August 4, 2016

The University of Maryland’s Independent Student Newspaper

T H U R S DAY, A U G U S T 4 , 2 01 6

Grad student government offers Dulles shuttle bus

U settles athletics suit with deaf fans

Free rides will help out during August move-in

Funds to change signs, captioning of games

By Lindsey Feingold @lindseyf96 Staff writer

By Lexie Schapitl @lexieschapitl Senior staff writer

When Mani Vedma, a secondyear telecommunications graduate student, arrived at Dulles Airport in January of 2015 to see snow everywhere, he had no way to get to the university and no idea what to do.

After this experience, as the director of Student Affairs for Develop Empower and Synergize India, Vedma volunteered to help coordinate with the Graduate Student Government to expand the free shuttle service from the airport to the university for students. Before the expansion, the GSG operated its shuttle service on fewer days, and DESI provided a smaller shuttle service of its own.

The 40-person shuttle will pick up students from Dulles International Airport three times a day — 10:15 a.m., 2:15 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. — on seven days in August, and it will transport students to their choice of Stamp Student Union, Seven Springs Apartments, Graduate Hills, Graduate Gardens and Parkside, according to the GSG website.

“I was literally in tears when I arrived last year,” Vedma said. “New students shouldn’t be in that situation. By having this bigger shuttle serv ice, when students a rrive, someone will be there to welcome them and show them how to get to the university, which will hopefully make international students feel more welcomed in this country.”

When students arrive at Dulles, all they have to do is look for a volunteer with a black University of Maryland T-shirt and a sign for the University of Maryland in a specific area of the international passengers waiting area, according to the GSG website.

Water and snacks will be provided on each shuttle ride.

Xu Han, a representative of the public policy school for GSG, said in an email the service is open to all students, but due to budget constraints, GSG could only afford to provide the service at one airport.

GSG sent out a survey to undergraduate and graduate students in July to determine which dates to provide the shuttle and which airport it would go to, Han, a third-year doctoral student studying public management and finance, said. Almost 80 percent of the students who completed the survey See SHUTTLE, Page 2

fellow soldiers.

“I grabbed him by the vest. I threw him far as I could because that’s exactly what I was trained to do,” Groberg said. “The vest exploded. It took a part of my leg with it.”

Groberg wasn’t the only Marylander to take the stage at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Other speakers included former Gov. Martin O’Malley, Sen. Barbara Mikulski and Rep. Chris Van Hollen, who is vying for Mikulski’s Senate seat when she retires next year.

“Captain Groberg made all of Maryland proud on that stage,” Van Hollen wrote in an email. “His devotion to this country and his fellow soldiers reminds us of the values that have kept our nation strong for so many generations.”

The University of Maryland has agreed to provide additional captioning at athletic events, as well as on the athletic department website, as part of a lawsuit settlement with three deaf Maryland sports fans, according to a university spokesman and attorneys involved with the case.

This university will install an additional “ribbon board,s” a long, skinny LED board designed to display text versions of announcements, at the closed end of Maryland Stadium. The board will be located at the closed end of the stadium opposite of Gossett Football Team House for the 2018 football season, university spokesman Brian Ullmann said.

This university will now caption all videos posted on their websiteand will go back to caption archived videos on the site, Ullmann added.

This university will also continue to provide the captioning it has been providing since 2014, Ullmann said.

That year, the university installed ribbon boards to implement captioning of announcements at both Maryland Stadium and Xfinity Center, according to court documents related to the case.

The settlement also included portions of money for the plaintiffs and attorneys’ fees, said Joseph B. Espo, a lawyer with Brown, Goldstein & Levy who represented the plaintiffs. The

See GROBERG, Page 3

See LAWSUIT, Page 3

FLORENT GROBERG, a university alumnus seen receiving the Medal of Honor in November 2015, spoke at the Democratic convention. file photo/the diamondback

‘ETHOS OF A WARRIOR’ From alum Florent Groberg, awarded the Medal of Honor, a nonpartisan message at the Democratic National Convention

By Rebecca Rainey @thedbk For The Diamondback When University of Maryland alumnus and Medal of Honor recipient Florent Groberg spoke at the Democratic National Convention, he said he wasn’t there as a Democrat or a Republican.

Standing in front of a national television audience of about 28 million people, Groberg wanted to spread a message about the military and the issue of terrorism facing the United States.

“It [is] an opportunity to spread the word [and] speak about the essence and ethos of a warrior,” he said. “Soldiers spend years training for one moment — we don’t know when it will come.”

And that moment came four years ago in Afghanistan, when a suicide bomber approached his

Employee survey highlights need for engagement University data released Friday measured organizational culture, job satisfaction

By Carly Kempler @CarlyKempler Senior staff writer The University of Maryland’s Center for Leadership and Organizational Change released data from its first Thriving Workplace Initiative survey on Friday, revealing a need for improvement in employee engagement.

The university administered the survey through Gallup between

April 18 and May 10 to gauge university employees’ satisfaction, engagement, inclusiveness and organizational culture in their workplace, according to the news release.

A central focus was employee engagement, which the news release defined as “a measure of the intellectual and emotional connectedness of employees with their organization.”

Gallup recommends having a 4:1 ratio to overcome the damage of having one actively disengaged em-

ployee, said Laura Scott, the center’s director. The university’s current ratio is 1.78:1, the release stated.

“We think it is possible between now and next year when we redo this to get to 4:1 depending on the amount of effort folks are putting in to change things,” Scott said.

Compared to 18 percent of university employees who are actively disengaged, the data shows 50 percent of university employees are “not engaged,” which Scott said could be improved with changes at the local level.

While Scott said she wants to work to improve the ratio of employees who

are engaged versus disengaged, she noted she is pleased with the number of respondents.

The survey had an overall response rate of 54 percent, which included any university employee who was not an undergraduate or graduate student, Scott said. There were a total of 6,072 responses, according to the news release.

“Our database was a lot larger, so to get 54 percent of that, that’s a really large number,” she said. “We are really confident that we got a good picture of what’s going on for folks.”

See SURVEY, Page 3

Hogan’s office withholding $72K in funds for College Park youth services bureau Program provided mental health resources

By Angela Jacob @thedbk For The Diamondback For the first time in decades, the Youth Service Bureau in the city of College Park might have to fight for funding.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s office is withholding about $72,000 in funding for the city’s bureau — 75 percent of the bureau’s operating

stance abuse,” he said. “The Youth Service Bureau in College Park helps them get through that crisis. It is a budget — and $281,000 total from critical service.”

Currently, 70 percent of the chilthe four bureaus in Prince George’s County, which in addition to this city dren who seek help from these local include Greenbelt, Bowie and District youth service bureaus are 12 or under, although children have access to Heights.

These bureaus are a necessity for program counselors until they’re 18, providing mental health services to said Peggy Higgins, the city’s youth, children from low-income families in family and senior services directhis state, Mayor Patrick Wojahn said. tor. This state funding mostly goes “These are vulnerable children and toward hiring full-time staff, such as families who have dealt with mental health issues and issues with subSee FUNDING, Page 2

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THE COLLEGE PARK YOUTH & FAMILY SERVICES BUILDING, home to the Youth Services Bureau. Gov. Larry Hogan’s office is withholding $72,000 in funding from the city program. photo courtesy of peggy higgins

SPORTS

OPINION

RAPIDS TO RIO

STAFF EDITORIAL: Employee engagement

Maryland’s Ashley Nee qualifies for 2016 Summer Olympics after falling short of that mark the past two attempts. P. 8

University should cultivate job satisfaction for performance P. 4 DIVERSIONS

MAJOR KEYS In latest album, DJ Khaled hits all the right notes P. 6

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THE DIAMONDBACK | NEWS | THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2016

CRIME BLOTTER VANDALISM

By Mina Haq @dbkcrime For The Diamondback Un ive rs it y of M a r yland Police responded to reports of vandalism and a burglary this week, among other incidents, according to police reports.

BURGLARY On July 28 at about 6:30 p.m., University Police responded to Cumberland Hall for a report of a burglary. Two girls, who are not students at this university but were staying on the campus for a camp, had personal property stolen f rom thei r dorm room, police spokeswoman Sgt. Rosanne Hoaas said. The property was stolen some time between July 26 at 6 p.m. and July 28 at 6 p.m.

T he g i rls were not i n the room at the ti me of the burglary, Hoaas said, and police cannot provide more details about what property was stolen because the case is still active.

Un iversity Pol ice responded to the public health school on July 28 at 8:45 a.m. for a report of vandalism.

Offensive language was written on the walls and on a dry erase board between July 27 at 5 p.m. and July 28 at 4 a.m. A male university employee reported the writing.

“We don’t know exactly the specifics of the dry erase board,” Hoaas said, “but what we do know on the wall was offensive language.” Police did not give specifics about the offensive language.

THEFT Un iversity Pol ice responded to the 9300 block of Baltimore Avenue for a theft that occurred on campus on July 29 at about 6:40 p.m. A man reported that his registration plate had been stolen at some point between 11 a.m. and 12:53 p.m. the same day, Hoaas sa id. Pol ice w i l l review security cameras. newsumdbk@gmail.com

Danielle Ohl, Editor in Chief summer staff NEWS DESK

Jessie Campisi

MANAGING DESK

Brittany Cheng, Mina Haq ONLINE DESK

OPINION DESK

Molly Podlesny

William An, Reuven Bank SPORTS DESK

Kyle Stackpole DIVERSIONS DESK

Michael Errigo, Josh Magness

DESIGN DESK

Evan Berkowitz, Julia Lerner COPY DESK CHIEFS

Jack Paciotti, Ryan Romano

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SHUTTLE From PAGE 1 picked Dulles as their inbound destination, he said.

“We would like to offer it at other airports in the future and also offer more shuttles,” said GSG Vice President of Graduate Student A ffairs Rianna Murray. “In the initial survey, there were people who indicated that they are arriving on different days other than the ones we are offering, but we can’t afford to do each day someone is arriving — people are coming every day in August.”

DESI isn’t the only student or u n iversit y-sp on sored group to coordinate with GSG for this service. The Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the Office of Student Affairs and the Office of the Provost have a lso helped sponsor the program, Murray said.

FUNDING From PAGE 8 counselors and therapists, District 2 Councilman P.J. Brennan said.

In add ition to cou nseli ng ser v ices, the Col lege Pa rk bu reau helps to r u n the Lakeland STARs community service program on the University of Maryland campus, as well as a program called “If I were mayor” for fourth graders, a Hispanic Parents Support Group and other com mu n ity events.

Their outreach is about 890 children and families a year.

The news about the funds being withheld was a shock to people closely involved with this county’s bureaus, Higgins said.

“The funds were cut suddenly six days before the beginning of the fiscal year,”

IF WE SAVE SOME STUDENTS FROM HAVING TO ENDURE FIGURING OUT THEIR TRANSPORTATION, I

DIVERSIONS | MORE ONLINE

Cold who?

THINK THAT’S GREAT RIANNA MURRAY

GSG Vice President of Graduate Student Affairs In total, GSG has received $2,700 in donations so far from sponsor groups to help f u nd the shuttle serv ice, which costs $3,850 at the reduced rate the Department of Transportation Services charged GSG. “It’s nice after getting off a long international flight for someone to pick you up and take you where you need to go,” Murray said. “If we can save some students f rom having to endure figuring out their transportation, I think that’s great.” lfeingolddbk@gmail.com

Y

By Erica Bonelli @EricaBonelli Staff writer

ou may have noticed your trendier friends shying away from the classic iced coffee lately and instead sipping on a hip and refreshing cold-brew coffee.

You may have also noticed the Starbucks baristas forcefully asking you every day if you would like to try their cold-brew coffee despite the fact that they damn well know that you don’t want their $3.35 bougie iced coffee.

But perhaps you should think again. Cold-brew coffee isn’t just the next coffee fad, but a method of chilling coffee that makes a smoother, less bitter sip.

And now that Dunkin’ Donuts has gotten in on the trend, everyone can try cold-brew no matter which coffee giant you hold allegiance to.

For more of staff writer Erica Bonelli’s story, go to dbknews.com.

she said. “W hen the Governor’s Office for Children released a news release [June 24] about which programs they were funding, they did not include our programs.”

T his issue is more than just a concern for the youth serv ice bu reaus i n the county, Higgins said — it is a challenge to the checks and balances of the state’s government. She noted that lawmakers voted during a legislative session this year to allocate funding to continue the program, making the governor’s action to withhold funding contradictory to that decision.

“It is a very significant issue to the legislature that their directives aren’t being followed by [the governor’s office],” Higgins said. “If this is sustained, then it diminishes the legislature’s role in the budget process.”

Erin Montgomery, communications director from the governor’s office, wrote in an email that local management boards in the state had “repeatedly attempted to work with the poorly performing [youth services bureaus]. … The [bureaus] were not meeting standards despite ample time and opportunity.”

Montgomer y a lso cited “demonstrated ineffectiveness” as the reason for defunding certain bureaus.

Higgins, however, rebuked Montgomery’s reasoning, stating that the Local County Management Board, as well as the Department of Juvenile Services, came to monitor t he per for m a nce of t he local youth service bureaus in March and later validated them for another two years of funding.

Woja h n rei n forced th is point, adding that “there

was no dialogue; there was no attempt to work with us to explain why they feel we were underperforming and how we could fix that problem.”

Fo r n o w, c i t y go v e r nment of f ici a l s h ave b een ta k i ng steps to get the word o ut t h ro u g h s o c i a l med i a a nd va r iou s em a i l Listservs. Brennan’s Facebook post on July 26 is one e x a mple of t hei r c a l l for community outreach.

“If residents do not want to see this funding depleted or withheld from our city, they ca n reach out to the s t a te , to t h e go v e r n o r ’s office … so that they know how important this money is to serving our community,” Brennan said. “We should never take for granted the power of our voices as citizens of the state.” newsumdbk@gmail.com

CORRECTION An opinion column on page 4 of last week’s Diamondback entitled “The Problems With Today’s Race War” alleged that racial discrimination laws do not exist and that Black Lives Matter teaches children to fight back against police. Racially discriminatory laws do exist, though they are more subtle than those of the past, and Black Lives Matter pledges to commit to “peace in our engagements with one another,” according to its website. An online version of the story has been updated to correct factual errors and clarify the author’s observations from fact, and a more comprehensive note from Editor in Chief Danielle Ohl is also available at dbknews.com.

Additionally, due to a reporting error, the story “Alumna studying at natural history museum, New York” on page 1 of last week’s Diamondback incorrectly stated the nature of Deborah Fishbeck’s residency at the museum. It is a teaching residency.

find a great place to live @ TerpHousing.com search for all the best off-campus student housing choices in one place. College Park has so many great housing options and now you can easily check them all out on your desktop or mobile device.

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Tarot card set investigates Asian-American archetypes “the Lovers” and “Death.”

But more tha n half of the tarot cards in the project are retitled, Khúc said, among t he m “ t he R e f u ge e” a nd “the Adoptee.”

“We put our heads together a nd ca me up w ith new figures to … title the cards drawing on Asian-American history and Asian-American experience,” Khúc said. “So that people could actually use the cards to think about t h e k i n d s o f fo rc e s t h a t shape their lives.”

Each card in the project is accompanied by text written by authors involved with the Asia n-A merica n Litera ry Rev iew a nd its networks, Khúc said, which is another d i fference between these ca rds a nd the trad itiona l t a ro t c a rd s. T ra d it io n a l cards do not include text.

T h e p ro j e c t’s f u n d i n g w i l l go to w a rd p r i n t i n g costs specific to its January edition at the Asian-Ameri c a n L i t e r a r y R e v i e w, a place for emerging writers to advance dialogues, accord i ng to its website.

T hose who donate $10 on K ickstarter will receive a d ig ita l copy of one of the tarot card. Individuals can also submit donations to get other artistic pieces related to the project.

T h i s K ick s t a r ter c a mpaign is a means to “start a larger conversation,” Lawrence-Minh Bùi Davis told The Washington Post. Davis is the founding director of

the Asian-American Literary Review and an AsianAmerican Studies professor at this university.

Davis said he “decided to use fortune-telling because t h a t’s s o m e t h i n g t h a t’s a l ready i mporta nt across many Asian-American communities,” according to The Washington Post article.

The project also considers the forces “that create unwellness in Asian American life,” Khúc said. These forces include immigration, racism and discrimination.

“We wa nt to l i n k those l a rger forces to issues of mental health,” Khúc said.

Other aspects of the project include a mock Dia g no s t i c a n d S t at i s t i c a l Manual of Mental Disorders, which is used in psychology to list and define mental disorders one might have, Khúc said. “ We ’ r e r e w r i t i n g t h e ma nua l on menta l hea lth for Asian Americans,” Khúc sa id, where authors contribute essays that provide new approaches to mental health.

The project will continue to be funded on Kickstarter until Aug. 18, according to its donation page.

“The community response has been really overwhelming and really great,” Khúc said. “It’s really amazing to have people say: ‘Yes we need this. This matters to us.’”

conveniences that make it, on top of the delay and the unreliability of what you’re actually reading, just made it not a real solution.”

The university appears to have “embraced the virtue of captioning and providing equal access for its deaf fans,” Espo said.

“We think that the university is doing the right thing and doing it as quickly as it can,” he said. “[The plaintiffs] go to games regularly and they look at the website regularly and they’re happy at the outcome.”

The estimated cost of installing an additional ribbon board in Maryland Stadium is about $150,000, said Zack Bolno, senior associate athlet ic d i rector. P rov id i ng video captioning at Maryland Stadium, Xfinity Center and on the athletic department website will cost an estimated $35,000 annually, to pay for a caption writer and other expenses, Bolno said.

Jackson said she is “thrilled with the steps that the University of Maryland is taking to make sure that its spor ts venues a nd its spor ts tea ms, that a re so widely popular, are accessible to all of its fans.”

“It’s a lways a good day when t he defend a nt i n a lawsuit says, ‘You know, we want to do the right thing.

We don’t want to dig in our heels and continue to insist t h at wh at we’re doi ng i s right. We want to take the pla i nti ffs’ word for it, or we’ve done research and we kind of see how the plaintiff has a point,’” Jackson said.

ckemplerdbk@gmail.com

B o a r d o f P u b l i c Wo r k s approved a request for $315,000 to settle all claims on Ju ly 27, accord ing to a meeting transcript.

U l l m a n n sa id t he u n iversity wants to be “completely accommodating to everybody,” and the parties we re pl e a s e d t h e y c o u ld reach an agreement.

“We had the same goal, wh ich i s to m a ke t he fa n experience the best it can b e f o r a l l o f o u r f a n s ,” U l l m a n n s a i d . “ B e c au s e we had the sa me goa l, we could have very productive conversations about how to best get there.”

The National Association of the Deaf filed the lawsuit in the fall of 2013 on behalf of Sean Markel and Joseph Innes, longtime Maryland spor ts fa ns who a re dea f and had asked the university to provide captioning in Maryland Stadium and X finity Center on several occa sion s, sa id Ca rol i ne Jackson, an attorney with the NAD who also represented the plaintiffs. Danny Rinas, a third plaintiff and basketball season-ticket holder, later became involved in the case, Jackson said.

T he su it claimed that the university’s failure to provide captioning violated the A merica ns w ith Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination based on disability in employment, public accommodations and government activity; and the Rehabilitation Act, which covers entities that receive

federal funding, Espo said.

For deaf people, the ADA defines discrimination as “the failure to provide the au x i l i a r y a i d e s a n d s e rvices necessary to ensure effective communication,” Jackson said.

“So i f ever ybody else gets to k now who scored the touchdown, then a deaf person has the right to get that information as much as possible on equal footing with other people,” she said.

At the time the NAD filed t he su it, c apt ion i n g wa s available only on hand-held devices, Jackson said. Individuals could obtain a password to access captioning on their own devices or check out tablets to use, but the plaintiffs in the case were not aware of this service, which was new at the time, she added.

The NAD argued this captioning did not provide effective communication for deaf fans: It used voice recognition software that was often inaccurate, the feed was not timely and the use of hand-held devices made for an “obnoxious experience” at sporti ng events, Jackson said.

“I f you wa nt to h ave a drink and hold your phone that’s fine, but if you’re deaf and you sign, it means you can’t talk to anybody because you have your drink in one hand and your phone in the other,” she said. “It’s also ha rd to v iew you r dev ice in bad weather. If it’s too su n ny you ca n’t see it, i f it’s raining you can’t have it out, if it’s cold you can’t wear your gloves. It’s heavy.

There are all sorts of real in-

junior government and politics major added.

W hile his speech was not based upon party lines, Groberg sti l l endorsed Hillary Clinton later on in the speech.

“Hillary Clinton has been tra i n i ng for th is moment for decades,” Groberg said during the speech, adding that Clinton would support injured soldiers, defeat ISIS

a n d r e fo r m t h e Ve t e r a n Affairs Department.

Groberg said the experience of giving the speech in front of the Democratic Convention was “unbelievable.”

“It was a surreal, oncein-a-lifetime opportunity to push a message that I truly believe in,” he said.

Groberg’s message was an important reminder that in order to move forward,

A merica ns need to sta nd together, Van Hollen wrote.

“His positive message of unity and bravery in the face of adversity stand in stark contrast to the politics of fe a r a n d h a te t h a t s o m e are using to divide us,” he wrote.

Fo r m e r SG A P re s i d e nt and 2016 graduate Patrick Ronk added that Groberg’s speech was a n i m age of

h is cha racter.

“It’s incredible that [he] got the opportunity to speak on a national stage,” Ronk said, “and for him to use that time to advocate for better treatment for veterans and to reform the [Department of Vetera n’s A ffa i rs] just shows how great of a person he is.”

Researchers start Kickstarter project to raise awareness of mental health

By Alex Carolan @alexhcarolan Staff writer

OSCAR BARBARIN, chair of this university’s African-American studies program, speaks in this Diamondback file photo. His department conducted a study finding that black men who suffered violent trauma are more likely to experience similar injury again. file photo/the diamondback

Study finds black male trauma victims likely to repeat injury Researchers term it ‘trauma recidivism’

By Rebecca Rainey @thedbk For The Diamondback A team of University of Maryland researchers discovered some of the underlying causes of why black men who are treated for violent trauma, such as g unshot wou nds, stabbings and beatings are likely to be repeat victims of the same injuries.

Black men who abused substances, used a weapon in the last year and had been previously incarcerated were more likely to experience multiple hospitalizations for violent injury — risk factors that a team of researchers led by Joseph Richardson and Dr. Carnell Cooper are calling “trauma recidivism.”

“W hat often happens is young men get trapped into particular settings,” said Oscar Barbarin, chair of the African-American studies department. “If you have an accumulation of adverse events and have few opportunities as you approach being an adult it constrains your range of activity and ability to look forward.”

T h e s t u d y, w h i c h w a s conducted through the African-American studies department, was published in the July 2016 edition of the Journal of Surgical Research.

It surveyed nearly 200 black males who were at least 18

SURVEY From PAGE 1 Because this is the university’s first time gathering such data, Scott said there isn’t much to compare it to, but added that “there will be next year.” Measuring engagement and inclusion for higher education facilities, especially for an entire institution, is “relatively new” for Gallup as well, she said.

“We didn’t have expectat ion s,” Scott sa id . “A s this is the first time we’ve done this or anything like this, we are not in a habit of asking our people anything. … I w a s n’t s u re w h a t to expect. Gallup wasn’t sure to expect.”

Discussions about conducting this sort of a project started about three to four years ago, she said. “ [ We] s t a r t e d t a l k i n g about . . . what can we do

GROBERG

with patients during their hospital stay, providing access to advocacy programs such as social services, mental health counseling and job training, according to the National Network of Hospital-based Violence Intervention Program’s website.

“I think this information can lead to asking deeper questions about the structural violence which targets black and brown communities,” Richardson said.

Jessie Karangu, a university alumnus and member of the National Association of Black Journalists, said the findings don’t surprise him at all.

“For many black men out there who are not given the resources necessary to acclimate themselves in a working environment, this is the only way for them to survive no matter how much risk comes with the job,” he said.

Karangu argued, however, that the findings of the study doesn’t necessarily reflect the black men on the campus.

“I believe strongly that my fellow black males who attend [the] University of Maryland are well aware of the situations that could deter them from success and are doing their best to make sure those distractions don’t affect them.”

years old and had been treated at the University of Maryland Medical System Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore between 1998 and 2011.

The study found that 58 percent of the participants were hospitalized for violent injuries at least two times and 97 percent had been previously incarcerated, according to the report.

“We need to address the structural violence behind interpersonal violence,” Richardson said. “If interpersonal violence is preventable, how is it as a society that we have allowed violence to become the leading cause of death among young black men?”

The study also highlights an issue that black men in Prince George’s County are facing, Barbarin said.

“The resources for black m e n c om i n g i nto P r i nc e George’s County to accommodate and assimilate back into the community may not be readily available as other counties,” said Barbarin.

Richardson said that he plans to use the research to educate and enhance the hospital-based violence intervention programs at the University of Maryland Medical System Shock Trauma Center and a similar program at the P ri nce G eorge’s Hospita l Trauma Center.

Hospital-based violence intervention programs work newsumdbk@gmail.com

that’s a large-scale organizational change in a positive direction . . . but it also has a significant impact on people and their overall wellbeing in life if they’re engaged in their workplace,” Scott said.

“We have some sort of obligation to attend to the work experience that they have.”

To a na lyze a nd ex plore this new data, supervisors will receive instruction from Gallup to access summary resu lts, accord i ng to t he news release. T hese u n iversity employees, a long w i t h c o a l i t i o n m e m b e rs from various departments on the ca mpus, w ill work with Center for Leadership and Organizational Change consultants to take action on these results to create a better work environment.

These supervisors and coalition members will meet with their teams to create some sort of action pla n, said Michele Eastman, the

in whatever they put their mind to, and it gives me hope to see that I too can succeed From PAGE 1 at what I put my mind to,” G r o b e r g ’ s o p p o r t u n i t y said Mihir K hetarpal, the t o s p e a k a l s o i m p a c t e d Student G overn ment Asm e m b e r s o f t h e u n i v e r- sociation’s director of govsity community, including ernmental affairs.

“His message also resothose involved in student n ated w it h me a nd m ade government. “ A s a c u r r e n t U M D me realize that experienced student, it makes me proud leadership is what will drive to see UMD alum succeeding this country forward,” the

u n i v e r s i t y ’s a s s i s t a n t p re s i d e nt a n d c h i e f of staff.

“I wou ld l i ke to see people and staff in particular understand what t he i r p at hway s a re for growth and promotion on campus,” Eastman said.

“We want this to be the best place to work.”

Both Eastman and Scott said this project is a valuable investment in the university’s faculty and staff.

“The experience of being an engaged employee . . . it is such a powerful feeling,” Scott said. “Taking that energy and focusing that, and look what we managed to do . . . an unlimited capacity as what we can do as a university if everyone can have the same experience of engagement that we have had in creating this project.”

University of Maryland resea rchers a re fi nd i ng a new way to raise awareness on the mental health hardships Asian Americans face.

The Kickstarter project, “Asian American Tarot: A M e nt a l He a lt h P roje c t,” i s pa r t of a ef for t “O p en in Emergency,” which has raised more than $20,000 si nce lau nch i ng its K ickstarter page on July 19. With more than 400 supporters on K icksta r ter, the ca mpaign is sponsored in part by the university’s AsianAmerican Studies program.

T h is speci fic i n itiative features distinctly designed tarot cards, which depict artistic representations and writings of Asian-American history and experiences.

M i m i K húc, a v isiti ng assistant professor within the Asian-American Studies prog ra m, sa id she, a long with about 70 contributing volunteers, recreated and re n a m e d s eve ra l f i g u re s that would normally appear in a regular deck of Major Arcana tarot cards. Some of the traditional cards include names such as “the Devil,”

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4

THE DIAMONDBACK | THURSDAY, August 4, 2016

OPINION

EDITORIAL BOARD

Danielle ohl Editor in Chief

casey Kammerle Managing Editor

alana pedalino

Deputy Managing Editor

William An

Opinion Editor

reuven bank Opinion Editor

CONTACT US 3150 South Campus Dining Hall | College Park, MD 20742 | opinionumdbk@gmail.com | PHONE (301) 314-8200

STAFF EDITORIAL

COLUMN

Promoting employee engagement The heart of apartheid

I

f you’ve ever had an unpleasant experience with a diner employee or an unapologetic professor in your 400-student lecture, don’t feel personally attacked.

A Gallup poll consisting of 6,072 University of Maryland employees concluded that 68 percent of those university employees admitted to being either “not engaged” or “actively disengaged” on the job, according to the study organized by this university’s Center for Leadership and Organizational Change.

The poll, which ran from April 18 through May 10, measured employees overall satisfaction, engagement, inclusiveness and organizational culture in the workplace. The results, released this past Friday, were underwhelming at best.

Gallup recommends a productive work environment should have four engaged employees to make up for every one disengaged worker — a 4:1 ratio. This university currently sits at a 1.78:1 ratio, which happens to be slightly above the national average of a 1.67:1 ratio, sadly.

We wouldn’t go too far as to say that’s something to be proud of. Having more than two-thirds of your workforce being disengaged or actively disengaged, as the poll suggests, is unacceptable

i n o p e ra t i n g a s u cce ss f u l a n d productive university.

While each university department involved was given a commendable four-tier plan to take action on these low scores after the survey was released, this editorial OUR VIEW

This university needs to do more to ensure the engagement of all university employees. board is hesitant to trust the reliability of this action plan and their aspiration of making this university “the best place to work.”

This four-part Thriving Workplace Initiative plan suggests that they will turn engagement levels around by hosting leader coaching sessions, understanding the survey data, making meaning of that data and planning for action.

However, this calculated and scientific approach to “learn about the science and strategy of employee engagement,” as the action plan suggests, seems a bit too disingenuous and methodical to have a great effect on university employees.

While it is extremely important for the university and its Center for Leadership and Organizational Change to have an organized plan for changing workplace productivity, some of the survey questions make it clear that this lack of employee engagement comes from day-to-day interactions b e twe e n e m p l oye e s a n d t h e i r superiors.

Using a five-point scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree, our employees’ satisfaction landed in the lowest percentile for questions such as, “I always trust my organization to be fair to all employees,” “My supervisor or department chair creates an environment that is trusting and open” and “Everyone at UMD is treated fairly regardless of ethnic background, race, gender, age, disability, or other differences not related to job performance,” to name a few.

Obviously an organized plan of action can never hurt when dealing with low engagement and satisfaction levels among employees, but let’s not overthink this. A healthy and productive work environment starts with supervisors creating an environment where employees can be themselves and thrive, not be a cog in a machine.

A

ppropriately located in the heart of Cape Town, just off Nelson Mandela Boulevard, there runs a street named after Dr. Christiaan Barnard. A couple of kilometers away sits Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital. In 1967, Barnard performed the first successful human-to-human heart transplant, and in doing so ensured that his name would never be forgotten.

Afterwards, the South African government attempted to use Barnard’s image as a young white success story to improve its own global image during terrible apartheid repression.

Barnard, somewhat unwillingly, went along, while several of his colleagues were forced into exile for speaking out. The story became more complex in 1991, when Barnard brought to light the contributions of Hamilton Naki.

Naki, a black South African born in a poor rural village in the Eastern Cape, was hired to tend to the University of Cape Town’s gardens in 1940. He thus began an unprecedented ascent into the operating room, despite having no formal education.

By the late 1950s, he was cleaning lab animal cages at the university.

In the 1960s, he was anesthetizing animals and doing surgeries, including liver transplants (considered to be among the most difficult surgical procedures). In the 1970s, he was

EDITORIAL CARTOON

instructing university faculty in transplant techniques. Upon his retirement in 1991, Barnard described Naki as “a better craftsman than me.”

At the end of the day, Naki went home to his one room house, sans electricity and running water. When he retired, he was given a gardener’s pension. In the years following apartheid, his story made national news. For many, he became a symbol of the repression of black achievement during the apartheid years (though he did not, as it was erroneously reported, participate first-hand in the Barnard’s famous heart transplant).

Between 2002 and 2004, he was given a series of awards and acknowledgments, including an honorary master’s degree from the university where he’d worked (bestowed upon him by Nelson Mandela’s wife, Graça Machel).

There are no buildings in Cape Town named after Hamilton Naki. He died in 2005 in Langa Township, where 72 percent of households make less than $230 per month. He passed away, of all things, from heart trouble.

Christiaan Barnard died in 2001.

His contribution to the world survives him. In a microcosm of the South African apartheid years, so too does the smaller-scale legacy of Mr. Hamilton Naki.

Jack Siglin is a senior physiology and neurobiology major. He can be reached at jsiglindbk@gmail.com.

NEW COLUMNISTS WANTED

Want to be a columnist for The Diamondback? We are looking for new columnists for the fall 2016 semester. Columnists write weekly columns on any relevant university, local, state or national issue. If interested, please send a sample column (between 500 and 600 words) to William An and Reuven Bank at opinionumdbk@gmail.com.

Please provide your full name, year, major and phone number.

GUEST COLUMN

The problem with denying institutionalized racism

W Jocie Broth /the diamondback

GUEST COLUMN

The curse of privilege

D

uring a radio show on NPR, Joel Ben Izzy talks about the time he encountered a nonagenarian Auschwitz survivor on a bus as a child.

The old man pulled out an orange and said he found one just like it buried beneath the ash at the concentration camp. He told Izzy that at the time, he had to hide the orange from the prison guards because the fruit was so bright. Weeks later, the man ate the orange with his barrack mates during a particularly bad day at the camp and recalled that it was the sweetest thing he had ever or had since tasted. In that moment, that orange was freedom; it was survival; it was hope of living in Palestine. It reminded him to live.

As the bus came to a stop, the old man stood up, gave Izzy the orange and told him to “remember the sweet things in life.”

To be honest, I rolled my eyes the first time I heard that story. In retrospect, what I was really feeling was frustration that my life didn’t consist of stories that deserved to be told on the radio, that I have yet to experience a singular enlightening moment that would change my reality forever, that to me, an orange is just an orange.

To many of you, what I just said may have sounded insolent. But I think everyone has this notion that they are entitled to taste the sweeter things in life.

I don’t think this is wrong.

Can we really say we deserve it if we take a look at the current state of our nation, our presidential election, our police activities, and see nothing but pain? Maybe the reason why we demean, we marginalize, we oppress, we kill, lies not in what we think we know is right but in what we forget.

Forgetting may have been why a Diamondback columnist last week carelessly opined about Black Lives

Matter and referred to institutional racism as a “falsified concept.” Forgetting may have been why I felt entitled to the same profound experiences as a Holocaust survivor without knowing what it was like to have lived his life.

What I had forgotten, what many of us often forget, is our privilege. The reason may be because this concept is often misconstrued with material wealth and luxury, or even whiteness, something not many of us would say we possess; something incongruent to the difficult lives we live. But privilege comes in many disguises. Privilege is being able to worry about the future instead of worrying about tonight; it is the ability to work hard and struggle yet have a reasonable expectation of success; it is failing but getting a second chance; it is the feeling of security walking alone at night and sometimes. Privilege is being able to have an opinion.

But I didn’t write this column to talk about how great privilege is, and how it can afford some of us invaluable opportunities and resources. I am here to tell you that privilege is a curse our nation must rid itself of.

It might seem infuriating how I am referring to privilege as a curse while many people of color have toiled so long fighting for the same opportunities, but we need to start seeing it as something bad because in order for the privileged to exist, there must be those who live without it; those we step over to maintain this hierarchy of haves and have-nots. It is easy to point to overt racism as a method to this oppression but many times it is the subtler acts that corrode and linger.

It happens whenever we see nothing wrong with uttering the phrase “all lives matter”; it happens whenever we continue to preach the lie that anyone

can succeed in this nation simply through hard work and perseverance.

But sometimes, hard work and perseverance is all we have. And I think this is why it is so important for us to support the movements that draw attention to black lives because they know something those of us with privilege do not.

They have tasted what the old man from Auschwitz has tasted because, you see, the sweet things in life cannot be given, inherited or bought. They can only be earned. They were earned in the 60s during efforts to disenfranchise and silence. When segregation allowed little to work toward, activists worked anyway. When their peaceful protests were met, and are still met, with the possibility of bloodshed, they marched anyway. And whenever they came face to face with the most desperate, bleakest and deadliest of situations, they made their stand anyway.

And they are still standing because they know that racism, oppression and hate will crumble if we speak out when we witness injustice, if we do not shrug at institutional racism, and if we do not accept that happiness and success in this life comes from how high we climb the mountain of privilege.

And when the injustice seems too much, the hatred too great, the deaths too frequent; when the criticism and ignorance lures us away from our goal for equality, when it leads us to lose faith in our cause, we would be wise to look towards our black citizens and remember the bitterness we must endure to taste the sweeter things in life.

Patrick An ‘16, former opinion editor, is a research fellow at the National Institutes of Health. He can be reached at patandbk@gmail.com.

hen it comes to efforts to improve the quality of life for people of color, whom I’ll refer to as PoC, opinions and thoughts are often given by people who have not done the proper research or, frankly, who have not been asked for their views. Black people and other PoC face serious problems that often go unnoticed on a daily basis. We are constantly reminded that others will always find us inferior because of something that is completely out of our control. So, it’s quite absurd to hear non-PoC say that movements like Black Lives Matter brings race back into the spotlight, when, in reality, it hasn’t gone anywhere.

There is a lot of talk surrounding Black Lives Matter and how the movement is doing more harm than good for the black community. Those who support the effort have repeatedly discussed the fact that there are state-sanctioned laws in place that disenfranchise PoC and make it more difficult for us to have any kind of upward mobility. Then there are those who claim that such laws have not existed for a long time and that institutional racism is a figment of our imagination — yet in the same breath will say that a lot needs to be done to reduce racial tensions. PoC are telling the world plainly the root of some of the problems we face and are essentially being told we do not know what we’re talking about. Here, the problem is a blatant reluctance to listen or understand. People in places of privilege are not making the necessary attempts to hear what oppressed people know as their truth, thus increasing those racial tensions that we so desperately need to reduce.

Another aspect that plays into the dissonant understanding of race today is perspective. A lot of people commenting on Black Lives Matter and other racial issues today are speaking from a place of misunderstanding or ignorance. A person who does not exist within the spheres of blackness cannot, with authority, say what makes young black people fear police or others in power. There are so many different things a young black child may witness growing up that might influence their personal perspective on relations between the

police and black people. Saying that a movement intended to improve quality of life for black people is a factor in creating even more difficulties for black people is baseless and supported by nothing more than an outsider’s look into being black in America. Black children fear the police because of the horrors they witness in their communities involving the police, not because the world is just getting around to seeing them.

One thing I’ve noticed whenever another instance of police brutality comes to the attention of the public is that there are a select few people who take the liberty of saying that black people have to make everything about race. What these people fail to see is that a lot of things are about race whether we choose to acknowledge them or not.From the moment we’re born, black people are labeled with the mark of blackness. Every step and action we take is viewed through the lens of race, though we never asked for it. It’s nearly impossible to remove race from the issues we face today because we have been beaten over the head with our blackness for as far back in history as we can recall. We did not ask to be brought here, and we did not ask to be subjected to systems that were built to disenfranchise us. We cannot escape being black or what has happened to black people in the past.

We’ve been told repeatedly about how others view us because of our race, so wouldn’t it make sense to see the world through a racial lens?

A lot of people deny the existence of certain things if they don’t experience it themselves. Just because something doesn’t happen to you doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen at all. People who are comfortable with saying institutional racism doesn’t exist do so because they don’t have to live with its consequences every day. Institutional racism is very real, and denying it is akin to denying the privilege one has in not having to deal with being black in every moment of their life. The problem with institutional racism is that it deeply affects PoC every day, yet we’re told that our problems and our lives do not matter. One who denies the existence of institutional racism is as racist as the system built against us.

Hope Hynson is a sophomore psychology major and a member of UMD’s chapter of the NAACP. She can be reached at hopehynson@gmail.com.

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.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2016 | The Diamondback

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THE DIAMONDBACK | THURSDAY, august 4, 2016

DIVERSIONS

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REVIEW | DJ KHALED’S MAJOR KEY

right on key

DJ Khaled’s Major Key puts the rapper exactly where he needs to be

By Cameron Neimand @kneemund Staff writer After nine albums of glorious posse cuts and humorous adlibbing, DJ Khaled is now a modern day mogul. The former Terror Squad DJ and current Snapchat heavyweight/abuser (depending on your personal view) transformed himself from a loud-talking, master of hip-hop mega tracks into a loud-talking, master of hiphop mega tracks/life coach/success connoisseur/all-out open water Jet Ski rebel with a cause (global enlightenment). He eats the turkey, bacon and egg white breakfast spread that the almighty “they” do not wish for him to have, takes to the treadmill like the United States took to Normandy, and, most importantly, still makes the music that got him this seemingly unbelievable platform in the first place.

On his ninth studio album, Major Key, Khaled remains a masterful orchestrator and organizer of talent

while still being held back by radio tracks and the need for ad-libbing that’s turned him into a rap-game caricature.

With 14 tracks and a runtime just under 55 minutes, Major Key is a marathon of quintessential Khaled, a mix of radio-destined collaborations, rappers shining and sinking, and bits of wisdom from the key holder himself. On the album’s debut track, the Future- and Jay Z-featured “I Got the Keys,” Khaled instantly offers all three of the punch line ad-libs that have become synonymous with his name (Yes, we get a “We The Best music!” “Another one!” and “Major Key alert!”all before the 30-second mark). After a powerfully energetic Future hook, Jay Z reminds us all why he is a legend and we, simply, are not: “My swag different, that bag different/ My wife Beyonce, I brag different.” Through braggadocios declaration, Jay Z gives Major Key the start that it deserves. It’s an album about success, featuring a whole lot of people who are quite

familiar with the word.

Highlights are ample, as is often the case with a Khaled project. The legendary Nas reminds us why he is an undisputed top-five all timer, flawlessly executing his role as America’s greatest street poet on “Nas Album Done.” J. Cole croons a heart wrenching tale of unwavering depression and briefly steals the show on “Jermaine’s Interlude” — “Oh, I had so many days of crying/ Oh, I had so many days of pain/Have you ever been as sad as I am?/ Lord, I ask if anything would change?” On the Bryson Tiller-featured “Ima Be Alright,” Future drops a gritty, pain-filled truth regarding his ex-love, Ciara: “We was best friends until the fall out/ Now I got the lawyers goin’ all out.” New York’s finest, Jadakiss, Fabolous, Busta Rhymes, and Fat Joe, come together for a classic East Coast sound on “Don’t Ever Play Yourself,” where Fat Joe resurrects himself from obscurity: “This is big money talk and you tied to the sideline/ Brian Scalabrine n-----

always tryna high five.” Rap needs more Scalabrine references, and Fat Joe is here to fill that void.

Despite all the aforementioned moments of glory, it’s the Big Seanand Kendrick Lamar-featured “Holy Key” that shines through as the album’s top track. Lacking any sort of “Control” PTSD, Sean hops alongside the ever-intimidating Kendrick and unleashes his most well-rounded verse of the past five years: “Father help us, police doing target practice with real bodies/ Mommas in the streets, crying, standing over a still body/ N----over stressing, we under investigation/Everydayofftotheraces,can’t fuck with you if you racist/Beat your ass until you purple, they can’t even tell what your race is.” After a Betty Wright hook, King Kendrick delivers in an expectedly impeccable fashion: “So what you look up to?/ Fame and fortune, bitches, Porsches/ Sources with designer thing/Brand endorsement joining forces with sorcerers signing me/ Law enforcement their forces, tor-

tures us with violent speed/ Fuck your boss’s employment my joy is to see all you bleed.“ It’s safe to say Khaled saved the Holy Key for his project’s most godly appearance.

A mix of radio tracks, a Drake dud, and Khaled’s insistence on appearing bring the album’s more underwhelming moments. “Do You Mind,” featuring Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross, Future, Chris Brown, August Alsina,and Jeremih isn’t necessarily bad, but just a generic sound seemingly destined for overplay.Meghan Trainor joins two of rap’s biggest fall offs in Wiz Khalifa and Wale on the wholly forgettable “Forgive Me Father.” Lastly, Drake cruises unoriginally through his solo shot on “For Free,” referencing (or stealing?) past Kendrick and Too Short tracks: “I must have the superpowers/ Last 223 thousand hours/ It’s cause I’m off of CC/And I’m off the Hennessy/ And like your boy from Compton said/ You know this dick ain’t free!” (Well, at least we know Drizzy isn’t self-conscious about all those ghostwriting rumors.) To-

wards the end of “Ima Be Alright” Khaled feels the need to offer a plan-lacking vision: “They want us broke, so you know what we gonna do? We gonna become billionaires.

From now on when you see me,call me Billy.” Sorry Khaled, but unless this is a major key too major for our earthling minds to comprehend, I believe there is much more to becomingabillionairethansimplydemanding to be referred to as“Billy.”

So, enjoy Major Key for what it is — just under an hour of Khaled doing exactly what it was that got him totheincrediblyachievedpointthat he’s now at in his career. The album is chock-full of the self-indulgent talk, posse cut rap and top-notch features that Khaled has consistently put forth since his Listennn … the Album debut. Despite moments of annoyance, dullness, and Drizzy coming up short, Khaled’s Major Key is the album comes through as the album that it needed to be. cneimanddbk@gmail.com

new kid on the block

Aparna Nancherla shows promise in her debut comedy album

By Maeve Dunigan @maevedunigan Staff writer Aparna Nancherla just wants to give you some ideas to ponder.

You can take them or leave them, she’s “just putting it out there” — though“it”is usually hilarious and when she explains, you’ll be glad it’s out there.

Nancherla’s newest Just Putting It Out There is the comic’s first standup album. It’s also the first for Bentzen Ball Records, comedian Tig Notaro’s new label.

In the past, Nancherla has written for Late Night With Seth Meyers and appeared on Inside

MORE ONLINE

The most underrated Olympic events Looking for something new to watch during this year’s Olympic Games in Rio? Staff writer Patrick Basler takes a look at some of the lesser-known games that athletes will compete in during the upcoming competition. Read the review on dbknews.com.

Amy Schumer. Her comedic aptitude expands beyond standup, late night and sketch, as she also studied improvisation at various theaters including the Upright Citizens Brigade and The Groundlings. With comedic expertise to spare, it’s not surprising that she runs a terrific Twitter account, one that was put on TIME magazine’s list of the best Twitter feeds in 2014.

Nancherla has been celebrated for her ability to talk about dealing with mental illness, specifically depression and social anxiety, in her standup routine.

“I would say depression is one of those things that sublets space

in your head, so no matter how far away you get away from it, it exists as a somewhat permanent houseguest,” said Nancherla in an interview with Splitsider in March. “So while it can significantly impede my productivity and mood, it also very much contributes to my point-of-view and sense of humor.”

This point of view is clear in Just Putting It Out There. Many comedians utilize a self-deprecatory standpoint in performance, and Nancherla is no different. But Nancherla’s self-deprecation is a relatable one; through humor, she justifies a lot of the fears people face in their everyday lives.

After revealing that she has dealt with anxiety, she asks if there are any “stress-heads” in the audience and receives ample applause.

“I feel like if you’re not scared, you’re not paying attention,” she says.

Nancherla’s observations are told largely using dry humor.

Many of her stories and jokes are the sort of things you could see yourself discussing with a friend.

She relays the woes involved in trying to enjoy Netflix and the streaming service asking if she’s still watching. She talks about working from home, working in an office environment and living

in New York City.

But don’t be fooled: Nancherla isn’t boring. Each observation on the struggles of everyday life comes with a sort of self-awareness reminiscent of someone who has thought a lot about their actions and the effects they may have. Even the names of the segments on the album are self-aware. One segment is called “I Bring Up the Weather,” while the ending segment, “Welp,” is Nancherla rambling about how exactly to finish the album.

It would be easy to laud Nancherla just for her very existence.

She is one of the very few well-

known female stand-ups, and one of the even fewer of Indian descent (a fact she pokes fun at on the album when talking about an acting class she attended in which the only actors the class could compare her to were Mindy Kaling and Aziz Ansari).

But it would be ignorant to just label Nancherla as one of the best female comics or one of the best Indian comics. Though she wears these labels with pride, Nancherla herself is one of the very best upand-coming comics, period.

If you need any proof, try Just Putting It Out There. mdunigandbk@gmail.com

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THURSDAY, august 4, 2016 | sports | The Diamondback

7

coaches

maryland football is 10th out of 14 Big Ten teams in terms of successful college football programs according to the Associated Press. file photo/the diamondback

Former forward robert carter Jr. tried to avoid going to Europe. But after a poor summer league performance, he’ll compete in Italy. file photo/the diamondback

Coach DJ DURKIN has had a lot of success on the recruiting trail since coming over from Michigan to lead the Terps program. matt regan/the diamondback

SPORTS ROUNDUP

By Jordan Katz @Jordan_KatzUMD Staff writer

By Jordan Katz @Jordan_KatzUMD Staff writer

By Josh Schmidt @joshj_s Staff writer

Maryland is the 40th most successful college football program of all time, according to the Associated Press.

To put together an all-time ranking of all college football teams, the AP used “counted poll appearances (one point) to mark consistency, No. 1 rankings (two points) to acknowledge elite programs a n d gave a b o n u s fo r A P championships (10 points),” according to its site.

Ohio State earned the top spot in the rankings, thanks to its five national championships and the 105 times its teams have been ranked No. 1 in the poll. Two other Big Ten teams, No. 6 Nebraska and No. 7 Michigan, also cracked the top 10.

D e s p i te a re s p e c t a b l e ranking at No. 40, Maryland is 10th out of all 14 Big Ten teams on the list. The only teams in the conference who have been less successful than the Terps are Northwestern, Illinois, Indiana and Rutgers.

Maryland has not appeared in the AP poll since 2013 and was last ranked in the top 10 back in 2001.

S t i l l , t h e f u t u re l o o k s bright for the Terps.

Maryland has new assistant coaches, such as offensive coordinator Walt Bell, associate head coach Mike London and defensive coordinator Andy Buh. And under former Michiga n d e fe n s ive co o rd i n a tor and first-year coach DJ Durkin, Maryland has the 22nd-best recruiting class for 2017 according to 247Sports.

Former Maryland basketball forward Robert Carter will head to Italy to play basketball this season. Carter has signed with Enel Basket Brindisi, who plays in the Italian Serie A. After entering the NBA Draft following his junior season, Carter reportedly opted to go undrafted rather than be taken by teams who would have sent him to Europe to develop.

Carter opted to sign with the Golden State Warriors and played with their Summer League team.

He failed to hit a single 3-pointer on 11 attempts and generally produced lackluster play.

By forgoing his senior year at Maryland to enter the NBA draft, Carter believed he was developed enough to compete in the NBA. This past season with the Terps, Carter averaged 12.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.

He was a starter on a team that made the program’s first Sweet 16 appearance since 2003.

Still, it doesn’t appear Carter is ready for the NBA, at least not right now.

While it’s not the NBA, Carter can still use his opportunity in Italy to make a living playing basketball.

He is likely to get plenty of playing time and will be able to develop and improve his game.

Carter’s NBA dream has encountered a road block, but it is far too early to say it’s dead.

It was a strong weekend for the future of the Maryland football program.

In two days, the Terps secured four commits for their 2017 recruiting class. Friday night, North Carolina kicker Jonathan Doerer announced his intention to join the Terps. Gonzaga offensive lineman Johnny Jordan and running backs Tayon FleetDavis and Javon Leake committed to the program the next day.

Jordan, Fleet-Davis and Leake are all three-star recruits. The Terps now have the No. 22 recruiting class in the country and the fourth-best in the Big Ten for 2017 according to 247Sports.

Jordan, the eighth-best recruit in Washington, D.C., projects to be a center for the Terps and joins four-star Jordan McNair (McDonogh) as recruits for the offensive line.

Fleet-Davis, an Oxon Hill native, is a 6-foot, 211-pound running back who had offers from a host of other Big Ten schools but chose to stay home.

He’s the No. 37 running back in his class and the 17th-best prospect in the state according to 247Sports. Leake, who hails from Greensboro, North Carolina, is the No. 6 all-purpose back.

Doerer, though, did not have any stars on either major recruiting site. Even so, ChrisSailerKicking.com ranks Doerer as the thirdbest kicking prospect in his class and calls him “a big time talent” with “perhaps the strongest leg in the nation in this class” in his player review.

The football program now has 15 commitments for the 2017 class with 14 of them rated three-stars or above.

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plained. “I had been paddling since I was 10 and racing since I was 12. I was just done.”

“For once I just wanted to go to school normally,” she added.

Former U.S. teammate Aaron Mann said that desire is common among young kayakers, who often struggle to lead a regular life due to the demands of the sport.

“It’s very hard to fit everything in if you’re going to school, training and working,” Mann explained.

“You’re sacrificing some stuff for sure.”

Almost two years into her time in Hawaii, Nee was

having a conversation with her wife, Ashley McEwan, when a familiar topic came up.

“You know you love kayaking,” McEwan said.

“No I don’t,” Nee replied.

“I don’t need it anymore.”

“You know you do,” her wife insisted.

Two weeks later, Nee moved back to Maryland.

She transferred to this university and began training for the 2012 London Games.

“It just felt like unfinished business,” she said.

Still, Nee’s shoulder injury continued to be an issue. She went to physical therapy and wasn’t satisfied with the results.

“I was stuck at 30 degrees less rotation than I should have,” Nee said, “And I’d been working on it for a year.”

She sought out the medical care of Kala Flagg, a trainer at this university’s athletic department. In about 10 minutes, her shoulder had 15 more degrees of motion. In a few weeks, she felt better. “[Kala] was a total healer,” Nee said. “Without that, I would still be not have been able to paddle.”

NEE From PAGE 8 So she pushed through the pain. While each day of practice was excruciating, she held out hope that she could still win the team trials and make the Olympics.

Instead, Nee placed fourth.

Nee said the setback left her “devastated,” so she moved to Hawaii to escape the lifestyle that had consumed her since her first day kayaking.

“When I moved to Hawaii I didn’t want anything to do with paddling,” Nee ex-

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From PAGE 8 to seek top coaching.

“If that’s what it took,” Valmon said, “that’s what I was going to do to be the best I could be.”

Their second Olympics as athletes, though, wasn’t the end of their international involvement, as they both served as head coaches in their respective sports.

McCoy was on the coaching staff for the 2008 freestyle wrestling team in Beijing, and Valmon led the men’s track and field delegation in the 2012 London Games.

McCoy wanted to create a support system for the wrestlers, so he valued tasks such as returning to the village to pick up an athlete’s forgotten items with the same importance as the critiques he imparted on the mats. He and the assistants took an individualized approach to

the athletes’ preparations.

Transitioning into his Terps career after the games ended, McCoy tried to do the same.

The team now focuses on goal-setting for group and individual achievements.

Former Terps wrestler Jimmy Sheptock, now an assistant coach with the program, worked toward winning a national title as a senior in 2014.

McCoy coached him through one-on-one meetings and a tailored training plan that saw Sheptock assemble an undefeated run before placing second at the NCAA championships.

“When you’re at that level, [you] see everybody doesn’t have to do things the exact same way,” McCoy said. “The actual strategies, tactics and plans, they vary from person to person, so that’s one of the biggest things to take away.”

Valmon also used his experience as a college coach in approaching his Olympic athletes. As the coach of the men’s side, he worked with women’s

coach Amy Deem, who leads the Miami program, to create a “Team USA” feel, rather than separating the competition.

He also deferred to the athletes’ private coaches in some workouts — so as not to disrupt their training plans — and limited team meetings close to competition times. If he saw an athlete in the cafeteria late at night, he didn’t crack down, understanding their longtime routine might be different.

This time around, neither McCoy nor Valmon will be involved with the U.S. Olympic team. But they both said they’ll be watching when the games begin with the opening ceremonies Friday night, one of the crowning moments in the coaches’ Olympic memories.

“The Olympics is the pinnacle of everything because the whole world is there,” Valmon said.

“It’s the one time that everything is put aside for the common cause of just competition.” ccaplandbk@gmail.com

Former Forward Jill Witmer is making her first appearance at the Olympics. She won a title with the Terps in 2010. file photo/the diamondback

olympics

come in as good players and leave as great players,” Pope said. “She holds us to a very From PAGE 8 high standard and that only p l a y e r ’ s s u c c e s s w i t h makes players excel in the U.S. program.”

Team USA. Meharg also credits the Witmer will become the seventh former player Maryland athletic departunder Meharg to reach the ment and her assistant coaches Olympics, and O’Donnell as having critical roles in her Bam will be the second — program and the development after 2001 graduate Keli of her players.

“There’s a lot of universiSmith Puzo — to compete ties that don’t commit [to field in two Olympics.

“It’s a huge testament hockey] like Maryland does,” to what Missy does. We Meharg said. “I’m always so

fortunate and grateful.”

And in Rio, that commitment will be evident on the national stage, as it has been in every Summer Olympics since 2008.

“I’m pleased to keep a tradition going where Maryland, the University of Maryland, and the D.C. and Baltimore areas are places where young women can go, get a great education and play field hockey at a high level in the Olympic games,” Meharg said.

someone for the majority of your career … that’s huge. And I think we were so evenly matched in a lot of ways.”

This time, though, Nee was better prepared to handle the adversity.

One day after learning she would not participate in the London Games, she got on a plane to France and started training for the 2016 Olympics.

“I did not want to paddle,” Nee said. “I was just bummed. But [getting back to work] was really important.”

Nee said she felt good about her performance level as she prepared for the Rio Games, but she was worried when she learned the U.S. might not have a berth for the single women’s kayak event.

A gold medal finish from Nee in the 2015 Pan American Games would have clinched a spot for Team USA, but she finished third in that competition, just 0.03 seconds back of first place.

However, after a ninemonth wait, the International Canoe Federation decided first-place Canada had to give up its spot because it had already filled its quota for canoe and kayak athletes. Second-place Brazil had already earned its berth as the host nation, so Nee earned a chance to compete in the Rio Games.

She found out the news while sitting in a car with a couple of coaches. One of

them, who had just received a confirmation email, said two words that changed Nee’s future.

“It’s official,” the coach said.

“What do you mean?” Nee responded.

“You have a berth,” he explained.

Nee didn’t have much time to process the news, as she was back on the water 15 minutes later.

Afterwards, she went out for a steak dinner to celebrate.

But for Nee, reaching the Olympics is not enough. She believes it’s important to use her experience to help the next generation of women kayakers.

“I’m pretty inspired to give back and coach and try to make their lives a little easier,” Nee said. “I’ve taught with three or four different kayak schools in the Maryland area and I love it.

I love teaching kids, adults, everybody.”

Nee said helping somebody surf their first wave “brings back all of the memories and gives me so much energy.”

Queen, who once benefited from Nee’s leadership as a young competitor, is thrilled to see her former training partner finally achieve her dream. She’ll be cheering for her Aug. 8 when Nee participates in preliminary heats. “ I’ m g la d t h a t i t ’s he r time to step up to the plate,” Queen said.

Nee said Flagg inspired her to study kinesiology.

She hopes to one day help people rehab injuries in the same way.

Nee said she also took an increased interest in helping other female kayakers.

Caroline Queen, a longtime training partner who is three years younger, recalled Nee taking on a leadership role during their partnership.

Queen said Nee, who she saw as an older sister figure, put together a training camp for 10- to 16-year-old female kayakers competing in the area.

“I could not have been the athlete I was without Ashley,” Queen said. “She certainly provided some really important leadership that helped guide me.”

Nee faced more disappointment when she lost a qualifying tiebreaker to Queen and missed out on the 2012 Olympics. The tiebreaker looked at who performed better at the 2011 World Championships, and Nee finished two spots behind Queen, who punched her ticket to London.

Though Nee was proud to see her training partner achieve her dream, the setback was another major blow.

“It was still the same feeling of knives in the stomach,” Nee remembered.

“It took the wind out of me.”

It’s something that weighed on Queen, too.

“I think about it very often,” Queen said. “When you’re neck-and-neck with

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PAGE 8

THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2016

OLYMPICS | KAYAKING

need for speed

Ashley Nee fell short of qualifying for the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics in Beijing and London, respectively, but she’ll compete in the women’s single kayak division at the Rio Games. She’s been dreaming about this moment since starting the sport as a child. photo courtesy of USACK

Ashley Nee realizes Olympic dream after past shortcomings

By Dan Bernstein @danbernsteinUMD Staff writer When Ashley Nee ventured to the other side of the two-acre lake in Darnestown, Maryland, to learn how to kayak, she didn’t know about Valley Mill summer camp’s Olympic history.

After all, she was just 10 years old.

Nee spent that first afternoon going over simple safety protocol — mostly flipping the boat over and learning how to get out — without much interest.

It wasn’t until she took a kayak onto the lake for the first time that she said she fell in love with the sport.

From that moment on, Nee set her sights on representing the U.S. in the Olympics. And years later, as a 27-year-old University of Maryland student with classes left to graduate, Nee will fulfill that goal when she competes in the Rio Games in the women’s single kayak competition.

But before adding her name to the extensive list of Olympic kayakers from Maryland — including eight athletes who attended

Valley Mill — she had to push through the disappointment of narrowly missing out on the 2008 and 2012 games.

“After having missed [the Olympics] so closely a couple of times … it’s going to take walking into the opening ceremony to really believe it’s happening,” Nee said. “It was just such a big dream of mine that it feels a little bit like a fairy tale.”

Nee experienced her first heartbreak when she was 17.

After Nee wiped out during a training

OLYMPICS

event in preparation for the 2008 Beijing Games, she felt immediate pain in her shoulder. She said she “couldn’t even take another stroke” and knew the injury was severe.

“I was a little 17-year-old,” Nee said. “I think the whitewater was a little big for me.”

Nee had torn her labrum, an injury that typically requires surgery. However, that wasn’t an option with U.S. Olympic team trials just four months away.

See NEE, Page 7 FIELD HOCKEY

Two former Terps ready for Rio Games O’Donnell Bam, Witmer join Team USA

By James Crabtree-Hannigan @JamesCrabtreeH Staff writer

wrestling coach Kerry McCoy placed fifth at the Sydney Games in 2000 and finished seventh in Athens four years later. file photo/the diamondback

Coaches share Olympic stories McCoy, Valmon discuss experiences as players, coaches in Games

By Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan Senior staff writer When Maryland wrestling coach Kerry McCoy thinks about his Olympic experiences, the opening ceremonies stand out most.

McCoy remembers the pride of representing his country and family on the sport’s biggest stage, walking through the arenas with athletes from other nations and realizing the power of unity under the Olympic flag.

“Something that’s so special that only gets to happen every four years,” McCoy said. “That’s something I’ll never forget.”

Maryland track and field coach Andrew Valmon, a two-time U.S. Olympic sprinter, echoed McCoy’s thoughts as the two Terps coaches reflected on their Olympic experiences before the Rio Games begin

this weekend.

“That many people, [that] many countries all uniting on one Olympic front,” Valmon said. “You can read about it, you can watch the TV, but unless you really experience it, you’ll never know how big that stage actually is.”

McCoy made his Olympic wrestling debut at the Sydney Games in 2000, finishing fifth. He then placed seventh in the Athens Games four years later.

Valmon, meanwhile, won gold medals as a member of the U.S.’s 4x400 relay teams in the Seoul Games in 1988 and the Barcelona Games in 1992.

For both coaches, their initial experience helped build perspective for their returns.

McCoy arrived in Sydney with what he called “tunnel vision,” only focused on his competition. While he maintained the same drive through the next four

years, McCoy wanted to better appreciate the Olympic atmosphere in Athens. He mingled with other teams and athletes in the Olympic Village and watched other competitions.

“It’s one of those catch-22s,” McCoy said. “You want to realize, ‘Hey, this is the Olympic Games. This is a very important event.’ But at the same time, you want to makes sure you take it [in].”

Valmon wanted to leave his second games with “no regrets,” a mantra he repeated while pushing himself to train harder and develop a better nutritional plan. Though he grew up in New Jersey and classifies himself as an “East Coast person,” he moved to Jonesboro, Arkansas, to limit distractions during his training. He later moved to San Francisco See Coaches, Page 7

Former Maryland field hockey players Katie O’Donnell Bam and Jill Witmer will compete for the United States in the Rio Olympics, marking the third consecutive Olympics that at least two former Terps are on the U.S. field hockey squad.

It will be O’Donnell Bam’s (class of 2011) second Olympics appearance and Witmer’s (class of 2014) first.

O’Donnell Bam has been on the U.S. Senior National Team for more than a decade, starting when she was 16 years old.

She was the youngest player ever to be named to the team and the youngest ever to play for the team. Her bio on the Maryland field hockey website describes her as “the most decorated player in Maryland history,” and her bio on the U.S. national team website describes her as the “most decorated field hockey athlete in the nation.”

Witmer, meanwhile, has worked her way up through the Team USA age groupings. She got experience on the U-19 and U-21 teams before making it to the Senior National Team in 2013.

Maryland coach Missy Meharg said Witmer’s development since graduating can be explained simply by having more time dedicated to playing.

“She was exponential in her growth,” Meharg said. “When I saw her last summer I couldn’t believe how much she’d grown since College Park. That’s the difference between being a student-athlete and being a

professional field hockey player.”

Janessa Pope, who graduated from Maryland in 2013 and played on the field hockey team with both O’Donnell Bam and Witmer, said she began to see Witmer’s maturation during her time at Maryland.

“She was always an amazing player, really quick and athletic with a great understanding of what to do with her body,” Pope said. “But as she grew she started to understand game tactics and the game as a whole. You watch her now and she’s evolved into a complete player.”

In 2010, O’Donnell Bam and Witmer’s only season together at Maryland, the Terps lost just one game en route to win the national title.

Since then, Pope said both players have grown into the players they are today.

“It’s really neat to see them do things in games I’ve never seen them do before,” Pope said. “They’ve come so far.”

Meharg is hardly a stranger to the Olympics herself. She was the first alternate on the U.S. Olympic team in 1988 and was a coach at the 1996 Games in Atlanta. The veteran coach sees some similarities between that 1996 team and the 2016 squad.

“We were physically fitter than the rest of the world,” Meharg said. “And I think USA is one of the top two or three teams in Rio.” According to Pope, Meharg’s experience at the international level shows in her coaching and her former See Olympics, Page 7