugging his shoulders.

“It’s all just a part of trouble.”

Staff writer Darren Botelho contributed to this report. hampton@umdbk.com

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, 2010.

The Board meets about once a month during the school year.

For an application, stop by room 3136 South Campus Dining Hall and ask for Maggie Levy.

Applications are due by Thursday, March 4th at noon.

3

THE DIAMONDBACK | NEWS | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 2010

Student abroad in Chile OK after quake

BY ANNA ISAACS Staff writer

The 8.8-magnitude earthquake that ravaged central Chile early Saturday left 2 million displaced, killed at least 795 people and caused tsunami waves that may have dragged hundreds more out to sea.

But while coastal towns bore the brunt of the one of the strongest quakes ever recorded, areas farther from the epicenter didn’t feel a thing, according to junior engineering major David Gleason, who is the only university student studying abroad in a university program at Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile in Santiago.

“I was backpacking in southern Patagonia, in Torres del Paine National Park, when the quake struck,” Gleason wrote in an e-mail yesterday. “I didn't hear about the quake until nearly a full day later.”

Parts of Santiago escaped relatively unscathed — Gleason said his host family didn’t even realize the scope of the damage until the next morning when they turned on the news.

Gleason returned to Santiago Monday to find a city already coming back to life, even as evidence of the destruction loomed.

“The city is crowded and bustling, though not as crowded as normal. Here and there I see buildings that were severely damaged. … Many buildings are closed to the public and caution tape is everywhere, and my host mother's office building collapsed entirely,” he wrote.

Gleason wrote some of Santiago is still without power, gas or water, but that everything is returning slowly to normal.

“Just walking the more newly constructed parts of the city, you would think it was not so bad,” he wrote.

Gleason had been in contact with the Chilean chapter of Habitat for Humanity as well as another organization called Un Techo para Chile — “A Roof for

Epicenter: Quake hit at 3:34 a.m.

Saturday, Feb. 27

Although at least 38 people died in Santiago, the epicenter of the quake was much closer to other cities like Concepción.

SHAI GOLLER/THE DIAMONDBACK

Chile” — before the quake struck, but said he is even more eager to volunteer now.

“I hope to work with one of these groups as soon as possible, since the quake has only made their work more necessary,” he said.

Gleason stressed the importance of donating money to help the relief efforts, as international aid and rescue workers began arriving in the country for search and rescue efforts yesterday. The Washington Post reported yesterday that widespread looting in Santiago is jeopardizing relief efforts.

“Sending money is very very necessary too,” he wrote. “[U.S.] dollars go a long way.”

Those who are interested in supporting Chile relief efforts can text codes to donate $10 to the nonprofit of their choosing, including “4CHILE” to 50555 for Convoy of Hope, “CHILE” to 50555 for Friends of the World Program and “CHILE” to 25383 for Habitat for Humanity. aisaacs@umdbk.com

SENATE from page 1 committees spend most of their time voting on issues that are unrelated to undergraduates, such as posttenure review.

But student leaders — graduate students and undergraduates alike — say eliminating the position would undermine the value of students’ voice at this university.

“Students have consistently shown they bring valuable insight and knowledge in ever y position and process they are a part of,” undergraduate student senator Kevin Ter vala said. “This university would not exist

without students.”

Graduate student senator Aaron Tobiason, who also ser ves as the vice president for academic affairs on the Graduate Student Government, plans to speak out at today’s meeting in support of keeping undergraduates on these committees.

“I feel it’s important for students representation on any committees that investigating grades and capricious grading. Whether that be graduate or undergraduate,” Tobiason said. “I personally think it’s a big deal.”

This decision to support undergraduates’ role in unfair grading reviews is an interesting stance for Tobiason, who noted many graduate students that work as

teaching assistants could be subject to these review proceedings. Two-thirds of the state’s graduate assistants work at this university.

But graduate student leaders said maintaining the university’s democracy is their primar y concern.

“The main point is the senate itself is a body that is based on shared governance,” GSG senator Anna Bedford said. “If you start removing students from committees and participating in shared governance then you’re really working against what you claim to be supporting.”

Graduate students have faced their own issues with representation in the past, Tobiason said, and any

threat to undergraduate representation may set an unfavorable precedent that could negatively affect graduate students in the future.

If the senate approves the committee’s recommendations and removes student representation on these hearings, the issue will move to university President Dan Mote for approval.

Ter vala said student senators are uneasy because they don’t know which way the senate will lean at today’s meeting.

“It’s hard to predict what’s going to happen,” Ter vala said. “Students have proven they should be members.

They are essential.” quijada@umdbk.com

RHA supports cutting two on-campus bus lines to finance new route to New Carrollton Metro

BY LEYLA KORKUT Staff writer

The Residence Hall Association voted to create a bus route that would run from the New Carrollton Metro Station to campus at a meeting last night, opting to eliminate two unpopular lines in order to finance the new one.

The move would eliminate an expected $70,000 deficit in the Department of Transportation Services’ budget once the North Campus and South Campus Connector routes — which had relatively few passengers and seemed to be used for convenience rather than necessity — are cut next year, South Campus Commons Senator Debbie Kobrin said. DOTS Director David Allen still needs to approve the plan.

But despite the cost-saving measures that DOTS plans on enlisting, RHA senators questioned the economic sense of adding a new line given the budget troubles the department will face.

“In light of the difficult economic times and increasing budget deficit, it would not be a

good time to add a route at all if we can see a place to cut without seriously affecting student fees,” South Campus Commons senator Yoni Levey said.

The benefits of creating the new line largely outweigh the negatives, Kobrin countered, especially given that even though the department is adding a new line, it will not be incurring any additional debt to create it.

Some senators were still not sold on the idea, however, because of an already existing Metro bus that runs from New Carrollton to College Park.

“If there is a Metro bus, then why do we need something that Metro provides?” one senator argued.

Senators argued a ShuttleUM route would be more useful than Metro buses that charge money and make frequent stops. They also argued the new route would connect members of the surrounding community to campus.

“I think anything that’s going to broaden the reach of [the university] is a good thing,” another senator said. “We also have to remember that the bus

PLAN from page 1 so far is to really be general,” he said, while also addressing specific concerns about working with the university. “There’s a real strong desire to strengthen the [city’s] relationship with the university, and I think the action plan is going to address some of those issues.”

Bob Seward, another resident, followed Sawicki’s metaphor — which District 2 Councilmember Jack Perry has used in the past — and urged the council to “engage the gorilla.” A third resident said students were an untapped resource for the city.

Nearly every speaker echoed Seward and Sawicki, but city research shows most residents have university-city relations at the bottom of their minds, while public safety was at the top.

Of the 25 issues residents were polled about, “Encourage

Debbie Kobrin (right) proposes resolutions that would provide a shuttle to the New Carrollton Metro station and another for the ZimRide program. MATTHEW CREGER/THE DIAMONDBACK

routes are not just supposed to help on-campus students, but also need to help out faculty and graduate students.”

But Levey and other dissenting senators — one of whom called for a survey to determine how many students would use the new route — thought the RHA should keep the concerns of undergraduate, on-campus constituents in mind.

“I understand what was being said about representing the community,” he said. “It seems overall that most of the

physical and visual integration between the City and the University” garnered the lowest score of extreme importance and “Create a college-town atmosphere” garnered third-fewest.

While no students attended the event, School of Music professor William Montgomery, a 25-year-resident of the city, had the night’s most optimistic outlook.

Montgomery, a former Senate chair who helped lead the crafting of the university’s strategic plan three years ago, lauded the city’s efforts.

“I see this is a time when the university and the city can work together to create whatever is really the best for College Park in general,” he said.

“I don’t think the city would be much without the university and I don’t think the university would be much without the city, and I think we’re starting to realize that.”

Councilmembers said comments from the roughly one

benefits are going to graduate students that are far away and need to get here.”

Even after the RHA’s seal of the approval, the proposal is still in its early stages. DOTS Director David Allen may decide to seek support from the Student Government Association and Graduate Student Government before finalizing the measure.

“It’s not the last step, it’s a step to show ‘Hey, there’s student support for this,’” Kobrin said. korkut@umdbk.com

“I see this is a time when the university and the city can work together to create whatever is really best for College Park in general.”

WILLIAM MONTGOMERY CITY RESIDENT, PROFESSOR

dozen residents in attendance would influence the final version of the plan.

“I believe this is an ambitious plan for the city for the next five years,” District 3 Councilwoman Stephanie Stullich said.

“We heard a lot from the community ... and we really took that to heart.” rhodes@umdbk.com

OPENINGS XTENDED!

DEADLINE E

FOR EDITORS OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS Maryland Media, Inc., the independent publishing board for student publications on campus, is accepting applications for editorships for the 2010-2011 school year.

The following positions are open: 1. Eclipse editor-in-chief (current salary $1,500) 2. Diamondback editor-in-chief (current salary $14,000) 3. Mitzpeh editor-in-chief (current salary $1,500)

Application forms may be picked up in the Diamondback business office, room 3136 South Campus Dining Hall. Applicants will be notified of an interview time and date.

The deadline for applications is noon on Thursday, March 4, 2010.

4

THE DIAMONDBACK | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 2010

Opinion

KEVIN ROBILLARD

THE DIAMONDBACK 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 NEWS@UMDBK .COM | OPINION@UMDBK .COM

EDITOR IN CHIEF

KYLE GOON

JESSICA BAUER

MANAGING EDITOR

DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR

ROB GINDES

JUSTIN SNOW

OPINION EDITOR

OPINION EDITOR

Staff editorial

Guest column

Counting on students

Parent trap

E

ach and every student at the university will receive a fat envelope screaming their lungs out at rallies has yet to be seen. We would note that, by from the U.S. Census Bureau in the weeks ahead as the agency law, every U.S. resident is required to fill out the census, but that has been the embarks on its national survey. For many students, the packet of law since 1787 when the Constitution was ratified, and it hasn’t worked yet.

We understand students’ apathy toward a time-consuming document that questions inquiring about income levels and ethnicity will be viewed as a hassle. But the decision to chuck the questionnaire into the affects a city most only call home for four years. But we must think of the long term. The city of College Park directly affects the university and its repgarbage could have serious repercussions on the places we call home. utation. If law enforcement doesn’t have enough funding Because the census is conducted once a decade, this will and muggings increase, students face the consequences. be the first time most students will fill it out. And like any firstThe same applies to potholes scattered across Route 1, time experience, it’s not something many know much about. which is a federal highway. These are problems that can’t But students should take the form seriously if they wish to Students should take the be solved without sufficient funding. see improvements in the communities where they live.

While students may never return to College Park after The census is used to determine representation in Con- census seriously, as it could their college careers, the reputation of the university name gress and to help allocate more than $400 billion in federal have a profound effect on on their degrees is connected with the modern reputation funding each year. The money goes toward things most of of the university. Before students opt for an extra 30 minus would consider basic government functions: hospitals, funding for the area. utes of happy hour over filling out their questionnaire, they roads and emergency services. With state and local governments being forced to cut back, additional federal aid is more crucial than should think of the long-term consequences.

It’s easy to shrug off the census as nothing more than the federal governever, and an accurate and full count could increase what College Park and ment taking attendance. But it is, and was meant to be, much more than that: Prince George’s County receive.

Students are notorious for their lack of civic engagement. While strides It’s a means of being accounted for, influencing government spending and have been made in getting students out to vote, the census is a once-a-decade improving the community in which you live. And what easier way to do so experiment, and whether Obamamaniacs find filling out forms as thrilling as than by just telling your government “here”?

Our View

Editorial cartoon: Jenna Brager

If I were president: Lapel pins and Chicken Rico

I

’ve had some great ideas, but this one’s the best.

What if I told you I know the perfect candidate for the new president of this university? Someone with strong ties to the university, a lifelong Terp, a former nominee for both the chair of the committee to revamp CORE and the mayor of College Park*.

You should already know I’m talking about myself. Oh, and the asterisk denotes that I nominated myself for those positions, too.

I should be the new president. Think about it: I’m graduating in May with a journalism degree, so I need a job. University President Dan Mote leaves his post in August. At the very least, judging by the fact that a lot of the university’s early presidents were high-ranking officers in the Confederate Army, you’d have to think I’d be one of our least racist presidents — that’s gotta count for something.

ROB

GINDES Besides, you don’t even know the first thing about being the president, but I do. The first thing about being president is getting a sweet little gold Terrapin lapel pin. I will wear the shit out of that lapel pin. Who would you rather be rocking that ice, me or some weirdo you’ve never heard of? I’m handsome and I have a winning smile. Now there’s a lapel the alumni can donate to.

I’m also going to push for a new image for the university. Out with the old. How about the school’s tagline, “Unstoppable starts here”? Boring.

Let’s say something creative that lets people know they should be afraid of us.

Oh, I know, “Fear the Turtle.” Sweet, that was easy. Came up with it all by myself.

I want students’ voices to be heard, so I’ll lend an ear to student activists and all their crazy demands. But I’ll also secretly work to undermine them so no one takes them seriously. Hey, did you hear that student activist — and Diamondback columnist — Malcolm Harris, who allegedly hates “the man,” used to work for university President — and Diamondback opinion editor — Rob Gindes? It’s true, look it up. Conspiracy!

So with my detractors out of the way, money rolling in from donors attracted to my lapel and a baller-ass new slogan to bring in new students, one can only logically conclude I will be the best university president since Curley Byrd, who happened to have worked as a journalist, by the way. But I’m sure he actually has some stuff in common with me.

There’s no downside here. The pres-

ident’s mansion will be turned into a full-service Chicken Rico. The band will be allowed to play “Rock & Roll, Part II” again. I’m single-handedly ushering in a golden era for this school.

You’re welcome.

At least I’ll be a better president than George Washington Custis Lee would have been. Lee was going to be the president in 1867, which was cool and all until everyone realized that in addition to being a major general in the Confederacy, he happened to be the son of a guy named Robert E. Freaking Lee. Come on.

So just remember that, 19-person search panel to find the new president: I’ve never been a Confederate soldier. A vote for me is a vote for America. God bless America.

Rob Gindes is a senior journalism major.

He can be reached at gindes@umdbk.com.

Census: Faith in numbers

T

he census has biblical roots.

In the scripture’s account, when the Jews first emerged from the desert, Moses was instructed by God to gather the people.

Each man older than 20 donated half a shekel (the currency in use at the time), and was counted accordingly.

This was a group of people already bound by the same faith, and they were also emerging from the shared experience of slavery, having just escaped from bondage in Egypt. But it was not until the census that the group truly became a community, through the process of assessing itself as a body.

The census had a democratic sensibility; the wealthy were forbidden from donating more, and the poor could not contribute less. It was both a symbolic and literal investment in the community; the money collected was used to maintain the temple, around which the community centered. There was a later dispute, in which wealthy members of the community lobbied to fund public animal sacrifices on their own. The leading rabbis at the time ruled that public sacrifices must be supported by

public funds and public funds alone. To allow rich individuals to monopolize the defining activity of the community — public worship — would undermine the assertion of basic human equality.

Today, things are better and worse.

Women are counted alongside men, but we also have a Supreme Court opening the door for the extraordinarily rich to have outsized influence on the central pillar of our society — democratic elections. The United States conducts a census once a decade, and the government is right now gearing up for the daunting task of counting every individual in the country. The process is always politically contentious, because the population distribution affects the distribution of congressional seats, electoral votes and funding for federal programs. One aspect of the census retains a sense of concern that extends beyond the civic, with an inclination toward universal humanity. The U.S. Census records every individual, not every individual U.S. citizen.

A few months ago, David Vitter, a Republican senator representing the

MARDY

SHUALY great state of Louisiana, introduced a bill mandating a question about citizenship status being added to the census, excluding non-citizens from affecting the number of congressional seats awarded to each state. Defending his stance, Vitter argued counting everyone is “contrary to the whole intent of the Constitution and the establishment of Congress as a democratic institution to represent citizens.”

Vitter’s bill never made it out of the Senate, but his argument has a certain obvious logic. Our republican system is predicated on the idea that citizens, and citizens alone, control the government.

So why do we distribute congressional power and federal funding on a different basis? This nation is also predicated on the idea that all men are created equal. The obligations of establishing

justice, promoting the general welfare and securing the blessings of liberty are widely construed. Vitter might argue the biblical precedent suggests only those who pay taxes should be counted. I would argue the passage commands that everyone must be counted, so there is an additional obligation to empower every community member to fully participate in and contribute to the group.

I don’t advocate designing government institutions directly from biblical verses, but I raise the issue because Vitter seems to have a very direct and personal relationship with the holy. Vitter has always campaigned on strong family values and traditional beliefs. He even supports a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. In 2007, it became public knowledge that Vitter enjoyed the services of prostitutes. Bouncing back from the scandal, Vitter announced he had “received forgiveness from God.” Mardy Shualy is a senior government and politics major. He can be reached at mshualy@umdbk.com.

ANUPAMA KOTHARI AND ANNA BEDFORD

I

t is no secret that for the last two decades, there has been a need for child care for the university community. To this end, it was heartening to see a strong push this semester to secure on-campus child care options. Unfortunately, we were dismayed by the invited child care consultant who came to the university Friday.

Carol Ann Rudolph was promisingly billed as a family resource consultant from George Washington University, but it quickly became apparent her experience and consideration is limited to working with faculty and staff.

Particularly, when questioned about the recommendations and resources she would offer for graduate students (who are on limited stipends), Rudolph replied: “I suggest they don’t have children.” She then gave a couple of examples of what she would suggest to low-income families.

When members of the graduate student body protested the remark, we were assured that Rudolph’s comment was a simple “joke.”

While Rudolph compared graduate students to low-income families, she surely wouldn’t have found it appropriate to joke that these families shouldn’t have children, perhaps because of the real and historical prejudices that have seen certain populations denied the right to parent.

Let us remember that historically the material and social realities have and do place numerous difficulties before women, upon whom the majority of the labor of caring for children and families continues to fall, in pursuit of education. For women, access to higher education often seems to implicitly involve a “choice” to forgo motherhood for numerous years.

The presentation by Rudolph was deeply troubling, from her assumptions of same sex marriages and dual-parent families to explicit stereotypes (“The time to talk about child care when you’re adopting is before you go to China”).

Since the presentation, there was a forum yesterday in which the committee voted on whether to hire a child care consultant. We were told this would then proceed through the University Senate at an accelerated pace. At the forum there were again talks of beginning with a phased-in model that would only include faculty and staff. In this year, especially, with talks about diversity and inclusion rife at the university, it was deeply disturbing to see the attempts of some faculty members to leave students behind. But thanks to some strong vocal graduate-student voices and support from a small number of faculty and staff, we have succeeded (for the time being) in ensuring the proposal for the child care referral system includes students — both graduates and undergraduates.

To make the case to exclude students, one faculty member presented a range of convoluted arguments such as students being younger and more likely to bear children and hence representing an additional burden on costs. Another member of the staff went on to say it was a choice between a phased-in model or nothing.

While we stand for the provision of on-campus child care, as women, as “low-income” graduate students and with one of us having committed the cardinal sin of attaining motherhood while in graduate school, we protest against hiring a biased and prejudiced candidate such as Rudolph. We hope the administrators and the university community at large will be more sensitive to the sentiments of diverse communities such as the student body.

For women who are already parents, the possibility of graduate school is already too often unfeasible; for graduate students who become pregnant while in school and are often on poverty-line stipends and without affordable housing, the “choices” facing them too often are abortion or dropping out. The university needs to prove it is sincere in its claims of commitment to diversity and accessibility. Our questions and good-faith requests do not deserve to be mocked.

Anna Bedford is a university senator and can be reached at abedford@umd.edu. Anupama Kothari is the president of the Graduate Student Government and can be reached at gsg-president@umd.edu.

POLICY: Signed letters, columns and cartoons represent 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.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 2010 | THE DIAMONDBACK

5

Features HOROSCOPESTELLA WILDER

CROSSWORD ACROSS 59 An alloy 60 Plantation crop 1 Wrinkles 65 Wind instrument 6 Audit pros 66 Trick 10 Ballpark figures 67 Film director 14 Motionless Mervyn — 15 Prefix for sphere 68 Appellation 16 Vincent Lopez 69 Planets or moons theme 70 Rust away 17 Landscape 71 Camelot lady 18 Indigo dye 19 Burnoose wearer 72 Hotels 73 More secure 20 Exciting 22 Surprise greatly DOWN 23 Vitality 1 Top 10, e.g.

24 Sharp-cornered 2 Creep 26 Pitcher 3 Not e’en once 29 Take — — 4 Golfer — Els from me 5 Outstanding 31 DEL neighbor 6 Linking together 32 Web site 7 Quaker colonist 33 Descartes’ name 34 Worked on a quilt 8 Juan’s girl 9 Part of RSVP 38 Control device 10 Not laughing 40 Sparkler 11 Ethical 42 Sup well 12 Turnpike stop 43 Glimpsed 13 Cavalry weapon 46 Comic strip 21 After-hours “Etta —” 22 Hindu fire god 49 Gist 25 Tweak 50 Skipped town 26 “— Box Baby” 51 Name in 27 Coffee brewers cheesecake 28 Mashed potato 52 Salamander serving 53 Permafrost 30 Quick looks regions 35 Movie 57 Jules Verne 36 Plenty, informally captain

© 2010 UNITED FEATURES SYNDICATE

Previous Day’s Puzzle Solved:

TODAY’S CROSSWORD SPONSORED BY:

SARD ES T E E L H I CH I N EPOS HAND PEONY BMOV I E S AR I SEN UN RO L E GAMU RNA L I B ACDC S L AS YOYO PAK VA I N S S T R EWN P E TOURNAMEN A I DE CURS B L ED HYPE

37 Financial obligation 39 Finch treat 41 Spite 44 Snakes lack them 1

2

3

45 Forensic science clue 47 Trunk possessor 48 Mexican menu items

4

5

6

53 Meat order (hyph.)

54 Not rural 55 Model Campbell 56 Rebuff 58 Met production 7

8

9

61 62 63 64 66 10

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

27

28

24 29

32

30

43

40 44

45

54

35

41 47

48

56

59

60

52 57

58

61

62

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

72

73

S AGRA K BR I T I CRA F T L EADEN L ED E ER L E T SOOT OOH H AMMO AER I ES URGED NNY T L I AR E EASE D SMUG

9204 Baltimore Ave. (Rt. 1) College Park, MD 20740 (Between Super 8 Motel & American Legion – Behind the Barnside Diner)

301-474-3003

37

49

51

55

36

42

46

50 53

13

31 34

39

12

25

33

38

11

22

23 26

Library ID Faculty mem.

Pay dirt One who ogles Louis XIV, e.g.

63

64

orn today, you are one of the fastest thinkers born under your sign, but what is even more remarkable is that you are able to take those ideas that are so quickly forged in the fires of your imagination and even more quickly transform them, as if by magic, into actions that bring you challenge, pleasure and reward.

You’re not likely to do things the way anyone else does them, and you may, ultimately, score your most notable victories in ways that seem, to some, to be quite impossible.

B

At some point in the middle of your journey, you’re likely to undergo a change that manifests itself in virtually every aspect of your life; nothing is outside the realm of possibility — not a change of career, of relationship, even of ideals and belief.

Also born on this date are Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Olympic track star; Jean Harlow, actress; Jessica Biel, actress; Perry Ellis, fashion designer; Alexander Graham Bell, inventor; James Doohan, actor.

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.

15% OFF Entire Bill

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) — You’ve been following your schedule as faithfully as possible, but others may not understand how important your timeline really is.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) — Time is of the essence, and the more you stall, the more likely you will be to make things difficult for those around you.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) — You can be a leader, or you can be a follower, but the time for a firm decision is now. Many more are waiting to hear which role you choose.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) — You’ll want to be sure which side of a certain argument you’re really on. The answer may surprise you — and change you, too.

all times merely to clear your mind of that which most troubles you. You can keep the ghosts at bay.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — The decisions others want you to make at this time are nothing more than a judgment call. Be sure to have others weigh in as well.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — You’ll be asking more questions than usual, but with those questions come answers, though you’ll have to be patient, certainly.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Don’t play to the lowest common denominator. Keep things at a high level, focusing on how to make things better, not worse.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — You’ll find yourself moving from one task to another throughout a day that will have more meaning when you have moved to the next level.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — You may not know just whom to believe, but later you’re likely to enjoy an epiphany of sorts that points to the truth.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — You needn’t keep yourself busy at

Copyright, 2010 United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

TODAY’S HOROSCOPE SPONSORED BY:

THURSDAY, MARCH 4 PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) — You have more than one reason for doing what you’re doing.

Fragmented plans are whirling through your mind; they’ll congeal soon.

Dine-In, Carry-Out or Delivery Not Valid On Catering Or Alcohol. $8.50 minimum required Please specify coupon when ordering.

Not valid with any other offers or specials.

Limited delivery area. Valid on delivery, eat-in or carry-out.

Must have coupon. Expires 3/10/10.

DBW31

ARIES (March 21-April 19) — You don’t want to go about your business alone, and yet certain things on your mind are not ready to share just yet.

JOE WELKIE BEAR ON CAMPUS

SKETCHED INN

RECYCLE

FREE CLASSIFIEDS

THE DIAMONDBACK THE BEACH

Early Bird Specials $7.00 a Session before Noon every day! OPEN 7 DAYS • Our 15th Year • NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY

TANNING CENTERS

5 Tans - $29 13 Tans - $50 Must have coupon.

First time tanners only. Not good with any other offer. Expires 5/31/10.

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 grid contains the digits 1 through 9.

Previous Day’s Puzzle Solved:

SPRING BREAKERS - DON’T GET BURNED

Tanning Packages

TUNG PHAM

Custom Air Brush Spray Tan

State-ofthe-Art Super Beds & HighIntensity Booths Available

Only $25 (Reg. $35) One Time Only

Unlimited Packages 2 Weeks - $37 1 Month - $57

Must have coupon. Not good with any other offer. Expires 5/31/10.

Must have coupon. Not good with any other offer. Expires 5/31/10.

College Park North Beach 301-441-TANN 8145-I Balt. Ave.

South Beach 301-864-ATAN 4435 Lehigh Rd.

TAN WITH THE

BEST

Run your classified for 4 consecutive days and receive the 5th day FREE!

Degree of Difficulty: MEDIUM

TODAY’S SUDOKU PUZZLE SPONSORED BY:

Call 314-8000 for more information.

Looking for a different job?

Check the employment opportunities in The Diamondback classifieds, in print and online at www.diamondbackonline.com.

VIP University View II Exclusive Previews Now College Park’s Premier Student Housing Destination

8204 Baltimore Avenue College Park, Maryland 20740

Text UVIEW to 47464 301.220.0951 866.308.3322 www.universityview.net

Tours Available Now Don’t miss out!

Call now to schedule your EXCLUSIVE tour!

Space is limited so call to reserve your spot on a tour.

a whole new view

Stay connected Visit us online www.diamondbackonline.com

6

THE DIAMONDBACK | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 2010

Diversions

ALL THE CRAP YOU CARE ABOUT: JAY LENO IS AN EVIL DICTATOR Jay Leno’s The Tonight Show redux premiered Monday, and after he paused for a worldwide sigh of “who cares,” Leno mentioned how Sarah Palin’s Tuesday spot on his show will be her first late-night appearance, which would be fine if it were true: Palin appeared on Conan O’Brien’s doomed show in December.

So he reclaims power and then pretends O’Brien never existed — looks like Leno is shooting for a late-night dictatorship.

arts. music. living. movies. weekend.

INTERVIEW | TREY SONGZ

Gonna run this town tonight Trey Songz talks about his slot on the BP3 Tour and opening for Jay-Z

BY ALEX RUSH Senior staff writer

Two-time Grammy-nominated R&B singer Tremaine Neverson, known as Trey Songz, thinks being called a “fan” of JayZ is an “understatement.”

“I’m extremely influenced by him, both as an artist and especially from a business standpoint,” said Neverson, who in 2004 co-launched the production company Songbook.

So it’s no wonder the 25-yearold was floored when Jay-Z, the self-proclaimed “God MC” who has more No. 1 records than Elvis Presley, asked Neverson to be the opening act on the BP3 Tour. “[Getting the tour offer] was a surreal feeling,” Neverson said. “There were a couple of other tour offers on the table, but we turned them down after that one.”

And for good reason. The Jay-Z-led nationwide venture, which kicked off Feb. 20 at

BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla., hits 23 major venues in a two-month span. Trey Songz, Jay-Z and rapper Young Jeezy will perform at Verizon Center in Washington tonight.

Neverson, known for his smooth-yet-raunchy club joints such as “I Invented Sex” and “Say Aah,” gets about 35 minutes to perform before Hova takes the stage with a 10-piece band and a repertoire including 11 solo albums. It’s a tough act to support, but the laid-back Songz said he isn’t concerned about winning over the hard-core hiphop heads who may dominate the audience and be much more eager to see a rap legend than a poppy singer who seems to cater to teenage girls.

“The thing about me is I won’t go out of my way to appeal to anyone,” said Neverson, who also performs with a live band.

“If you want to step into my world, you can step into my world. I’m just here to do me.”

Two-time Grammy-nominated singer Trey Songz will bring his R&B stylings to the Verizon Center in Washington tonight, where he’ll open for Jay-Z. COURTESY THEFABEMPIRE.COM

Classified CALL

Neverson promised he’ll fill his set with fan-favorite singles such as “Can’t Help But Wait.”

“It’s all about the bangers,” Neverson said.

Neverson knows what it takes to craft a hit — he’s been singing, writing and producing songs since he was a

But that doesn’t mean Neverson doesn’t want to break out some surprises to keep the crowd engaged. For instance, he said he debuted the video for his new single, “Neighbors Know My Name,” off his certified-gold third album Ready, onstage at the tour opener. And

teenager. The sharp-dressed, corn-rowed ladies’ man released his debut album, I Gotta Make It, on Atlantic Records in 2005.

And Neverson knows how to deal with life on the road — he comes from a military family.

For most of his childhood and adolescence, he said, he’s never lived in the same place for more than two years.

“I’ve gone to a different school ever y year in my life, except high school,” Neverson said.

But Neverson claims Petersburg, Va., as his hometown — he even crowned himself “the Prince of Virginia.” He plans to entertain his family and friends at the upcoming show in Washington, which is about two and a half hours away from Petersburg.

“My family and friends will be in abundance,” Neverson said enthusiastically.

Neverson said he’s also excited to see fans react to his music.

“Just seeing the records I make get a response from people, to see [the audience] singing the songs, it’s an amazing feeling,” Neverson said.

Neverson made a name for himself with his soothing, highrange voice, but when asked if he will attempt to dazzle his fans by rapping (his hobby and occasional recording project), he chuckled and said, “I’m an R&B singer — I just rap for fun.”

But when asked if he could hold his own rhyming with Jay-Z and the husky-voiced Young Jeezy, Neverson responded, “I think I could.”

Neverson said he picked up a few performing tips from watching Jay-Z live, though judging from that comment, he may have picked up some swagger as well.

Trey Songz will per form as part of the BP3 Tour at Verizon Center in Washington tonight. Tickets range from $62 to $122. rush@umdbk.com

CLASSIFIED DISPLAY ADS

RATES

• Larger Type • Sold In 1” Increments • One Column Wide • $33.00 Per Column Inch

35¢ per word $3.50 minimum ALL CAPITAL LETTERS........35¢ extra per word Bold letters..............................70¢ extra per word vmA All ads must be prepaid

OFFICE HOURS

DEADLINES

9:30AM – 4:30PM Monday – Friday 3136 South Campus Dining Hall

The deadline for all ads is 2PM, two business days in advance of publication.

SPECIAL Run the same classified or classified display ad 4 consecutive days and get 5th day FREE!

DIAMONDBACKONLINE.COM All Classifieds & Classified Display ads will run online at no additional charge.

301-314-8000 TO PLACE YOUR AD, OR BY EMAIL: ADVERTISING@DBK.UMD.EDU

BY FAX: 301-314-8358

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

FOR RENT

FOR RENT

SERVICES

TRAVEL

WHEATON INDOOR TENNIS

OFFICE MANAGER

BIKE TO CAMPUS. 5718 Vassar Drive, 5 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms, washer, dryer, 2 dishwashers, ac, 2 refrigerators. Upstairs: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, front room, dining room and kitchen. Downstairs: 2 bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen and family room. No need to drive on Rt. 1. Take Paint Branch Parkway straight to campus. $2450. 301-699-1863 or dunnrentals.com for more information.

Two 5 bedroom, 2 bath houses. Old Town College Park. Cac, washer/dryer, dishwasher, off-street parking. Call Paul: 301-704-7810.

FAX SERVICE

SPRING BREAK TRAVEL HQ!

Paid internship.

Flexible hours.

Contact 301-343-6003.

See Hundreds Of Different Job Listings On THE DIAMONDBACK

JOB BOARD

By Visiting www.diamondbackonline.com Click on “Job Listings” in our navigation bar.

LIFEGUARDS American Pool is now hiring lifeguards, pool manager, and supervisors for the summer. FREE TRAINING! Great pay and bonuses!

Call 1-877-705-7665 or apply online at www.guardforlife.com.

Like to read and want to make extra cash?

Atlantic Publishing needs several people to write honest book reviews (1-3 paragraphs) on a freelance basis. $50 for 3. E-mail amiller@atlantic-pub.com.

Earn Extra Money Students needed ASAP. Earn up to $150 per day being a mystery shopper. No experience required. Call 1-800-722-4791.

MARKETING ASSISTANT – Assist with lead distribution programs at a high-tech software company in Silver Spring. Candidate must be motivated, extremely detail-oriented and dependable. Marketing/Advertising student preferred. $12/hour, 15-20 hours/week. Send email to hr@actionsystems.com expressing your interest. Email MUST have MKT-6 in the subject line.

MARKETING PERSON NEEDED. Self motivated, outgoing individual to do business to business outside sales. Salary plus commission, part time or full time available. Email barbara@mmpcrofton.com or call 410-451-0218.

STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM. Paid survey takers needed in College Park. 100%. Free to join. Click on surveys.

Bartending! $250/day potential. No experience necessary.

Training provided.

1-800-965-6520 x 116 Lifeguards, FT/PT, free training, summer and indoor positions available in MD and VA, competitive pay. Call: 301-210-4200 ext.

107.

MEDICAL RECEPTIONIST. Part-time, flexible hours.

301-570-7633.

Hours: 8:00-5:00 Requirements: Proficient in Quickbooks, Excel and Word.

Duties include but not limited to: A/R, A/P, posting deposits, data entry, filing, creating spreadsheets.

Compensation: $15/hr.

Please email resume with salary history and work references to email address below. (No cover letters, please.)

Please send your resume to bricksfordz@live.com.

-

NEED MONEY FOR RENT? You can find a job in The Diamondback Classifieds!

❖ APARTMENTS

CHILD CARE

Diamondback Business Office 3136 South Campus Dining Hall PHONE: 301-314-8000 Mon.-Fri. 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Go online and visit www.diamondbackonline.com and click on “Travel Center” in the navigation bar for hot spring break deals.

SAVE $25 – BOOK EARLY!

❖ AUTO

$30 Off per Month for All University of Maryland Students

SUMMER BABYSITTER NEEDED for 6/14/10-8/27/10. Two girls, 10 and 12.

Weekdays: 8:45 am-3:45 pm. 1 mile from campus. Must have driver’s license, experience, references, non-smoker. $350/week.

301-277-6641.

888-351-8548 Romanesque Charm

ISO: PART-TIME SITTER. M/W/F from 9:3012:15 for occasional sits with my 7 year old.

Both pay and kid are good! Having artistic skills is a plus – she’s a great artist. Interested? Email rearnes1@umd.edu.

866-236-0946

FOR RENT House for rent on the North gate. 5 bedrooms, 2 baths with more than 5 parking spots, washer/dryer, central cooling/heating.

House available July 1st.

Asking $2500/month. For more information, call Ibrahim at 240-678-8700.

Parkview Gardens

5 Bedroom House

6400 Riverdale Road Riverdale, MD 20737

2 baths, 2 kitchens. Pawnee Street, Adelphi. Less than 1 mile from UMD. Bike to school or walk to shuttle stop. $500 + utilities. 240-421-0900, Fatima.Bracamontes@comcast.net.

301-864-5050

KNOX BOX APTS. LEASING NOW! 10 Steps to Campus 2-3 BR from $1200-1900 301-770-5623 gosia@pinstripeproperty.com

thechateau.net • Furnished apts. available • Free internet & cable (1 BR only; subject to change) • Gated community • Beautiful kitchens and granite countertops* • Washer/dryer* • Fitness center • Indoor & outdoor pools • Free water & gas (cooking & heat) *Select units

C LOSEST O F F C AMPUS H OUSING! •Newly renovated • Parking Available

301-770-5623

❖ FAX

SERVICE

FAX

SERVICE

Send/Receive

Local/Long-Distance

(international not available)

Diamondback Business Office • 3136 South Campus Dining Hall PHONE: 301-314-8000 • Mon.-Fri. 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

❖ FOOD

gosia@pinstripeproperty.com UMCP Grad Students Pre-Approved

campusgardens.com

GROUP HOUSES ROOMS from $499 HOUSES from $2499

877-453-8948

❖ RECREATION

Some within walking distance.

240-391-8552

Student Discounts Discounts Available Available• 1-3 Bedroom Apartments Available

KMGrentals@gmail.com

GOT EXTRA STUFF?

College Park house – 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, w/w carpeting, washer/dryer, cac, parking for 4. Walk to UMD. Available June 1. $2,100/ month plus utilities. Call 410-827-5997.

CALL 301-314-8000 MON.-FRI. 9:30 A.M.-4:30 P.M. TO PLACE YOUR AD WITH YOUR CREDIT CARD.

SERVICES DISSERTATION EDITING — Theses, papers. Wordprocessing. Style manual experts.

301-474-6000 Anytime.

(international not available)

Mexico/Jamaica/Bahamas Florida/Texas

Wed., Thurs., Fri.

HOUSE – Early decision – special price for Summer.

301-392-5205; landwardmd@gmail.com.

ARE THE PERFECT PLACE TO SELL YOUR EXTRA STUFF.

WALK TO CAMPUS. 7409 Columbia Avenue, 4 bedrooms, ac, washer/dryer, dishwasher. Shuttle on corner. $2995.

301-699-1863 or dunnrentals.com for more information.

Send / Receive Local / Long-Distance

Part Time:

Olney. $8.00/hr.

THE DIAMONDBACK CLASSIFIEDS

WALK TO UNIVERSITY. Four bedroom. $2800. 410-991-3077.

Ru V o n te B Li e ner d ve st -u O Pla p ff c -C e am to pu s

Web/Graphic Designer

WALK TO CAMPUS. Apartments. 4502 Guilford Road, behind Zips. 3 bedroom apartment with big walk-up attic, dishwasher and fireplace. $2150. Not a Knox Box! 2 bedroom apartment, ac, dishwasher and fireplace. $1700.

Not a Knox Box! 301-699-1863 or dunnrentals.com for more information.

r

$9/Hour Contact Justin Reid, 240-346-8054

Small office in Greenbelt has part time opening for office manager/bookkeeper. Applicants must have strong organizational skills and accounting background. This would be an IDEAL job for accounting majors. Regular schedule of 12-20 hrs. per week needed. $10-12 per hour. Please call Tom, 301-646-1040.

fo

Summer Camp Counselors Needed

HOUSES FOR RENT. Go to cphouse4rent.com.

2 HOUSES FOR RENT. 7600 Adelphi Road & 7602 Adelphi Road. 5 bedrooms, 2 full baths, new central ac, washer, dryer, dishwasher, garbage disposal. June 1 rental. $2900 each house. Contact Dr. Kruger: 301-408-4801.

SKYDIVE!

Easy one-day first jumps year round from 22-Jumper twin-engine airplane at over 13,500 feet! (877) 348-3759. We offer GIFT CERTIFICATES & complete courses of skydiving instruction for Skydiving certification & instructors ratings too!

And don’t worry if you wet your pants.They’ll dry on the way down.

WWW.SKYDIVEORANGE.COM

summithills.net • 866-236-5492

Heritage Park Apartments Now Leasing!

• UMD Student Discounts • University of MD Shuttle • 2 Miles from Campus

Call 1-877-273-2458 1818 Metzerott Road

– 1, 2 & 3 Bedroom Apartment Homes – Roommate Style Doubles – Controlled Access Building

www.Heritage-Park-Apts.com

YOUR AD HERE. To place your ad in the daily Service Directory, call 301-314-8000.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 2010 | SPORTS | THE DIAMONDBACK

VASQUEZ from page 1 Vasquez has left a mark on the national basketball scene like no Terp since the team captured the 2002 National Championship.

“I’ve made a lot of mistakes, no questions,” Vasquez said recently, while sitting on a red couch in Comcast Center’s players’ lounge. “Those mistakes got me to where I’m at right now. They built character on myself.”

After flirting with the idea of leaving school early last spring, Vasquez has put himself into position to be selected by an NBA squad in the June draft with an ACC Player of the Year-caliber senior season. The player who grew up in the Caracas barrios will graduate in May with an American studies degree with a focus on media. He hopes to one day parlay that into a career working for ESPN Deportes.

But when Vasquez arrived at the university in 2006, those goals seemed far off.

With the help of what Vasquez called his “inner circle,” which includes Adkins, Terp coach Gar y Williams, Montrose coach Stu Vetter and Terp assistant Rob Ehsan, he’s grown into the role of college basketball star.

7

of his boisterous personality.

“But here, it’s different. People question that. People judge you.”

Even those close to Vasquez needed time to understand him. Early in Vasquez’s Montrose career, Vetter tried to curb what he calls “outward flamboyance.”

Eventually, the coach who consistently grooms nationally ranked prospects realized Vasquez’s passion fuels his success.

After four years, the Terp faithful — the same fans he famously cursed at during a Januar y 2009 game — have come to appreciate Vasquez’s style, both in his play and in his constantly changing hairstyles and quirky behavior.

But in conference road venues, he’s met with boos when he touches the ball and during pregame introductions.

Then, there are the chants about his appearance and nationality.

At Florida State’s Donald L. Tucker Center earlier this season, television cameras caught a sign calling for his deportation.

Vasquez occasionally eggs opposing fans on with his trademark shimmy, dubbed

by Adkins as “the Caracas shuffle,” or another display of what the senior sees as his raw passion for the game.

“He’s gotten a lot of atten-

Last week, surrounded in the players’ lounge by scenes from the Terps’ only national championship, Vasquez provided a personal glimpse at the young man those coaches have crafted.

It was far different than the player whose bold statements have sometimes overshadowed his on-court play. In the past, he’s drawn negative attention with his trash talk, such as his claim last March that Conference USA juggernaut Memphis would finish with a losing record against ACC competition. The Terps’ season ended with a 19-point loss to the Tigers in the next day’s NCAA second-round game.

On this day, the player who once called Duke’s famed Cameron Indoor Stadium “my house” talked about his career in calm, measured responses. In one moment, Vasquez shuffled through printed PowerPoint slides from a biology class. In the next, he took off his sweatstained practice jersey and finished an inter view barechested. He readily shifted into the role of amateur psychologist when discussing his reputation around the ACC. “If you do that in Venezuela, if you do that anywhere in South America, that might be fine,” Vasquez said

Vasquez celebrates after Cliff Tucker’s game-winning buzzer beater in the Terps’ February win against Georgia Tech. JACLYN BOROWSKI/THE DIAMONDBACK

A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING...

NOV. 28, 2006

•

•

bilingual like that.”

In Vasquez’s work on the court, the improvement has been more readily apparent.

Adkins, who described Vasquez as “family,” said he spent a lot of time right away helping Vasquez craft a more consistent shot.

That continued into his college career. There were 6:30 a.m. offseason workouts at nearby DeMatha Catholic High School when Adkins was an assistant there, and occasional in-season work during the years with Williams’ blessing.

Vetter, who was Vasquez’s legal guardian and still has a room for Vasquez in his Vienna, Va., home, said his former star has exceeded even his high expectations.

Williams has said he was more impressed by Vasquez’s numbers last season, when he became the first Terp to lead the team in points, rebounds and assists.

This season, Vasquez has gotten some help on the boards from freshman forward and team-leading rebounder Jordan Williams, but he has surged to No. 3 on the all-time Terp scoring list and continued to evolve as a playmaker and leader.

“Greivis has his critics, but when you look at the numbers, they are there,” Gar y Williams said after Vasquez reached the 2,000-career point mark in a buzzer-beat-

Vasquez has perhaps his signature career game, posting 35 points and a tripledouble in an 88-85 OT win against No. 3 North Carolina.

Vasquez ends up one rebound short of a triple-double in his first ever game at Duke, an 85-77 Terps’ victory.

•

Greivis Vasquez, pictured during a 2007 loss to VCU, struggled at times during his sophomore season and his team missed the NCAA Tournament. FILE PHOTO/THE DIAMONDBACK

•

ing win against Georgia Tech on Feb. 20. “For anybody to think that he doesn’t belong with the top five [to] seven players who have played here, they don’t know the game ver y well.”

For Vasquez, the remarkable journey that started when he got into Adkins’ car and began life as a big-time basketball prospect will soon take another turn.

Vasquez doesn’t shy away from questions about his pro future, but anyone who has listened to him for the past few months knows he is partly pegging his legacy on the Terps’ success during the next month.

In a 25-minute inter view, the guard professed his love for the university several times and said he wishes he had four more years as a Terp.

Just maybe, Vasquez said, with an ACC Championship or NCAA Tournament success, he can give something back to people who have given him so much.

His sentiment might be the ultimate reflection of how far he has come.

“It’s hard, man, but this is how much I love the game,” Vasquez said. “People might need to know that. I love the game. I sacrificed my family, my friends, my food — ever ything — to reach a goal.” edetweiler@umdbk.com

FEB. 21, 2009

FEB. 28, 2007

In his breakout performance, Vasquez scored 17 points off the bench to help lead the Terps to a 72-66 win at Illinois.

tion, and he’s handled it pretty well,” Williams said.

“It’s not easy, and he’s done a great job of that.”

That understanding of his place in the tough ACC landscape represents quite a transformation for a player who Adkins, now a Terp women’s basketball assistant, said knew “about six words” of English when he met him in person for the first time at the airport.

Even after taking English as a Second Language classes at Montrose, Vasquez tested into the intensive program of the Mar yland English Institute when he arrived at this university.

While other freshmen, including then-roommates Eric Hayes and Landon Milbourne, took first-year classes in huge lecture halls, Vasquez spent 25 hours per week with about 15 international students at the English Institute. Vasquez called his early struggle to get acclimated “the worst feeling ever.”

“When students find out they have to take some time to learn English, it can really be a jolt, especially for somebody as focused and goal-oriented as Greivis,” said former Mar yland English Institute Associate Director Linda Sahin, who Vasquez still refers to as “Mrs. Linda.”

“At the ver y beginning, he wasn’t too happy about it,” Sahin said. “But I have to say he was absolutely amazing once he grasped how important this was.”

By the end of that semester, as he began his Terp career, Vasquez was able to pass the Mar yland Institute English Proficiency Exam, a rigorous test that includes grammar, reading, writing and listening.

In the spring of his freshman year, Vasquez cut down to 10 hours per week at the Institute and took a pair of regular classes, allowing him to start the transition to regular student. Vasquez, who said he was not afraid of being drafted in the second round, meaning he would not earn a guaranteed NBA contract, has cited a chance to get his degree as one of the major factors behind his return.

Nina Liakos, an instructor at the Institute who had Vasquez in her class that spring, credited basketball with helping improve Vasquez’s spoken English.

Still, Vasquez blamed some of his past “selfish” comments to the media on his lack of command of his second language.

“He still snaps back and does his little Spanish thing ever y once in a while,” said Milbourne, who added the language barrier was never a problem in their communication. “It’s pretty cool to be

•

•

SATURDAY

•

MARCH. 21, 2009

DEC. 9, 2007 A frustrated Vasquez slammed the backboard support in a game against Boston College, resulting in a doublefoul that put him on the bench for the rest of the contest. It resulted in a sevenpoint swing for the Eagles and an 81-78 Terps’ loss.

••

•

MARCH, 16 2008

A day after publicly criticizing Memphis’ Conference USA resume, Vasquez and the Terps fall 89-70 to the Tigers in the NCAA Tournament’s second round.

• •

FEB. 4, 2010

• •

Facing a hostile Florida State crowd, Vasquez records 23 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists in a 71-67 win. Vasquez averaged 22 points in the next six games, a stretch in which the Terps went 5-1.

Vasquez scores a career-high 41 points in a double OT win at Virginia Tech, making a strong case for the ACC Player of the Year Award in his senior season.

The Terps miss the NCAA Tournament and head for the NIT for the third time in four seasons.

2006-2007

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

9.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 4.6 apg, 2.7 TO, 28.8 mpg

17.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 6.8 apg, 4.4 TO, 37.0 mpg

17.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 5.0 apg, 2.8 TO, 34.6 mpg

19.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 6.4 apg, 3.3 TO, 33.5 mpg

Vasquez still has something to prove AARON

KRAUT

G

reivis Vasquez won’t see his No. 21 honored in the Comcast Center rafters tonight, and that’s truly a shame.

Vasquez has scored the third-most points and dished out the second-most assists in the history of the Terrapin men’s basketball program.

He’s 80 points behind Len Bias for second all-time in scoring with at least four games remaining.

On the whole, those are better career marks than Steve Blake, who saw his jersey honored before his Senior Night

game in 2003, or Lonny Baxter, who was honored alongside Juan Dixon in much the same way in 2002, albeit in Cole Field House, the Terps’ former home.

I know what you’re thinking. Blasphemous, right?

Baxter, Blake and Dixon made up the holy trinity that brought the Terps their first ever Final Four appearance in 2001, then the program’s only national championship in 2002.

How could anyone compare Vasquez to them? Vasquez has never been on a team that’s made it to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.

He’s never been on a team close to national title contention.

There’s also a good chance Vasquez will receive the honor

sometime down the road. One would at least hope coach Gary Williams, or whoever decides such things, is already planning a “Greivis Vasquez night” for next season.

But the snub, however minor it is for the time being, does illustrate a larger point, one that Vasquez won’t escape during the next month.

To back up those remarkable statistics and his trademark shimmy, Vasquez must win in March and perhaps even take the Terps further than their talent and experience should allow.

If Vasquez has a tough shooting afternoon in a virtually meaningless game at Virginia on Saturday, the rabid reception Vasquez receives tonight will seem as if it never happened.

A disappointing ACC Tournament performance in two weeks, or a third career loss in the NCAA Tournament’s second round later this month, and people will forget a good amount of the praise they’ve been heaping on him this week.

Whether the proper benchmark is an ACC Tournament title and Sweet 16 appearance, a spot in the ACC finals and an Elite Eight, or some other combination, much of Vasquez’s legacy has yet to be determined. Certainly nobody is expecting Vasquez to lead this team, which this week is ranked for the first time since November, to a Final Four.

But in order to solidify his place in Terps’ history, Vasquez has to take this team to a level within shouting distance of where the program

was around the time Baxter, Blake and Dixon left. It’s unfair, but it’s reality. Vasquez has always faced an uphill battle when it comes to gaining the respect and admiration of Terp fans.

He was undeniably the best player on the team last season and this season, and he was just as important to the team’s success as senior James Gist during his sophomore campaign. The distinction entails much responsibility.

The problem is Vasquez’s teams generally had mediocre supporting casts. Every one of Vasquez’s errant passes or missed jumpers under pressure was booed, or worse.

Here’s a guy who had such a tumultuous relationship with his own fans, he actually cursed at them during a 2009

game against Georgia Tech.

Critics said Vasquez turned the ball over too often or took bad shots, which he absolutely did. But none of those aforementioned Terp greats were flawless either.

But because they made a great team together, they won.

Vasquez has never had that luxury.

So, he’ll have to wait a little longer to see his number hanging from above, next to names such as Dixon, Bias, Albert King, John Lucas and Walt Williams. Vasquez might not be in their class, but he’s not far behind.

Luckily, he has a month remaining in his career to prove what many already know.

He belongs up there. akraut@umdbk.com

8

THE DIAMONDBACK | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 2010

Sports Maryland Terrapins

25-4 (12-2 ACC)

Don’t worry. The crew at Terrapintrail.com and on Twitter at

http://twitter.com/DBKSports has all your gameday needs covered.

Check for updates all night and read Diamondbackonline.com for a recap of yesterday’s Terrapin baseball game against VMI.

TERPGAMEDAY

THE MATCHUP

Duke Blue Devils

Don’t have a ticket for tonight’s game?

21-7 (11-3 ACC)

WHEN: Tonight, 9 p.m.

WHERE: Comcast Center TV: ESPN DATA: With a share of the ACC regular season title on the line, the No. 22 Terps host No. 4 Duke on Senior Night.

3-POINTERS ALL ABOUT ATMOSPHERE

1 2 3

Senior Night at Comcast Center against Duke would be a big deal no matter what the teams’ records. Add in the home team playing for a chance to tie for the ACC lead, and it’s one of the Terps’ biggest home games in years.

Coach Gary Williams said his teams have dealt with the emotions of Senior Nights in the past, but it’s pretty clear this one is different.

The first few minutes should set the tone in a sure-to-be emotional game. “[Today] will be such a good day to play basketball,” guard Greivis Vasquez said. “That's the way I look at it. Let's play some ball.”

BLUE DEVIL BLUES

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

DUKE

TERPS

79.2 44.4 39.1 75.9 39.6 14.2 11.4

80.0 47.6 38.9 71.3 39.1 16.7 11.9

INDIVIDUAL STATS DUKE POS

MIN PTS REB AST

G G F F C

36.4 35.2 35.5 25.1 16.7

J. Scheyer N. Smith K. Singler L. Thomas B. Zoubek

18.8 17.4 17.1 5.2 5.6

3.4 2.7 7.0 4.9 7.0

5.3 2.9 2.3 0.9 0.9

TERRAPINS POS

MIN PTS REB AST

G G G F F

33.5 30.6 28.3 29.7 24.1

G. Vasquez E. Hayes S. Mosley L. Milbourne J. Williams

19.5 10.9 10.9 13.0 9.1

4.8 6.4 2.5 3.9 5.5 2.7 5.0 0.8 8.4 0.1

Recently, this rivalry has been completely one-sided with Duke reeling off six straight wins, including four by double-figures. It’s been more than three years since the Terps last knocked off the Blue Devils.

As the Terps look to reverse their earlier loss to Duke this season, forward Landon Milbourne said the players have kept the focus on themselves.

“We just didn’t play as good as we should’ve,” Milbourne said of the Feb. 13 blowout in Durham, N.C. “It wasn’t them as much as it was us.”

STOPPING ZOUBEK

Duke’s Brian Zoubek has given the Terps problems throughout his career, including a 16-point, 17-rebound performance in the Blue Devils’ Feb. 13 win.

Throughout his career, the hardworking 7-foot-2 center has struggled too much with injuries and foul trouble to be a consistent presence.

If Zoubek once again adds an unexpected boost to the potent Blue Devil lineup, the Terps will be in trouble.

Forward Landon Milbourne and the Terps had little success in their 21-point loss to Duke on Feb. 13 at Cameron Indoor Stadium. JACLYN BOROWSKI/THE DIAMONDBACK

JUMPBALL

ONE-ON-ONE

SENIOR NIGHT DONE RIGHT

GREIVIS VASQUEZ VS. JON SCHEYER

Greivis Vasquez, Landon Milbourne and Eric Hayes played together for the first time in the 2006 Charm City Challenge. The now-senior trio has been together ever since.

Vasquez gets the most publicity as an ACC Player of the Year candidate, but at times in their final season, each has carried the team for stretches.

“We became family these four years,” Vasquez said yesterday.

Tonight, they have a chance to say goodbye to Comcast Center in style with a win against a top-5 team.

But the Terps have lost two straight Senior Night games. And Milbourne and Hayes particularly struggled earlier this season against Duke, combining to shoot 4-for-13 with four turnovers.

The trio has bigger goals in mind as the season winds down, but good performances tonight would put them all on the right track.

The two leading ACC Player of the Year candidates will be on display tonight, and the game’s outcome could go a long way toward deciding a tightly contested race.

In terms of raw numbers, Vasquez has a slight edge.

But Scheyer’s Blue Devils have been the ACC’s best team all season.

The Duke point guard delighted his home crowd with a series of secondhalf circus shots in the Blue Devils’ blowout of the Terps on Feb. 13, finishing with a game-high 22 points.

Vasquez was far-and-away the Terps’ best player on the floor, sparking a second-half run all by himself.

Tonight they should spend at least some time guarding each other, giving voters another chance to size up the candidates.

“In terms of value to your team, I think Greivis has been tremendous for us, what he’s done for our team,” coach Gary Williams said. “ I think Player of the Year, that’s debatable, and that’s a good thing.”