April 21, 2016

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The University of Maryland’s Independent Student Newspaper 2016

Univ Salaryersity guide I NS I

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T H U R S DAY, A P R I L 2 1 , 2 01 6

U Police sued by former student Officers did not have warrant, claim states UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT WALLACE LOH speaks at the University Senate meeting yesterday in the Stamp Student Union Atrium. ornelle chimi/the diamondback

By Michael Brice-Saddler @TheArtist_MBS Staff writer

New public policy major approved by Univ Senate

T hough Sa nders ca n tha n k large numbers of college student supporters for success, Terps for Hillary co-president Allyson Winburn said the group shows that not all students are behind him. “She’s the most experienced candidate by far in the field, and that is most compelling to me,” the senior government and politics major said. Trump’s high polling among this state’s Republicans could be due to a frustration with federal

A former university student is suing University Police for more than $1 million, claiming that two of its officers unlawfully seized him from his dorm and held him inside an interrogation room for more than three hours, according to a document from the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. The lawsuit, which was filed by Ronald H. Posyton III on March 31, is against University Police Officers William L. Mable III and Michael Thomas, as well as this university and the state, according to the document. On Sept. 18, at 7 p.m., a student not identified in the document informed Thomas that an unknown person had made “brief contact” with their leg without permission and that they had not suffered any physical injury, according to the document. Thomas and Mable, who were tasked with investigating the case, arrived dressed in suits and armed at Posyton’s on-campus dorm Sept. 23 at 9 a.m. after receiving information about him being a person of interest, according to the document. Without a warrant, the two officers allegedly forced Posyton to go to University Police headquarters for questioning, even though he was still wearing pajamas. “The UMPD officers neither possessed a warrant, nor had probable cause to seize me from my dorm,” Posyton wrote in an email. “I had neither been accused of having committed a crime, nor had committed a crime, but sadly, the UMP officers had decided to abuse their power and simply seized me from my home.” While being held in an interrogation room, Posyton said he repeatedly exclaimed, “I’m really scared,” and was concerned that this incident could lead to his expulsion from the university, according to the documents. Posyton claimed that for roughly three and a half hours, he was unlawfully questioned by Thomas and Mable without ever being read his rights, according to the document. During his attempt to contact University Police after the incident, Posyton was allegedly laughed at and threatened with harassment charges if he were to contact University Police again, according to the document. Police allegedly refused to provide Posyton with a police report. Both university officials and the University Police department have acknowledged receipt of the lawsuit but will not provide comment at this time, said police spokeswoman Sgt. Rosanne Hoaas and university spokeswoman Crystal Brown. The incident caused Posyton to “suffer injuries of both body and mind,” lose a semester of school and face emotional distress, depression and loss of

See PRIMARY, Page 2

See LAWSUIT, Page 2

josh loock/the diamondback

‘I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO SEE MY FAMILY’ Laila, a freshman biology student protesting Israel Fest with a group of fellow pro-Palestine students, faces off with University Police Lt. Lisa Payne on McKeldin Mall on Tuesday. “I will never be able to go to where I’m from. No, you don’t understand,” she shouted at Payne. STORY ONLINE

Bachelor’s degree first of its kind in DC region

SGA ELECTIONS

By Grace Toohey @grace_2e Senior staff writer

Swanson outlines Bold Party platform

The University Senate approved yesterday a new undergraduate public policy major as well as the Undergraduate Policy on the Conduct of Undergraduate Courses and Student Grievance Procedure, which would prevent professors from requiring activities during reading day. It also approved an updated policy and procedures on academic clemency. The three bills will move forward to university President Wallace Loh’s office and, if approved, will then require approval by the University System of Maryland Board of Regents. The new bachelor of arts in public policy, proposed by the public policy school, would be the first of its kind for a university in the Washington metropolitan region and would put this university at a clear advantage, said Robert Orr, the school’s dean. “This is about much more than just an undergraduate degree,” Orr said. “It will significantly help this university become a top-10 school, expand opportunities and maximize synergies.”

3-year SGA member hopes to tackle assault, mental health services By Lexie Schapitl @lexieschapitl Staff writer Before she even started class at this university, Katherine Swanson knew she wanted to be involved in student government, she said. The summer after she graduated high school in Fort Worth, Texas, Swanson started looking into the Student Government Association online and applied for an opening on the Finance Com m ittee she found on the behavioral and social sciences college blog. Now, a f ter t h re e ye a rs of serving on the SGA, Swanson said she is running for student body president — a position she will assume, as the only candidate — to continue her work to improve the lives of students and make sure the administration hears their concerns.

See SENATE, Page 3

Katherine Swanson, the Bold Party’s candidate for Student Government Association president, aims to improve resources available to students on the campus. tom hausman/the diamondback “I knew this was something I wanted to do,” Swanson said. “It was a goal of mine because I felt like something I was really passionate about was helping students on this campus … really be the best person they can be.” Swanson, a junior government a nd pol it ics m ajor, is r u n n i ng on the Bold Pa rty ticket. A fter serving on the Finance Committee, Swa nson beca me d i rector of student groups and current-

ly serves as vice president of student affairs. J.T. Stanley, a senior individual studies major, also planned to run for student body president but missed the deadline to file for candidacy for himself and the rest of his Voice Party. He u nsuccessf u l ly fi led a n appeal, accusing the Elections Board of misconduct, and was See SWANSON, Page 3

Students aim to rally peers as primary draws near Groups supporting Clinton, Sanders, Trump encourage students to register to vote Tuesday By Lexie Schapitl and Grace Toohey @lexieschapitl, @grace_2e Senior staff writers Across the campus, sidewalk chalkings proclaim “Trump 2016,” stickers state “Ready for Hillary” and T-shirts read “Feel the Bern” as university students from across the political spectrum prepare for Tuesday’s primary ballot battle. Though New York’s primary this week marked another success for front-runners Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, their challengers — Bernie Sanders, Ted Cruz and John Kasich — will have the chance Tuesday to pick up delegates from this state, along with Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island. Students registered with a party in this state can vote in the state’s primary in Stamp Student Union

if they are registered from their local address with a zip code on the campus. Local off-campus residents can vote in Ritchie Coliseum. “Students need to get involved in the political process; they need to get out and vote,” said Terps for Bernie President Christopher Walkup. “That’s ultimately what we’re trying to do … to inspire people to make the change they want to see.” Students encouraged peers to register to vote leading up to the state primary through the Student Government Association’s Terps Vote Coalition and MaryPIRG’s New Voters Project. In total, the two initiatives accrued about 2,000 new student-voter registrations, said Andrea Holtermann, a junior government and politics major who serves as campaign director of Terps Vote and campaign coordinator for the New Voters Project.

T houg h th is state’s pri ma ry typically falls too late in the election season to have a large impact, this year the front-runners have not yet clinched the nomination, said Michael Hanmer, government and politics professor and research director of the Center for American Politics and Citizenship. A recent Washington Post-University of Maryland poll found that among likely Democratic voters, 55 percent of Marylanders are likely to support Clinton and 40 percent to support Sanders — giving Clinton a predicted 15-point lead. Among Republicans, Trump holds a 10-point lead over Kasich and an almost 20point lead over Cruz, according to the poll. This state’s proximity to Washington — where Clinton worked as a senator representing New York and as Secretary of State — and relatively large, politically active black population likely help to explain her popularity in the state, Hanmer said.

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DUELING ACES Maryland pitchers Brian Shaffer, Taylor Bloom battling for rotation’s top spot P. 20

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