NO SWEAT 16
SETTING UP SHOP
Terps down No. 9-seed Utah to advance to Sweet 16
The Bridge takes residence at Santa Fe Cafe for five shows
SPORTS | PAGE 8
DIVERSIONS | PAGE 6
THE DIAMONDBACK WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2009
Campaign promises revisited As Sachs’ term enters its final stretch, initiatives still in the works BY DERBY COX Staff writer
When he was running for SGA President, Jonathan Sachs was criticized for having an overly broad campaign platform. But as this year’s elections approach and Sachs’ term draws to a close, he and other Students Party offi-
99TH YEAR | ISSUE NO. 111
THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER
their incoming [Student Government Associations] to be ambitious, or else there’s just no point.” Sachs and SGA Speaker of the Legislature Matt Lyons said the SGA has addressed almost all the items on their platform, which covers nine topics
cials say they wouldn’t change a thing. “I think any candidate who isn’t ambitious in their promises should be faulted, because that’s what you want,” Sachs said. “You want a candidate who feels that they can get a lot done. You know everyone was criticizing our platform for being pie in the sky. ... Clearly it wasn’t. I think students should expect
Please See SGA, Page 2
ANNAPOLIS 2009
Senate looks to slash $9M from budget Senators: Cuts would still allow for USM tuition freeze BY ALLISON STICE Senior staff writer
ANNAPOLIS – A Senate budget subcommittee recommended slightly more than $9 million in cuts to the University System of Maryland budget yesterday, significantly less than the $20 million their counterpart in the House of Delegates trimmed on Friday. The Senate’s cuts should preserve the tuition freeze for
undergraduate in-state students, subcommittee chairman Sen. Edward Kasemeyer (D-Baltimore and Howard) said. “From what we did, I would say we didn’t affect [the chance of passing a tuition freeze],” Kasemeyer said. “And when all is said and done and the budget is finalized, I think the freeze will remain.” The subcommittee’s cuts,
Please See SENATE, Page 3
Student-stained glass Commons rules force students to remove years-old window paint BY RICH ABDILL Staff writer
The residents of Commons 5210 keep a fairly clean house, but they have made it clear: They are not washing any windows. In fall 2007, Gail Baltazar and her roommates upstairs in 5310 painted their sorority letters on their thirdstory bay window. Soon after, Ari Berkowicz and his roommates followed suit, painting the first three letters of the Hebrew alphabet on their window in 5210, 4-feet tall and
visible from Van Munching Hall, two parking lots away. But now South Campus Commons says that if the residents of 5210 do not wash their windows, someone else will. After almost two years of inspections with nothing said about the windows, Commons management pulled an abrupt about-face, demanding the residents clean the windows, a makeshift landmark for students navigating campus, by
Please See WINDOWS, Page 3
The Senate Budget and Taxation subcommittee on education met yesterday afternoon to review a list of bills that will be presented to the Senate committee on Friday. Among those bills is a system budget cut. MATTHEW CREGER/THE DIAMONDBACK
City Council urges police district shift Existing county police district does not include Route 1 apartments near IKEA BY BRADY HOLT Senior staff writer
PHOTOS BY JACLYN BOROWSKI/THE DIAMONDBACK
Voter turnout in Univ. Senate elections down, bucks trend
The city of College Park is continuing to ask the Prince George’s County police department to put all of the city in the same police district, a change city officials say would help police better serve the area. College Park annexed land off
SPRINGING INTO ACTION
Route 1 north of the Beltway in 2003 that was developed into the IKEA store and a nearby apartment complex and shopping center. That area, which city officials estimate houses as many as a thousand College Park residents, was never moved to county police District 1 after the
Please See DISTRICT, Page 2
SEE STORY ONLINE
Turnout falls for the first time since 2004, despite record number of student applicants for positions BY MARISSA LANG Senior staff writer
Finding students to run for University Senate wasn’t a problem. Getting students to vote was. Although a record number of undergraduates ran for seats in the university’s most powerful legislative body, the number of students who voted declined from last year’s total, the first drop in turnout since 2004. Close to 8 percent of the student body
TOMORROW’S WEATHER:
— 1,960 people — voted in this year’s elections, down from 2,177 last year. Turnout has increased ever since 2004, when only 1,200 students voted in the elections. The decline contrasts sharply with the rise in students running for senate seats. After the number of undergraduates running nearly tripled, the number of graduate students has also seen an uptick. Fifteen graduate students were
Spring football practice began yesterday, with the Terps heading to the practice field at about 7:30 a.m. to run plays and practice blocking without pads. JACLYN BOROWSKI/THE DIAMONDBACK
Please See TURNOUT, Page 3
Rainy/40s
INDEX
NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 OPINION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
FEATURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 CLASSIFIED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
DIVERSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . .6 SPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
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THE DIAMONDBACK| NEWS | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2009
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ARYLAND
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NEWSMAKERS BRIEFS Senate president suggests commission examine state song ANNAPOLIS – Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller is suggesting that a state commission examine the state song and consider changing some stanzas. Legislation that would have changed some of the words to “Maryland! My Maryland!” has failed in a House committee. A Senate version of the bill remains in a committee. Supporters of the legislation have called for a change because the song written in 1861 by James Ryder Randall calls for the state to secede from the Union. In a reference to Abraham Lincoln, the opening line of the song says: “The despot’s heel is on thy shore, Maryland!” Miller told the Senate on Tuesday that he hopes to keep the song but change a few stanzas that he calls “offensive.” Another line in the song reads: “Huzza! She spurns the Northern scum.”
Officer to be charged with attempted murder BALTIMORE – Baltimore police say they plan to charge a city officer with attempted murder after he fired his department-issued handgun during a bar fight. Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said Officer Patrick Dotson fired a shot that hit the rear of a vehicle with a man and a woman inside. It happened early on the morning of March 8 at Fins on the Square, a bar in the city’s Canton neighborhood. Guglielmi said Dotson fought with some people inside and the fight continued outside after the bar closed. After Dotson allegedly fired the shot, the victim drove away and called 911. Dotson is 27 years old and has been a city officer for two years. He’s been suspended without pay. Another officer who was with Dotson, Fontaine Smallwood, was also suspended but does not face any charges.
MARYLAND SOFTBALL
GREEN MEETING
Watch the Terps take on the Northwestern Wildcats, 5 p.m., Robert E. Taylor Stadium
Give University President Dan Mote your feedback on the Climate Action Plan, Noon, Tydings 0117
Q+A
BEST of the BLOGS
Police Seeking ties with the west also in Ukranian ambassador says joining NATO, EU critical for his country favor of switch SCENE + HEARD
BY DARREN BOTELHO Staff writer
The acting Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S. emphasized the importance of his country joining the European Union and NATO during a speech on the campus yesterday. Viktor Nikitiuk, who became the acting ambassador earlier this week, spoke before 27 university faculty and students in McKeldin Library, providing a history of the country’s development since the end of the Cold War and speaking about its hopes of joining two of the world’s most noteworthy international organizations. After Ukraine gained independence from the U.S.S.R. in 1991, two years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Ukraine quickly established a democracy and a rapport with the U.S. and its Western European neighbors that has endured through present day, Nikitiuk said. But in recent years, Nikitiuk noted, it has become a priority of his government to prove to members of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization that they should accept Ukraine as a member state. Ukraine would gain both economic and military security if admitted, he said. “In a time of recession, [weapons of mass destruction]
and terrorism it becomes hard for countries without substantial backing to protect themselves,” said Nikitiuk. “Countries such as Sweden and Switzerland are not members, but have a closer proximity to countries involved in NATO and therefore are more protected and do not need to worry about membership; it is an objective requirement for us, not a choice.” Both geographical location and political ideology make Ukraine a key ally for Western European nations, Nikitiuk said. A natural gas line supplying heat and electricity to Europe runs from Russia through Ukraine and the nation is a solid democracy in a region of the world still new to that form of government. The university originally invited Ukraine’s U.S. ambassador, Oleh Shamshur. However, he has been summoned to Ukraine’s capital, Kiev, to become the country’s foreign minister. So Nikitiuk, Viktor Nikitiuk, the acting Ukranian ambassador to the United the number-two official in States, spoke about Ukranian policies and foreign relations at the embassy and the current McKeldin Library yesterday. JAMES B. HALE/THE DIAMONDBACK acting ambassador, spoke in Saul Sosnowski, associate learned new information his place. for international about internal policy, foreign Nikitiuk was not the first provost fill-in for a recently promoted affairs, arranged for Nikitiuk to policy and bilateral relations ambassador to speak at the take Shamshur’s place because concerning Ukraine,” said university. In December, after he said it was important that Sosnowski. “One of the key the Georgian ambassador to students learn about current things I wanted was for stuthe United States was pro- events surrounding Ukraine: dents to walk away from here moted to minister of defense, its independence after the Cold a little less insular and more his replacement spoke on the War, the natural gas line and its open to the world.” campus only one day after NATO ambitions. “I would hope that students botelhodbk@gmail.com being appointed.
BRINGING PALESTINE TO HORNBAKE
Police: Teen lures girl from playground, rapes her CROFTON – Anne Arundel County police have charged a 17-year-old boy with luring a 7-year-old girl from a playground in Crofton and raping her at his home. Police say a babysitter left the girl alone Friday when she took the girl’s brother home to use the bathroom. When the sitter returned, the girl was gone. The girl was later found at the sitter’s home, and she told the sitter a man asked for help getting into his home and that he sexually assaulted her there. Police said the investigation led to 17-year-old David Raszewski’s home. He has been charged as an adult with second-degree rape, first-, second- and thirddegree sex offenses, perverted practice and seconddegree assault.
"Welcome to Gaza," an event put on by the Organization of Arab Students, Muslim Student Association and other groups and designed to raise awareness about the Gaza situation, took place on Hornbake Plaza yesterday. The event went from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and, according to OAS President Gisica Abdallah, over 800 people had visited the exhibit by noon. The exhibit consisted of 40 posters with information on the situation divided into four sections: life/hardships, war, history and statistics. JACLYN BOROWSKI/THE DIAMONDBACK
BALTIMORE – Baltimore firefighters have freed a man trapped for six hours after the trench he was working in collapsed. Fire department spokesman Chief Kevin Cartwright said the man was rescued just before 4:30 p.m. Monday after the 10:40 a.m. collapse in the 4100 block of Fairfax Avenue. Cartwright said the man was awake and oriented when pulled out of the 10foot-deep trench. He was experiencing a loss of sensation in his legs after being buried up to his chest for most of the day. The collapse happened after contractors used a backhoe to dig a trench for a sewer line repair. The spokesman said the man was digging with a shovel when the side wall came down on top of him. Cartwright said the man will be examined at a hospital.
— Compiled from wire reports
DISTRICT, from Page 1 annexation. More than five years later, the College Park City Council voted last night to send a letter to the new Prince George’s County police chief, Roberto Hylton, to get the process moving again. City public services director Bob Ryan said College Park first asked that the newly annexed part of the city join District 1 in 2006, and that while he had heard no objection to the plan, the county was taking its time processing the request. It would be especially useful now to have the city in just one county district because College Park’s new contract police officers report to District 1 but patrol the entire city, Ryan added. “It’s not critical,” he said. “But it’s helpful in communications.” County police agree. “We favor it. The fact is the city would get a better police service,” said Maj. Daniel Lipsey, acting commander of District 1. “We share information daily amongst the different districts, of course, but this would improve our coordination.” District 4 Councilwoman Mary Cook, whose city district includes the section of northern College Park currently in police District 6, said she had never seen a problem result from the split districting. She supported the request to the county, she said, because she didn’t see any way it could hurt anything. Northern College Park is closer to the headquarters of District 6 in Beltsville — just two miles north of Ikea off Route 1 — than the District 1 station in Hyattsville, but Cook said that’s not a problem. “I did think about that, but because we’re supposed to have our three contract police officers, I thought that would kind of outweigh that concern,” she said. Neither Cook, Ryan nor longtime District 2 Councilman Bob Catlin said they knew who first made the request to change the police districting. Ryan’s name was on the most recent memo to the city council, but he said he was just continuing the process of making the request that began in 2006. holtdbk@gmail.com
Economy led SGA to back off on health care legislation SGA, from Page 1
Man freed after 6 hours stuck in trench
SCENE + HEARD
including safety, housing and the environment. But while the SGA is meant to represent the student voice, the organization ultimately has little control over the decisions made by the university on most issues, and the impact of their advocacy can be impossible to isolate from other pressures on legislators and administrators. “Ultimately SGA doesn’t really hold the trigger on much of anything,” Sachs said. “My role is primarily to be that advocate, to be that liaison between the people who can pull that trigger and the students.” But despite the advocacy, not all the items on the SGA’s wish list have come to fruition. Some of the SGA’s work on safety, for example, has yet to be completed. Other proposals they promised to push for — like an all-you-can-eat meal plan — are under consideration, but don’t appear to be near implementation. Other promises were abandoned. The association decided not to lobby for a health care bill due to the economy. Some members of the SGA’s finance committee said the organization was treating itself differently than other student groups, in violation
of a campaign promise. LOBBYING Lobbying is mentioned at length in the platform, and Sachs emphasized the issue in his State of the SGA Address at the end of last semester. In the platform, Students Party members said they would work to maintain the tuition freeze and pass legislation aimed to lower the cost of textbooks and ensure health care for all students. So far, the state senate has passed SGA-backed textbook legislation, but a proposed tuition freeze is up in the air after legislators proposed cutting the University System of Maryland’s budget. The party has collected signed letters from students in support of the textbook bill and the tuition freeze since the beginning of the semester and distributed them to representatives from students’ home districts. A lobbying day in February in Annapolis drew about 75 students. But Sachs said the lagging economy caused the party to back off the health care issue. DINING The Students Party pledged to work to eliminate focus dates, times when meal points are automatically reduced to a set amount. Late last semester, Dining Services agreed to allow all students to opt
out of focus dates. However, even before the SGA elections last year, Dining Services Director Colleen Wright-Riva said she was considering eliminating focus dates. The party also promised to explore the possibility of an all-youcan-eat dining plan. Dining Services Spokesman Bart Hipple said it was not clear whether students would want such a plan, however, especially because carryout is a popular option. For this reason, Sachs and Lyons said an all-youcan-eat plan may appear as a ballot referendum. TRANSPORTATION At the beginning of the year, the Department of Transportation Services ended the Terp Taxi program, which the platform states had to be “eliminated or restructured” because of its high cost and low ridership. Now Sachs is working with DOTS to create a new Terp Taxi program through an independent taxi company. Students could pay for the service with student IDs, he said. The taxi would hopefully go into effect close to the end of Sachs’ term, he said. DOTS also added the Silver Line bus route at the beginning of the year to travel to the areas most commonly frequented by NITE Ride and increased the frequency
of buses, part of another promise. At a meeting for non-mandatory student fees earlier this semester, DOTS decided to spend $103,000 to increase campus bike infrastructure, an issue SGA Senior Vice President Joanna Calabrese has focused on. “The emphasis this year has been on alternative transportation rather than parking simply because we see that as the future and we think it’s important to invest our time in that now so that it will be as effective as possible later,” she said. STUDENT GROUPS In the last line of the platform, the Students Party declares, “Anything that the SGA funds for itself should be funded for student groups.” At an SGA meeting earlier this semester, the legislature overwhelmingly voted to provide more than $4,000 for a leadership conference despite objections from two members of the SGA Finance Committee that a similar proposal from a student group would be rejected. Sachs said he thought the committee should sometimes be overruled. “As a rule, we should follow [the guidelines], and that’s why the finance committee exists, but there are always exceptions. I think the student body would be disappoint-
ed if I held to that in every case,” he said. SAFETY Safety was a key issue in the campaign, and the cornerstone of the Students Party approach was SafetyUMD, a program designed to educate students about safety issues in a similar manner to AlcoholEdu. The legislature voted to work with the administration to make the program mandatory at a SGA meeting last month, but relatively few students have actually used the program. The SGA has also worked on lighting issues. Sachs and Greek Legislator Gabi Band took a ride with College Park Mayor Stephen Brayman to pick out trouble spots. Band compiled a spreadsheet of 28 areas that need lighting attention. The three men will send a letter by Friday to Pepco, which owns the lights, asking the company to make repairs, Sachs said. New lights would have to be purchased by the city at a cost of $3,000 each, he said. Band has also worked this year to put together a Greek neighborhood watch that would work to ensure safety. If all goes according to plan, Band said the program might start sometime next month. coxdbk@gmail.com
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2009 | NEWS | THE DIAMONDBACK
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Some tenants won’t wash off paint Tuition freeze hinges WINDOWS, from Page 1 March 27. If the residents fail to comply, Commons management will charge the residents and send housekeepers to clean the windows, according to an e-mail sent to Berkowicz by Paris Rossiter, the Commons assistant director of operations. Berkowicz said he was told the charge was about $40, split between the four roommates. Baltazar and her roommates wiped their third-floor windows Monday afternoon, saying it was not worth the fight because only two of the current occupants are in the sorority and Baltazar is graduating in May. “Honestly, I’m moving out. I was just like, ‘OK, we’ll wash it.’ If I were staying, we’d definitely fight it,” Baltazar said. But Berkowicz and the rest of Room 5210 are not about to give in. “We’d obviously be more understanding if it was something offensive, something more than three letters on a window,” Berkowicz said. “It’s the Hebrew equivalent of A-B-C.” Shawn Levine, a senior business major and Berkowicz’s roommate, said the apartment has been inspected at least twice a month since the letters went up.
“We’re really confused,” he said. “It’s not like we were hiding the letters under the carpet.” After Rossiter called the residents about the violation March 12, Berkowicz and his roommates exchanged e-mails with him trying to remedy the situation, with Rossiter emphasizing the Commons lease prohibits painting any surfaces in the room and Berkowicz claiming their letters were not actual paint because it was water-soluble. Even window paint is in violation of the lease, however, because there is always the potential for damage, according to Dave Hawley, associate director of facilities for South Campus Commons and Courtyards. He also said signs in windows are a violation, but management chooses to pick its battles. Berkowicz said that while the letters do not hold a particular significance, their apartment has been passed down among kosher-keeping Jewish students since the building was constructed. “Most people are familiar with our apartment. We host a lot of meals and things. People know we’re here,” he said. “But it’s not the biggest deal in the world. Worse comes to worst, somebody comes in here and cleans our windows and charges us $10.”
on depth of cuts SENATE, from Page 1
The residents of Commons 5310 agreed to wash the paint off their windows. JACLYN BOROWSKI/THE DIAMONDBACK
Many students around Commons are familiar with the letters and were surprised that the windows need to be cleaned and the rule that window paint and signs were prohibited across the board. “I guess they do that to keep people from writing offensive stuff. But this? Who cares?” Junior environmental science and technology major Matthew Harraka said. “That stuff has been
there forever.” Berkowicz said the group’s options have run out, and they are just waiting for the March 27 deadline to roll around. Even if the letters are washed off, he said, the roommates will put them right back up, possibly with construction paper. “We’re holding strong,” he said. abdilldbk@gmail.com
Grad students say their power is growing TURNOUT, from Page 1 running for positions as of Monday, according to University Senate Director Reka Montfort. In the past, graduate students have had trouble filling all 10 of their senate seats. “We’re seeing great interest among graduate students,” Montfort said. “We should have no problem filling all those seats.” Roberto Munster, a public policy graduate student who served on the senate as an undergraduate, said issues pertaining to undergraduates are often just as important to graduate students. “I think there’s probably been an increase in interest this year because a lot of the issues that have been raised by the senate
affect graduate students directly,” said Munster, who is now the Graduate Student Government’s director of operations. “They’ve been made much more public this year, so students have been more interested in the senate across the board.” Unlike undergraduates, who choose senators to represent their college, graduate students are able to vote for all 10 positions — a key difference Munster said may pique more interest in the elections. Graduate Student Government President Anupama Kothari said graduate student interest has been growing in all areas of the campus, and therefore, the increased senate applications are no surprise. “Grad students are getting
more involved all over,” Kothari said. “But I think, also, there has been more awareness and understanding of why the Senate is so important in the grand scheme of things.” Kothari went on to say filling all of the graduate student senate seats is vital to ensuring their voices are heard — graduate students are not only a part of the 34 students in a body of more than 100 faculty and staff senate members, but are a minority among students with undergraduates being represented by 24 senators to their 10. “[Representation of undergraduates and graduates] is still not equal, but we’re on our way,” Kothari said. “But I don’t think the student voice is heard to a great extent in the senate.” She added that undergradu-
ate and graduate student senators should channel their enthusiasm over getting involved toward working together to tackle campus issues. This year, the senate, which directly advises university President Dan Mote on policy matters, has considered both the post-tenure review policy and the Good Samaritan policy. “The senate consists largely of faculty and I wish it would have more students — graduate, undergraduate, I don’t care, just more students,” Kothari said. “But until that can happen, the elected students need to work together and try not to be divided. It’s the only way we can get [other members of the senate] to listen to student voices.” langdbk@gmail.com
which will very likely be approved by the full Senate Budget and Taxation committee and the entire Senate, included $5.6 million from the system’s general fund, which covers day-to-day operation costs. The House deducted more than $10 million from the system’s general fund. “I think the House went too far in this regard,” Sen. Richard Madaleno (D-Montgomery) said before the subcommittee. Earlier this month, university officials argued Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) had in essence reduced their budget by $5.6 million in his original budget proposal, reflecting lower-than-expected tax revenues. System chancellor Brit Kirwan called the additional proposed cuts a “double-cut.” But lobbyist P.J. Hogan said the system completely understands the General Assembly has to make tough decisions. “It’s ridiculous to think that we wouldn’t be affected when they have $500 million in cuts to make,” he said. The subcommittee also cleared a $4 million cut to the system’s reserves, far less than the $11 million the House slashed. Senate decisions were guided in part by a supplemental budget O’Malley submitted to the House late Monday night that plugs federal stimulus money into various budget holes, including more than $17 million to higher education. The supplemental budget theoretically reduces the need to cut, said university lobbyist Ross Stern. The House budget subcommittee decided on cuts without knowledge of how federal stimulus money would be spent, so the full House may alter their decisions. While it seems the Senate subcommittee’s cuts would freeze tuition for the fourth year in a row, they still must be approved by the full chamber. Top-ranking legislators will reconcile the differences in the House and
Senate budget bills in conference committee, finalizing them by April 6. The final authority to raise tuition lies within the Board of Regents, a 17-member panel of gubernatorial appointees that oversees system policy. After the House cuts were announced, Kirwan said it might not be possible to keep the freeze intact if a cut that large were finalized. “All that we’re asking is that if the General Assembly wants us to freeze tuition, they can’t make cuts deep enough to affect programs and overall quality,” Hogan said. Because the Regents will decide on tuition rates after the state legislature completes its legislative session, it’s hard to say how big the cut would have to be to affect tuition rates, Hogan said. The system estimated tuition would increase by $16 million if the state didn’t provide extra funding to freeze it. Hogan said if the majority of the $16 million were cut, it would be difficult to maintain the tuition freeze. Through holding the line on tuition without dropping any major programs and services, system institutions like this university have been nationally ranked as best values in public higher education, Hogan said. Since 2004, the system has dropped from the sixth most expensive in the nation to 16th in terms of tuition costs. “It’s a terrible time to raise tuition,” Hogan said. “If we’re able to freeze it again ... I think we’ll definitely get ranked in the 20s.” A tuition freeze is a top priority for the Senate Budget and Taxation committee and for the majority of the legislature, Kasemeyer said. The subcommittee approved a tuition freeze at all the state’s community colleges. “I think it’s very important for the governor, since he ran on a platform of keeping higher education costs affordable, and we support that,” he said. sticedbk@gmail.com
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THE DIAMONDBACK | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2009
Opinion
THE DIAMONDBACK
STEVEN OVERLY
YOUR INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK PHONE: (301) 314-8200 | FAX: (301) 314-8358
ROXANA HADADI
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BEN SLIVNICK
MARDY SHUALY
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Staff Editorial
Credit culture
The sticking point
I
n 2001, the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center opened with hopes who have something new to offer the city. The city is specifically targeting that it would serve as a cultural beacon for a college town whose culture the credits toward condominiums, office buildings, grocery stores, high-end consisted mostly of bars with exotic names. CSPAC succeeded in bring- restaurants, clothing stores and locally owned businesses, though the credits ing College Park high-caliber plays, jazz and classical music. But after could be applied much more broadly. If a housing complex offers to build the the show, visitors file out of Lot 1 and head for Washington and Silver Spring. city a pedestrian bridge, Schum said that could make it eligible for the credit. If a friendly developer comes along with the capital to replace an eyesore CSPAC hasn’t become a center of culture — it’s become an island. liquor store, District 2 City Councilman Bob Catlin said he’d The problem has been well documented throughout East eagerly waive some of its property taxes. Campus planning meetings as well as in virtually every evalBut we hope the credits will also be extended to businesses uation of the city’s urban landscape, ranging from a 2006 offering public art, community events and international flaEnvironmental Protection Agency report to camThe city should use tax vor, too. While Catlin said the tax credits were conceived to pussqueeze.com’s ranking of the nation’s 20 worst college credits to promote cul- add economic value to the city, our city will ultimately be towns. And the problem certainly isn’t news to the city coundefined by its culture, not its infrastructure. After all, what cil. The council has recently placed high standards on develture in College Park. use is a pedestrian bridge if it’s leading toward the same opers, setting strict guidelines on businesses and housing. Sometimes, their hard-line stance has been justified. Sometimes, it’s come three sandwich shops? Sure, the liquor store’s gone, but what good is that if we off as petty. But the latest solution the city has cooked up seeks to sweeten the replace it with sandwich shop number four? The restaurant with the mural deal for new ventures, and marks a major step forward in the city’s outside or the music store hosting local bands might not add much to the city’s tax rolls, but it would make the city an attraction — or at least a place approach. City Planner Terry Schum has proposed offering tax credits to developers you don’t have to hurry to leave.
Our View
Editorial Cartoon: Jenna Brager
I congratulate The Diamondback on its good editorial Mar. 23 regarding the post-tenure review proposal, and on its publication of a counter-opinion on the same page. Good journalism! The thing that amazes me about this whole affair is that we already have an annual review of all tenure-track and tenured faculty as part of the merit pay system, to which no one seems to object. There may not be any merit pay funds this year due to our budgetary problems, and I do not know if departments will conduct the usual annual reviews or not. The posttenure review proposal would require the reviews, regardless of budgetary considerations, but I find it hard to see why this is a bad thing. And the idea of making the results of the reviews explicitly known to faculty members (which happens only indirectly now — that is, you either get a pay increase or you don’t) is, I think, unquestionably desirable. The sticking point about the post-tenure review proposal LEE seems to be the PRESTON possibility of FACULTY OMBUDSMAN salary reductions as a result of the reviews, which some colleagues fear might be used for nefarious purposes. I think that is very unlikely, but some of the amendments to the proposal presented at the University Senate meeting address this concern, and others might be developed. In any event, anyone who felt mistreated by this process would be welcome to present a grievance to the faculty ombuds officer.
“The idea of making the results of the reviews explicitly known ... is, I think, unquestionably desirable.”
LEE PRESTON FACULTY OMBUDSMAN
Politically incorrect
Cul-de-sacs: Good for children, bad for roads
W
hen my family moved into our first house, I was in middle school, and I was ecstatic to play baseball games with the neighborhood kids in the cul-de-sac, something I couldn’t do in our old apartment building. But by the time I was in high school, the little asphalt court had turned into a jail cell, keeping me at arm’s length from anywhere I could see my friends, buy things or loiter. There wasn’t anywhere I could go that I didn’t have to drive to, and even if I could drive, the congestion turned a trip to the grocery store into an expedition. That’s why I was happy earlier this week to read that the state of Virginia wants to ban cul-de-sacs from all new neighborhoods. Our neighbors to the south have discovered that one’s makeshift baseball field is another’s traffic nightmare, and nowhere is that more apparent than in College Park. As we all know, there is one main north-south road in College Park:
DAN
REED Route 1, also known as Baltimore Avenue. Whether you’re going to Shoppers for groceries or to the Capital Beltway for that trip home to New Jersey, you’re going to end up on Route 1. Not surprisingly, the road can get very, very congested due to the mix of local and regional traffic. All of the cars have to take Route 1 because there are no choices, and there aren’t any choices because everyone wants their own private culde-sac. It wasn’t always like this. Before Route 1 as we know it was laid out in the early 20th century, Rhode Island Avenue, which parallels it about six blocks east, was College Park’s main
street. A streetcar to Washington ran down the center of the avenue in a median strip that still exists today, and businesses, schools and churches clustered around stops located at College Avenue and Berwyn Road. A grid of streets formed between Rhode Island Avenue and Route 1 as the area developed, allowing traffic to move freely between the two. As through traffic shifted to Route 1, local residents lobbied for portions of Rhode Island Avenue to be closed or converted to a one-way street, effectively creating cul-de-sacs. Parts of Rhode Island Avenue near EastWest Highway in Hyattsville and north of Paint Branch Parkway have been converted to the College Park Trolley Trail, a hiker-biker path where the old streetcars used to run. While these changes have been an improvement for homeowners fed up with traffic, noise and a loss of privacy, they’ve been a continuing hassle for any College Park student or resident who’s had to fight through rush-
hour traffic just to buy groceries. People like cul-de-sacs because they’re quiet and safe for kids to play in, and they’re ideally a gathering space, as well — a place for neighbors to sit out in lawn chairs, crack open beers and enjoy one another’s company. Reconnecting Rhode Island Avenue through College Park could help to create that kind of place elsewhere in the city: along Route 1, where bumper-to-bumper traffic makes the downtown area a less-thanenjoyable place to walk around or at College Avenue or Berwyn Road, where neighborhood centers built around the old streetcars were left to starve from a lack of traffic. While I doubt College Park residents would willingly follow Virginia’s example and give up their cul-de-sacs, it’s good to see that local governments are recognizing the pitfalls of the circle. Dan Reed is a senior architecture and English major. He can be reached at reeddbk@gmail.com.
Death penalty: The line between revenge and justice
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uring spring break, while many of you were basking in the rays of the Mexican sun and partying to your heart’s content, I was sitting in my basement and watching movies. Some may call my spring break experience dull, but it was epic. During my mega-movie-marathon, I came across Clint Eastwood’s recent production, Changeling, a true story about a mother whose son disappears and the battle that ensues to find him. Not to reveal too much about the movie, but it ends with the execution of a serial-killing pedophile, Gordon Stewart Northcott, who takes the fate of the missing boy to his grave. This story in itself demonstrates the debate that continues to rage across the country and in this state over capital punishment. When Northcott is hanged, we feel good because vengeance has been served, but at the same time, what secrets does he take with him?
Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) has been working tirelessly to repeal the death penalty in this state. With evidence that continues to reveal the innocence of inmates on death row and statistics that show execution doesn’t deter crime, states continue to abolish capital punishment, with New Mexico becoming the 15th last week. But O’Malley has given up hope of eliminating the death penalty altogether in the state, at least for this year. The bill that is currently before the legislature would only allow execution for murder cases where the crime was caught on tape, the defendant confessed on tape or there was DNA or biological evidence that linked them to the crime. Such measures would certainly help prevent innocent people from being executed, but the killing by the hands of the state would still continue. Once a criminal is locked away in prison, he or she is no longer a threat to the general public, and if
JUSTIN
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properly incarcerated, the inmate won’t be a threat to fellow inmates, either. By executing an individual, we as a society are not protecting anyone — we’re simply acting out in revenge, not in pursuit of justice. Capital punishment doesn’t deter crime; what criminal ever thinks he or she is going to be the one sentenced to death? Most criminals don’t even believe they’re going to get caught for their crimes, let alone executed. We have a criminal justice system that is seemingly divided into two parties: prosecutors and defenders. Their job is to fight like hell for their side and to win, regardless of what
the truth might be. This is done for the purpose of fairness — in truth, it is anything but. Lawyers who ignore evidence to win, even if it means convicting an innocent person or freeing a dangerous one, aren’t working for justice — they’re working for their pocketbooks. We live in one of the only Western countries that continues to kill their own people. Maybe that says something about us, or maybe it says something about Western society. In either case, the state legislature has missed an opportunity to end a practice that should have been retired to history long ago. We may continue to make execution more humane by switching from a rope to an electric chair to a needle, but as long as the state continues to kill in the name of vengeance, we are no better than the murderers being executed. Justin Snow is a sophomore history major. He can be reached at snowdbk@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.
While perusing the various pictures and statistics at the Gaza demonstration on Hornbake Plaza yesterday, I saw one poster which I felt needed clarification and addressing, as it is such a sensitive issue to Israel supporters. This was the “Political Prisoner” poster, on which a graph showed that more than 10,000 Palestinians were held in Israeli prisons, in contrast to the Palestinians’ mere one “political prisoner.” That prisoner is captured Israeli soldier Cpl. Gilad Shalit, now 22, who was kidnapped from within Israeli territory in a cross-border raid by Hamas operatives in 2006. He has since been held captive without a trial, without a timetable of release and without visits from the Red Cross as required by international law for more than 1,000 days. Taking this into account, Shalit is hardly a “political prisoner” as the poster claims, nor is he comparable to the Palestinian prisoners who were arrested while breaking the law, were given trials, have finite sentences and release dates, receive visits from the Red Cross and are even allowed to do things such as get married and have family members visit. Shalit is a hostage as defined by international law, and thus, his continued captivity is a war crime. That being said, I think it is inappropriate to portray his capture as anything less, and is not analogous to the case of Israel’s prisoners who were given trials, found guilty and are being held in accordance with international law. AVISHAI SHUTER SOPHOMORE VETERINARY MEDICINE
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.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2009 | THE DIAMONDBACK
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ACROSS 1 Submarine, on sonar 5 Baby carriage 9 Vestibule 14 Opera by Verdi 15 Handed-down stories 16 Pablo’s girl 17 Wolfish look 18 Puffin cousins 19 Transplant 20 Sports car or horse 22 Without a goal 24 Secretary’s memoranda 26 Third letter 27 Fireplace tools 30 Snorts with glee 35 Ward off 36 “Slither” actor 37 Give the appearance of 38 Crumpet companion 39 Lab tech 42 Still exist 43 Ocean flier 45 Pupil’s place 46 Sahib’s place 48 Action flick need 50 Come-on 51 London lav 52 NASA outfit (hyph.)
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DOWN 1 Ointment 2 “Instead of” word 3 Time to beware 4 Dancer’s need 5 Factories 6 Blush makeup 7 Place of refuge 8 Flat-topped hill 9 Wheat supplier 10 Brunch fare 11 Omigosh! 12 They often clash 13 Cry of disgust 21 Major artery 23 Click-on items 25 Ascending 27 Liver pastes 28 In plain sight 29 Reeves of “The Matrix”
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orn today, you know how to apply yourself to all manner of work and projects, and you can be counted on to see something through to the bitter end. Still, you prefer to dedicate your time and efforts to those things that spring from your own vivid imagination; you like to think of things that never were, say why not, and strive to make them a reality for all. It is true that you can at times be rather selfish when it comes to work, and those who know you best understand this. You don’t have to run around exclaiming the joys of a project you do for others; you still work hard and do it well. You do like exclaiming the joys of your own private endeavors, as these mean more to you than any others. It is likely that you will have one particular project that you want to do again and again throughout your lifetime. You are widely respected for your integrity and your ability to get along with others. What many may not know, however, is that you don’t always like those with whom you come in contact; in truth, you have only a small and cherished circle of friends with whom you most like to spend time — whether it be at work, rest or play. Also born on this date are: Aretha Franklin, singer; Gloria Steinem, activist; Sarah Jessica Parker, actress and producer; Simone Signoret, actress; Bela Bartok, composer; Elton John, singer and songwriter; Arturo Toscanini, conductor. 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. THURSDAY, MARCH 26 ARIES (March 21-April 19) — You may have trouble getting one last piece of the puzzle to fit
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into place. Once you do, it’s likely to be clear sailing for you. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) — The addition of one more talented individual to the group can make the difference between routine and exceptional performance and reward. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) — You’ll find yourself gravitating toward those who share a rather unusual outlook. Could it be that you are experiencing a change? CANCER (June 21-July 22) — You are likely to get more out of asking the right questions than offering answers. It’s important to know just what you don’t yet know. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) — You never know what you’re likely to come up with when you dig around in your bag of tricks. A little ingenuity goes a long way. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — It’s a good day to keep your expectations just a bit in check. You don’t want to ask for anything unreasonable or impossible. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — You’re likely to have to change gears very quickly — more than
once — in order to jump to the aid of someone who comes to you for help. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — You can take a more creative, artistic approach to a rather mundane problem, and perhaps solve it once and for all. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Spending quality time with a family member or two can provide you with more of what you need right now than anything else. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — The simplest solution to a current problem is likely to be the most satisfying — and permanent. Don’t overcomplicate things at this time. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — You may want to go it alone, but the truth is that there are certain obstacles facing you that will require teamwork. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) — Someone is looking out for you — and you’ll know it when you realize that you’ve bypassed a major hurdle as if by magic. Copyright 2009 United Feature Syndicate, Inc.
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THE DIAMONDBACK | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2009
Diversions
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: INTERVIEW: GLASVEGAS “I know with us, at least, there’s a lack of options, really. Us being in a band, there wasn’t anything else to do. You either work in a factory … [or] be in a band.” — Rab Allan said of growing up in Glasgow, as interviewed by Vaman Muppala For the full interview, just click the Diversions tab at:
arts. music. living. movies. weekend.
INTERVIEW | THE BRIDGE
hoff theater highlights TWILIGHT The Twilight phase is officially in second gear with the film’s DVD release this past Saturday — earning the double-disc set one of the five best opening day sales of the last few years. By now you can’t escape the series’ tale of teenage vampires with allusions to abstinence. Author Stephenie Meyer’s series has three more books left, so don’t expect the films to die down anytime soon. New Moon, the first sequel, is tentatively set for a Nov. 20 release.
SHOWTIMES: Today, 2:30 p.m.; Thursday, 5 p.m; Friday, 9:30 p.m.; Saturday, 5 p.m.
LET THE RIGHT ONE IN Apparently it’s vampire week at the Hoff. Let the Right One In is much more critically heralded than its counterpart, Twilight, though. The Swedish horror film — with bits of romance — was a hit at the Tribeca Film Festival. Based on the book by John Ajvide Lindqvist, the film is about a bullied 12-year-old who develops a relationship with a vampire. Apparently the film was so good that Cloverfield director Matt Reeves signed on to write and direct a remake for English-speaking audiences before it even hit theaters.
SHOWTIMES: Today, noon, 9:30 p.m.; Thursday, 2:30 p.m.; Friday, noon, 10 p.m.
MANHATTAN Woody Allen’s black-andwhite love letter to New York City is a masterpiece of cinematic nostalgia, cosmic hang-ups and Freudian neurosis. Gordon Willis’ elegant cinematography marries beautifully with the music of George Gershwin, producing something a bit more composed and bittersweet than Allen’s masterpiece, Annie Hall. It may not be the more honest film, but damn, if it isn’t captivating.
SHOWTIMES: Friday, 5 p.m., free
Knox Road’s newest residents Baltimore’s The Bridge plays a weekly residency at Santa Fe Cafe BY RUDI GREENBERG Senior staff writer
W
hile The Bridge’s first of six shows at Santa Fe Cafe on March 11 didn’t come close to selling out — the bar was only half full — nearly everyone in attendance was focused on one thing: the six guys onstage. That’s the kind of devotion the band inspires from its fans; it’s one of the few nonmajor acts actually able to command the Fe crowd’s attention. It’s no surprise, then, that the bar would host The Bridge for a weekly residency. The second show is tonight, and the residency will continue for the next four weeks. After all, with a nowannual summer residency at Baltimore’s The 8x10, The Bridge is used to calling a venue home for a while. “It always challenges us to try and come up with ways to make each night different,” singer and guitarist Cris Jacobs said. “When you play in front of the same audience weeks in a row, you can’t play the same stuff, so it’s always been fun for us, and it’s always been a good challenge to get some new things happening in the repertoire. And to push ourselves — maybe stretch out an old tune in a new way.” Jacobs even said the band is rehearsing weekly for the shows and working on new material that could be debuted in the coming weeks. Last year was a big one for the Baltimore-bred jam band — The Bridge released its third full-length album, toured Europe for the first time and added a new member to its five-piece core of Jacobs, mandolinist and beat boxing extraordinaire Kenny Liner, university alumnus and bassist Dave Markowitz, drummer Mike Gambone and saxophonist Patrick Rainey. But keyboardist Mark Brown — less than a year into his full-time tenure with the band — is still figuring out how to fit in. At the first residency show, a spotty mix made it sound like
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In addition to its Santa Fe Cafe shows, The Bridge will open for moe. in its native Baltimore this weekend. COURTESY OF HYENA RECORDS
Brown’s keys were mimicking Liner’s mandolin lines. Still, The Bridge played a blistery set, highlighted by a downright dirty “Poison Wine.” The track — from October’s Blind Man’s Hill — is a surging, lap-guitardriven rocker, appropriate backing for Jacobs’ gruff, soulful voice. The disc is a natural extension of 2007’s The Bridge, which featured the band finding a comfortable studio groove. Both seamlessly merge the group’s many influences — be it roots music, New Orleans funk or Southern rock. “I think it’s a good snapshot of where we were as a band at the time,” Jacobs said of Blind Man’s Hill. “I think it was put together well. It was put together honestly, and that’s all you can ask for.” Recently, the band extended its reach with a massive coast-to-coast tour. The Bridge has also found a niche as the go-to opening band for jam-associated acts playing in the Mid-Atlantic region. Having opened for bands such as Umphrey’s McGee and Dark Star
“It always challenges us to try and come up with ways to make each night different.” CRIS JACOBS GUITARIST AND SINGER, THE BRIDGE
Orchestra in the past, The Bridge will open both moe. shows at Rams Head Live! in Baltimore this weekend. Jacobs and Liner sat in with moe. at the All Good Music Festival in 2007, something you might see this weekend. “It’s great to get the call,” Jacobs said. “It’s good to be able to play with bands that we admire.” Last year, the band made another All Good friend: Phish’s Mike Gordon. The bassist caught The Bridge opening for Raq at a show in Vermont a few months before All Good and hung around to tell the guys how much he dug their set. After casually running
into Gordon backstage at the festival, Jacobs extended an invitation for him to sit in during The Bridge’s late-night set. He obliged, jumping on stage midway through “Bad Locomotive.” Gordon called the band the following Monday, and it opened for Gordon on a sixdate tour the next month. With Gordon’s main band, Phish, back on the road and jam’s other titan, The Dead, also going on tour, it’s easy for a band like The Bridge to get lost in the shuffle — something the group is fully aware of. “We were kind of talking about that today, and there’s varying perspectives,” Jacobs said. “I actually kind of stayed out of the discussion, but there are some parties that believe it could be great for getting people’s spirits back up for getting out and going to see that kind of music again. “There’s that feeling that goes along [with it],” he continued. “I remember when I was in high school and it was two months before The [Grateful] Dead came to town and there’s that glow of two months before and after. And I know people feel the same way about Phish, so in that regard, it’s good.” But The Bridge has its own way of capitalizing on the Vermont foursome’s return; it will play a series of post-Phish shows, the first in Asheville, N.C., on June 9. It’s a clever way to capitalize on the jam community’s propensity to see multiple shows and the chance that Gordon — or perhaps other members of Phish — could sit in during The Bridge’s show. “It’s always possible,” Jacobs said. The Bridge plays at Santa Fe Cafe tonight and every Wednesday until April 22. Tickets cost $5 with a student ID, $10 without. The band will also open for moe. at Rams Head Live! in Baltimore on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets for each show cost $25 in advance, $29.50 the day of. rudi.greenberg@gmail.com
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BETHESDA COUNTRY CLUB IS NOW HIRING FOR SUMMER Cabana * Bartenders Host/Hostess * Food Runners Beverage Station No Late Nights – Out by 11pm Weekly Paychecks Uniforms & Meals Provided Email resume to Keith at BCCFandBMgr@aol.com Fax: 301-365-4112
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2009 | THE DIAMONDBACK
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THE DIAMONDBACK | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2009
More Terp sports online
Sports
Along with football starting its spring practice yesterday, baseball dropped a close game at George Mason while women’s lacrosse won at Towson on the strength of a 12second, two-goal spurt from Caitlyn McFadden. Today, softball faces No. 10 Northwestern while baseball takes on lowly UMES. Read all about it at www.diamondbackonline.com.
71
56
MARCH ON THROUGH You shoulda been there GREG
SCHIMMEL
I
t’s too late. You missed your chance. The ship has sailed. The Terrapin women’s basketball team beat Utah 71-56 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last night, their last home game of the season. So unless you plan on driving to Raleigh or flying to St. Louis these next couple of weekends, you won’t be able to see the Terps in person for the rest of this season. And even worse, you won’t be able to see Kristi Toliver or Marissa Coleman in Terp uniforms in person ever again. You had plenty of opportunities, and you have nobody to blame but yourself. Tickets to every home game — including the two NCAA Tournament games — were free for students, and you could have walked or driven to Comcast Center just as easily as you did for men’s games. There actually would have been less traffic, and you would have been able to find better seats closer to game time. Coach Brenda Frese even offered free pizza to the first 150 students who showed up last night, and she delivered. The crowd last night was bigger than usual — an announced 10,065. There were definitely more students in the stands than there usually were for regular season games. The fans were loud; they brought energy; and they made a difference in the win. It’s just a shame that it took until this late in the season for people to take notice, and there were still significantly less fans than would have been here for a men’s game. Count them: Comcast Center boasted 7,885 empty seats last night. It’s an even bigger shame that too many people were either too stubborn or too prejudiced to join in the excitement at all. The Terps have a loyal following of niche fans, many of whom travel to nearly every game, home or away. But for most of their games this season, the Terps played in more-than-half-empty arenas, as mainstream sports fans failed to realize the quality of the product they were missing out on. The women don’t play above the rim, so people don’t really care about them. No matter how many games and championships they might win. But that’s not the team’s problem. It’s yours. Sure, the Terps would like to receive more equal coverage. And they’d love it if more people came to their games more often. But they never whine or complain about it, and they only bring it up when other people ask. They’re too busy winning to worry about whether the public is taking notice. You’re the one who didn’t get to see all the wins. They haven’t lost a home game in two seasons, by the way. And, truth be told, I used to be like you. Before last season, I’d never watched a women’s basketball game from start to finish, and I am by no means a women’s sports apologist. I’m not going to argue the female players are as athletic or strong as the best male players. You’re hardly ever going to see a dunk in a women’s game, and you probably won’t be blown away by any of the players’ leaping ability or speed. But at the same time, the Terps are not your stereotypical women’s basketball team. Yes, they play with the sound fundamentals the women’s game is often associated with. They value hustle on the defensive end, and crisp passes and easy layups on the offensive end. But they also play with a flare, flashiness and edge few, if any, of their opponents can duplicate. What makes the team so fun to watch is a quality that’s hard to describe, but mainly it’s just that they are really, really good. If you had come to a game, you would know what I’m talking about. But now you’ll have to wait until next year. It’s your loss. schimmeldbk@gmail.com
Anjale Barrett (left) and Marah Strickland (right) celebrate during the Terps’ 71-56 win last night against Utah in the NCAA Tournament second round. ADAM FRIED/THE DIAMONDBACK
Terps own boards in comfortable win going to play every game and go out and give my all.” Coleman will have at least one more game to play Saturday. After a two-week break following the ACC Tournament, the Terps looked as sharp in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament as they did in February, when they began their current 14-game winning streak. “It’s a fun game when you’re in command from start to finish,” Frese said. “We were just really in sync, in terms of each and every player. Obviously, the two seniors set the tone early and the rest of the team followed. We’re just thrilled and excited to be able to move on.”
BY AARON KRAUT Senior staff writer
To the 10,065 fans in attendance at Comcast Center last night, there was a sense of finality to the Terrapin women’s basketball team’s rather routine NCAA Tournament second-round victory against Utah. Seniors Marissa Coleman and Kristi Toliver, with banners honoring their No. 25 and No. 20 jerseys hanging above them in the rafters, were playing their last home games of their college careers, attempting to stretch their career record to 65-3 at Comcast Center. But as they walked off the court for the final time after the No. 1-seed Terps’ 71-56 win against the No. 9-seed Utes, Coleman and Toliver made it seem like business as usual. One final walk to the Terps’ bench and into the arms of coach Brenda Frese, a last standing ovation by the home fans and one final singing of the school’s alma mater at midcourt was all the two needed. Onto Raleigh, N.C., for Saturday’s Sweet 16 rematch against No. 4-seed Vanderbilt and step three of the duo’s six-part quest to win their second National Championship. “It was fun,” Coleman said. “We had a great turnout. … The good thing is, we still have another game to play, so it’s not our last game.” Coleman was physically overwhelming against the undersized Utes, pulling down 18 rebounds to go along with 18 points. Toliver didn’t need to score much as the Terps took control of the game for good early in the second half, but still finished with 17 points. The Utes showed from the opening tip that they weren’t going to back down from the powerful Terp offensive attack. The Mountain West Conference champions scored the first basket and led by as much as seven points with 14:22 left in the first half before Coleman and Toliver picked up the pace. “I knew it was going to take some time for us in terms of the motion; the flex that they run is so different from what we’ve had to defend in our conference,” Frese said. “We just had to kind of get a rhythm and feel to be able to see and understand what we needed to do
akrautdbk@gmail.com
UTAH TERRAPINS
28 44
28 —————56 27 —————71
UTAH UTES (23-10)
Marissa Coleman (left) and Dee Liles (right) dominated Utah on the boards, combining for 35 rebounds to the Utes’ 24. ADAM FRIED (LEFT) AND ALLISON AKERS (RIGHT)/THE DIAMONDBACK
on the defensive end. It was early in the game. I just knew that we needed to keep our poise and that we would eventually be able to get back to getting stops and rebounds.” The Terps (30-4) excelled on the boards. They outrebounded Utah by 30, grabbing more offensive rebounds (25) than the Utes had total (24). Forward Dee Liles was also key in the Terps’ glass effort, collecting 17 total rebounds and seven second-half offensive boards to help thwart any possibility of a Utah comeback. “Once we started playing, I knew they weren’t boxing me out at all, so it was easy for me,” Liles said. “We were just determined to get every rebound and get second-chance shots.” After Coleman emphatically blocked Utah guard Josi McDermott’s fast break lay-up attempt off the backboard, Utah forward Kalee Whipple gathered the loose ball and hit a 3-pointer to give Utah (23-10) an 18-14 advantage. The next time down the court, Coleman rose up and converted a long two-point shot
with Whipple guarding her closely to make the deficit two. But Coleman scored the Terps’ next four points, and the Terps finished out a 20-5 run, erasing the seven-point deficit and taking a 28-20 lead with 7:52 remaining in the half. The Terps would turn up the defensive pressure and continue to roll offensively, walking into the locker room with a 44-28 lead. Coleman had 12 points and Toliver scored 10 on 11-of-17 shooting combined in the first half. Coleman was intense as usual, at one point telling Whipple, “don’t touch me,” after the Utes leading scorer tried to pat Coleman on the back after the two fought over an eventual jump ball. Later, Utah forward Sasha McKinnon was given a technical foul after getting tangled up with Coleman for a rebound. “I don’t think she meant anything by it,” Coleman said. “I think it was just frustration on her part, with the way the game was going. I’m trying my best not to think about it as my last game, to let the emotions get the best of me. I’m
PLAYER MIN FG Whipple 38 9-20 Sawyer 14 0-1 King 38 4-7 Badon 23 1-4 Warburton 39 7-21 Stephens 1 0-0 McDermott 20 2-7 Knight 1 0-0 McKinnon 20 0-1 Stevenson 6 0-0 Team TOTALS 200 23-61
FT 3-5 0-0 0-0 0-0 3-3 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
O-T 4-6 2-2 1-4 1-3 0-3 0-0 1-3 0-0 0-0 0-1 1-2 6-8 10-24
A 4 1 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
PF TP 2 24 1 0 3 8 0 3 4 17 0 0 2 4 0 0 3 0 1 0
11 10 56
PERCENTAGES–FG: 37.7, FT: 75.0, 3FG: 20.0. 3-POINT GOALS–4-20 (Whipple 3-7, Badon 1-2, Warburton 0-6, McDermott 0-4, McKinnon 0-1). TURNOVERS–10 (Whipple, King 3). BLOCKED SHOTS–2 (Whipple, Sawyer 1). STEALS–6 (Whipple 3).
MARYLAND TERRAPINS (30-4) PLAYER MIN FG FT Liles 31 5-10 2-3 Coleman 37 8-16 2-4 Kizer 21 2-3 4-4 Strickland 34 4-12 0-0 Toliver 37 6-14 4-4 Barrett 16 1-3 0-0 Oyefuwa 3 0-1 0-0 Rodgers 18 2-6 0-0 Mingo 3 0-1 0-0 Team TOTALS 200 28-66 12-15
O-T 9-17 6-18 2-5 2-2 1-2 1-2 1-1 0-0 1-1 2-6 25-54
A 0 2 0 3 4 2 0 0 0
PF 2 2 1 1 0 0 2 1 0
TP 12 18 8 8 17 2 0 6 0
11 9 71
PERCENTAGES–FG: 42.4, FT: 80.0, 3FG: 21.4. 3-POINT GOALS––3-14 (Rodgers 2-4, Toliver 1-6, Strickland 0-3, Coleman 0-1). TURNOVERS––16 (Liles 6). BLOCKED SHOTS––3 (Coleman 2). STEALS––4 (Coleman 2).