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NO SHOT THE MIDAS TOUCH

Terps can’t climb back after two North Carolina goals

Pop-rockers The Dance Party come back to the District

SPORTS | PAGE 8

DIVERSIONS | PAGE 6

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PASSED OVER

O’Brien helps Terps surpass 2009 record with win over Golden Panthers

BY KATE YANCHULIS Senior staff writer

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Monday, September 27, 2010

Playing before the smallest Byrd Stadium crowd at coach Ralph Friedgen’s tenure, the Terrapin football team could have fallen victim to a flat atmosphere and an opportunistic Florida International squad.

In recent years, the Terps likely would have. The Golden Panthers hail from the Sun Belt Conference, the same league that calls Middle Tennessee State — a team

28

that upset the Terps the past two seasons — one of its own.

But those fans not repelled by a noon kickoff, steamy weather or the team’s struggles, both new and recent, saw the Terps take a step forward with a 42-28 victory.

“I thought our offense came to life,” Friedgen said.

Despite some rough performances, the Terps (3-1) made big plays to secure the win. Though the Panthers (0-3) played

see FIU, page 10

Faculty laud Loh’s unusual academic background Loh lacks hard-science degree, brings diversity to administration

BY LAUREN REDDING Senior staff writer

When incoming university President Wallace Loh arrives Nov. 1, he will bring with him a change from the hard-sciences background most administrators and former presidents have hailed from — a sign Loh won’t neglect the humanities while strengthening sciences, many say.

Throughout his 12-year tenure, former President Dan Mote’s fundraising efforts were integral to the construction of the Kim Engineering Building, among other projects, and the college attracted top-notch faculty as its prestige climbed. Meanwhile, other colleges, such the behavioral and social sciences college, struggled to maintain a burgeoning student population with limited resources, and humanities faculty clamored for more support.

But unlike Mote or interim

university President and Provost Nariman Farvardin, Loh does not have an engineering degree.

He received his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in psychology from Grinnell College, Cornell University and the University of Michigan, respectively, along with a law degree from Yale University.

Many professors are hopeful Loh’s academic diversity will bring a fresh perspective to the table at an institution often lauded for its science research programs and leaving the humanities overshadowed for a lack of research grants. For the 2011 fiscal year, the university allocated $468,738 to the arts and humanities college and a total of $664,938 to the chemical and life sciences college and the computer, mathematical and physical sciences college.

Biology professor Charles Fenster said because science research

see HUMANITIES, page 7

JACLYN BOROWSKI/ THE DIAMONDBACK

Police crack down on Grads hope Loh will address their concerns ‘suspicious’ people

BY MARIA ROMAS Staff writer

Several banned from the campus

BY BEN PRESENT Staff writer

Although mounting concerns about citizen robberies have police beefing up patrols off the campus, police said the usual suspects on university property haven’t gone anywhere.

So far in September, University Police have logged more than a dozen cases in which officers responded to disorderly conduct, denied someone access to the campus or observed a “suspicious person,” according to the department’s online records, often involve nonstudents.

In one such situation earlier this month, Mark Edward Goodson was arrested and banned from the campus after he allegedly blocked traffic on Campus Drive and fought with, spat on and bit officers who arrested him, police said.

Goodson, 33, of Mitchellville, told police he had jumped a fence to get onto the campus before officers first saw his unruly behavior at about 10:30 p.m. Sept. 9, police said. At the main entrance to the campus at Route 1, police allege Goodson charged toward student police aides — one of whom had to put out his hand to keep Goodson away — and officers arrested him.

His evening didn’t stop there, police said. On the way to the Hyattsville jail, Goodson allegedly tried to break out of a police car, “told officers he was going to break out of the handcuffs, rip the car apart, steal the officer’s gun and ‘tear the jail to pieces,’” University Police spokesman Capt. Marc Limansky wrote in an e-mail. Police claim he proceeded to spit all over the floor of the jail’s central

see BEHAVIOR, page 3

TOMORROW’S WEATHER:

A handful of university populations have grievances to raise when incoming university President Wallace Loh takes over in November, but graduate students may be some of the more eager to get talking. That works out perfectly, they said, because Loh has been just as eager to start listening.

Their list of concerns is long, but there is general agreement

about which areas need improvement. Given the opportunity, graduate students will rattle off their priorities: housing, child care, health care, communication, representation and completion rates. With Loh preparing to take the helm, they’ve seized the chance to air their views and said they’re pleased with his response so far.

Loh earned himself a reputation among students at the University of Iowa, where he was provost for two years, as an acces-

sible administrator with student interests at the forefront of his leadership philosophy. Graduate students at this university, who have been vocal about their displeasure with former university President Dan Mote’s handling of their specific issues, are hopeful that mantra will translate into a similar governing style here.

“Provost Loh was the most open administrator we had,” said Lyndsay Harshman, a medical graduate student and president of the Exec-

utive Council of Graduate and Professional Students at Iowa. “He was always willing to meet with students. He is easy to work with and truly cares about us.”

Barrett Dillow, an aerospace engineering graduate student at this university, said he has already noticed Loh’s willingness to listen and is excited to have a president who seems to be on graduate students’ side.

see CONCERNS, page 7

Sharing spaces Some students and families learn to amicably coexist in College Park while others feud

BY AMANDA PINO Staff writer

It was a Saturday afternoon, and they were drunk, shouting profanities across the street to one another outside a home housing a young couple with an infant.

“It’s College Avenue in College Park,” a student who asked not to be named said from his porch. “[Families] shouldn’t live

Rain/70s

INDEX

here because we’re going to go out every night.”

But live in College Park nonstudents do, and many of them have deep ties to the university and community. Some, such as the couple on College Avenue, weren’t sure how much longer they could take the noise and disrespect. But others — such as Old Town resident Joseph Meadow — said they would never leave

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

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

the place they called home, adjacent to a school and students that inspire them daily.

Meadow, a lawyer and landlord with white hair but a youthful gait who graduated from the university in 1958, said he’s lived in College Park for 31 of his 70some years.

Meadow said he still loves

see NEIGHBORS, page 2

DIVERSIONS . . . . .6 SPORTS . . . . . . . . .10

The Müller family has lived in the city for the past 10 years. MATTHEW CREGER/ THE DIAMONDBACK

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THE DIAMONDBACK | NEWS | MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2010

NEIGHBORS from page 1 hanging out at R.J. Bentley’s and watching sports games — now with his son, a graduate student at the university.

He said he could never leave the atmosphere of academia and the old haunts he knows so well, even though some students lose their common sense and decency on weekend nights and game days.

“I love my country, I love the state of Maryland, and I love this school,” he said.

“Do I have an objection to noise?

Of course. Do [students] object to me objecting? Of course,” he added. “But why buy a house right next to an airport if you can’t stand the sound of planes?”

But Bob Schnabel, who has lived in College Park almost continuously since he graduated from the university in 1966, said there wasn’t always a proverbial airport near his 19th century Old Town house. The neighborhood he knew, which falls roughly between Route 1 and the Metro tracks south of Paint Branch Parkway, has transformed over the years, he said, even as his attachment to his house and community grew stronger.

Parts of his community, at least; Schnabel bemoaned the “desolate” lawns of the growing number of student rental homes.

“That’s how the cancer spreads,” said Schnabel, whose wife, Stephanie Stullich, represents the neighborhood and the rest of District 3 on the College Park City Council.

As the student population in Old Town boomed, Schnabel’s new rowdy neighbors have not only thrown loud parties, he said, but some have even hurled rocks through the windows of his lovingly restored historic house.

Once, Schnabel added, a student even urinated in his front yard while he was gardening.

Schnabel’s interactions with students have colored his impression of the university’s academic quality,

and he said that after facing vandalism and violence, he no longer knocks on his neighbors’ door to ask them to turn down the music; instead, he just phones the police.

Birgit Meade, whose family lives on Dartmouth Avenue near a gaggle of women who play for the Terrapin lacrosse team, has a more cordial relationship with nearby undergraduates.

Meade’s two children play on the lacrosse players’ front yard, her son mows the lawns of two rental homes in the neighborhood, and she will lend student neighbors a shovel or ladder and watch their home during breaks.

“It’s worked out really well for us. We get on really well,” said neighbor Laura Merrifield, a senior kinesiology major and lacrosse midfielder. Meade described Merrifield and her housemates as polite and friendly, and she has attended a lacrosse semi-final game to cheer them on.

Meade, who has lived in College Park since she came to the United States from Germany in 1993, said she appreciates the lectures, concerts, classes and gym available on the campus. She and her husband also have convenient commutes — he works as a university researcher and instructor; she rides the Metro to work.

Yet despite her many positive interactions with students and the university, Meade still worries that there are not enough playmates in the neighborhood for her children, that the schools in Prince George’s County are not good enough and that the profanity and out-of-control binge drinking that she frequently witnesses are a bad influence.

“Sometimes it’s not even dark yet and people are already terribly drunk, using really foul language,” she said, adding that a student once threw a chair at her house.

“You walk to church on Sunday past piles of red cups and trash,” Meade said.

Some students will argue that’s what you sign up for when you live near college students, but College Avenue resident Eve

Beer cans and red drinking cups frequently litter the Müllers’ College Avenue property. MATTHEW CREGER/THE DIAMONDBACK

Müller disagrees.

Müller, who has spent most of her adult life in a series of college towns, said she loves to live in an area with youthful energy and diversity, that accepts her quirky personality and overgrown backyard.

“I want my kids to be in a neighborhood where there’s edginess, not so much of a sense of privilege,” said Müller, who has lived here with her husband and two daughters since 2000.

She said she appreciates her longtime graduate philosophy student neighbors, to whom she once rented her own house when she and her husband were out of the country, and always enjoys an intelligent conversation with students.

But as Müller chatted with neighbor Chris Aubry, research director for the agriculture and natural resources college, the two

expressed disappointment in College Park’s lack of traditional college-town amenities, such as independent businesses filling a walkable downtown.

“It’s not Chapel Hill or Berkeley,” Aubry said.

“And there was never this level of intense partying when we lived in Berkeley,” Müller added.

Müller said she goes back and forth on whether she’ll stay in College Park for the foreseeable future. But last weekend, with her dog at her feet, her daughter making crystals with a science kit in her kitchen and college students all around, College Park was heaven.

“On days like this, with the students walking by, it’s so idyllic,” she said. “I know I could live here forever.” apino@umdbk.com

Eve Müller and her daughter outside their College Avenue house. Müller said she likes the stimulating atmosphere of a college town. MATTHEW CREGER/THE DIAMONDBACK

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2010 | NEWS | THE DIAMONDBACK

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BEHAVIOR

SEPTEMBER SUSPICIONS

from page 1

The Department of Transportation Services added buses to its new Circulator route to address complaints that the buses were often behind schedule. ORLANDO URBINA/FOR THE DIAMONDBACK

DOTS says adding buses fixed Circulator tardiness issues Some students claim buses still late on campus route

BY ALICIA MCCARTY Staff writer

DOTS has designated an additional bus to run ShuttleUM’s new Circulator route during peak hours after students complained the bus consistently arrived late the first few weeks of the semester.

One of three new bus routes added this semester, the Circulator is a combination of the North and South Campus connectors, which were joined to compensate for a tight budget, Department of Transportation Services officials said.

The added bus, which will remain on the route for the rest of the school year, is costing DOTS $14,000, Director David Allen said.

Allen said he was concerned that the original timing of the Circulator was miscalculated, so last Monday, DOTS tried running two buses on the route during the busy morning and afternoon hours.

“On-campus buses generally run late the first few weeks,” Allen said. “We were

more worried about the Circulator because it was new.”

Allen said permanent adjustments to the schedule of the bus route — which would increase the amount of travel time between each stop to more accurate intervals and eliminate the need for additional buses — would not be made until next year.

Before the changes, the delays caused class attendance issues for some students and left them anxiously waiting at the bus stop for longer than they anticipated. An of f-campus student who wished to remain anonymous said she relies on the Circulator to get to class each day but that the bus was far from reliable.

During the first week of the semester, she said the bus arrived 15 to 20 minutes late at her off-campus stop each morning, causing her to arrive late for several of her first classes.

She began getting on the campus 45 minutes to an hour early to ensure she wasn’t late, but she said getting up earlier and killing time on the

campus wasn’t a routine she was thrilled to keep up.

“It’s a really frustrating system,” she said. “It forced people to walk, ride a bike or have a friend [drive them]. They’re inconveniencing students with their schedule. [DOTS] is extremely poorly run, and I wish it was managed better.”

The student set up a meeting to discuss the problem with Allen, who was already aware of the situation. Since the addition of the extra bus during peak hours, the student said she is no longer late to her classes because of the Circulator.

Hsin Shuo Yeh, an international student with the Maryland English Institute, also rides the Circulator each day at about 8:40 a.m. and has been late to class because of the bus. She said the shuttle has consistently been 10 minutes late, and because of that she too has started taking an early bus to ensure she’s not late to class.

Since Sept. 20, Yeh had not noticed the bus coming on time. mccarty@umdbk.com

processing unit, the windows of a police car and two police officers, and he also bit one officer on the shin.

Goodson was ultimately charged with resisting a lawful arrest, two counts of second-degree assault on an officer for spitting, seconddegree assault for the biting and failing to obey a reasonable and lawful order of a police officer. Limansky said Goodson remained in custody, awaiting trial, last night.

While police have no trouble identifying some people who they don’t want around the campus — such as Goodson and a 23-year-old Washington man who allegedly exposed himself to a university staff member in Turner Hall — Limansky said officers need to pay closer attention to other individuals.

“Part of our job patrol responsibility is to look for individuals who look suspicious,” Limansky said. “A lot of that is based off their behavior and dress.”

“If it looks like behavior normally inconsistent with a student or faculty member,” he added, “then that will require more attention.”

Police ban some of the suspicious characters, such as Goodson, from the campus after their alleged misbehavior. Others, such 23-year-old

Trespassers spotted: Stamp Student Union, 1:26 p.m. Sept. 1 Montgomery Hall, 1:48 p.m. Sept. 1 Engineering Building, 4:48 p.m. Sept. 13 Route 1 at Knox Road, 10 p.m. Sept. 14 Hornbake Plaza, 4:29 p.m. Sept. 15 Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, 9:40 p.m. Sept. 21 Allegany Hall, 3:05 a.m. Sept. 23 New denials of access: Regents Drive near Route 1, 3:03 a.m. Sept. 5 South Campus Commons 7, 3:45 a.m. Sept. 5 Kenan Hollingsworth of College Park, are identified as people who had been banned before.

Hollingsworth was arrested and charged with trespassing Sept. 14 after police found him in the engineering building; he had been banned after he was previously charged with stealing university property.

Limansky said this frequency of incidents is “par for the course” for University Police, but some students were generally surprised about the trespassing issues this campus faces.

Sophomore letters and sciences major Alison Karp said she would want to get a crime alert about cases similar to Goodson’s after hearing about the situation.

“I would want to know about something like this,” said Karp, who lives on the campus. “It’s not really a big hassle to get an e-mail a day. If it’s my safety, it’s worth it.”

But Limansky said that given the frequency of these events, it would be impractical to alert students every time. If students got alerts for every suspicious person on the campus, he said, it could desensitize them to the emails altogether.

Crime alerts are reserved for events where there remains an “ongoing threat to personal safety,” he added, but he offered a possible solution.

Limansky said University Police are figuring out what purpose they want for its Nixle.com page, but incidents such as trespassing could be included. Nixle.com offers users the ability to subscribe to alerts from various organizations. University Police send out messages under the name “University of Mar yland Department of Public Safety.” present@umdbk.com

ON THE BLOG www.blogs.umdbk.com/campusdrive WHERE THE DINING TRAYS ARE Students constantly load trays with dirty dishes, glasses, napkins and the occasional student ID card in the North Campus Diner or the South Campus Dining Hall. Ever wonder where they disappear to along its conveyor belt?

Dining Services spokesman Bart Hipple debunked a theory that an army of goblins descends on trays at the other end of the belt. For Hipple’s version of events and to read about other university goings-on, visit The Diamondback’s Campus Drive newsroom blog at blogs.umdbk.com/campusdrive.

KARA ROSE/FOR THE DIAMONDBACK

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THE DIAMONDBACK | MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2010

Opinion

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MANAGING EDITOR

DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR

JUSTIN SNOW

KEVIN TERVALA

OPINION EDITOR

OPINION EDITOR

Staff editorial

Guest column

Supporting staff

A dead dream?

I

Although this rhetoric may just be rhetoric, it is certainly a good start. To t sometimes seems that those with some of the most integral jobs are those first forgotten. People who work the longest and hardest hours prove his words are more than just empty promises, Loh must follow through or who are in the lowest income bracket can be the first to be put on the and support some of the most important members of this community.

The university would be incapable of functioning without its staff. Staff chopping block.

More often than not, staff members at this university — janitors, administra- members are the gears that enable this institution to operate, providing the tive assistants, chefs, deans, vice presidents and program managers — are support that faculty need to teach their classes (like administrative assistants these workers. Those university employees, who do everything from clean the do), staffing many of the offices that students rely upon most (such as those floors and toilets to type and help implement the university’s strategic plan, who staff the financial aid office) and keeping many of the facilities that students use every day (such as dorms and dining halls) have a small voice at this university. Staff members, for up and running. example, are only given 27 voting seats in the approxiStaff members do not hold the same job security as mately 190-member University Senate — fewer than the those in tenured positions. They work for little pay and 36 student seats and 101 voting faculty members.

Incoming university less recognition, often bearing the brunt of finanTo some, the lack of representation is only one indicaPresident Wallace Loh must even cial constraints. Although some may consider their tor of the university’s attitude toward its support staff. make the concerns of positions 9-to-5 jobs, they often require putting in overMany staff members said they felt snubbed and ignored time hours on weekends and holidays. under the 12-year tenure of former university President university staff a priority.

Loh must make it clear that staff and their concerns Dan Mote. And when budgets had to be cut, staff positions were often the first to be eliminated. As Craig Newman, secretar y of are a priority. By organizing town hall-like environments that allow for personal the university’s chapter of the American Federation of State, County and feedback and open discussions, Loh will have a chance to improve relations Municipal Employees, recently put it, over the past decade, this university between staff and administrators.

Despite the fact that they may not attract research dollars or garner attenhas demonstrated it simply didn’t care about staff. tion in academia, staff members are still essential and their concerns are no But this may be about to change.

Incoming university President Wallace Loh has called for prioritizing a less valid. As Loh prepares to take control of the university, he should make higher staff retention during these hard economic times, and many staff good on his promise to staff and listen to their concerns. Although they may members have been looking hopefully toward his upcoming tenure, believ- be the unnoticed gears behind the scenes, they should no longer go without the recognition they deserve. ing that he will give them a greater voice in the university’s affairs.

should work toward personalizing this election for the typical student. Simply standing at a table with voter registration forms is a serious waste of time — mobilizing voters is more than just putting election-related material in front of someone.

With the limited time that this coalition already has, their time should be focused on returning past voters to the polls. Studies show that individuals are more likely to vote if they have voted in the past.

With this information, student leaders should have created a viable plan that ensured their efforts would lead students to the polls not just Nov. 2 but also in years to come. Unless student leaders seriously rethink their strategy under this premise, they will continue to fall flat on their faces and fail to faithfully serve the interests of the student body.

Andrew Steinberg is a senior criminology and criminal justice and government and politics major. He can be reached at steinberg@umdbk.com.

Rennie Silva is a graduate student in international security and economic policy. He can be reached at Rennie.Silva@gmail.com.

Our View

Editorial cartoon: Shai Goller

Businesses: Where’s the Terp love?

W

hat do Panda Express, California Tortilla and Yami Yami have in common? Yes, they’re all College Park businesses, and yes, they all offer relatively affordable foodstuffs. But other than that, there is one key distinction between them and most other eateries in and around the campus: All three have a lengthy track record of helping student organizations fundraise.

Whenever I browse listser vs and see the staple “restaurant night” advertisement, it’s almost always at one of these three places. At first, I didn’t think too much of it. After all, maybe these restaurants have a histor y of netting the most profit, and that’s why student groups flock to them. But recently, after a student group I’m involved in tried to plan a similar fundraiser, I realized the number of local businesses open to fundraising in College Park is

ANGELINA

SHE painfully small.

Not to state the obvious, but restaurants make a profit from fundraising events, too. It’s a win-win situation most of the time. If a student group is successful in advertising for the event, then the restaurant will profit from the extra rush of customers. And since student groups get a percentage of the restaurant’s earnings during fundraising events, more customers translates to more funds raised. It’s cold, hard cash and free publicity for the restaurant and the student group.

So if you were a part of a student group and you were thinking of host-

ing a restaurant night around the campus, which one would you pick?

One of my first choices was Yogiberry. I’ve never met a soul that does not enjoy frozen yogurt topped with ever ything under the Candy Land sun. Most people try to find an excuse to grab some froyo anyway, and a fundraiser for charity would be an extra incentive. It’s the ideal location for fundraising. My student organization excitedly called in to inquire about a restaurant night.

The response: “Sorry, we don’t do any fundraising.”

Yogiberr y, oh Yogiberr y. First they take away my 15 percent student discount, and now this? The fact of the matter is, despite their brightly colored wallpaper and funky IKEA furniture, Yogiberr y isn’t necessarily a ver y student-friendly establishment. And it’s not just Yogiberr y either — why is Panda Express the only restaurant in the

Stamp Student Union’s food court that does fundraising? Why doesn’t Five Guys help out while its nextdoor neighbor does?

I think that because the restaurants near our campus are, well, near our campus, they should attempt to be more helpful toward our student body. Most of the student organizations at the university are raising money to do something good — whether it’s to donate to a charity or to strengthen their club as a whole.

Putting up a few Testudos and sports schedules is a thoughtful and supportive gesture, but more can be done. Out of all of the restaurants in and around the campus, there should be more than just a handful willing to help out students.

Angelina She is a sophomore English and neurobiology and physiology major. She can be reached at she@umdbk.com.

Voter registration: Changing the focus

T

oday is National Voter Registration Day, a day when Student Public Interest Research Group chapters at approximately 100 universities will partake in a coordinated effort to register first-time voters. For weeks, students at other universities have found it hard to miss the opportunity to register to vote, but at this university, today will mark the first visible signs of such a large-scale campaign since 2008.

Indeed, it was not until Sept. 21 — three weeks before voter registration closes — that student leaders even formulated any significant plan to organize a student-led registration effort. Representatives from the Student Government Association, Residence Hall Association, MaryPIRG, College Democrats and College Republicans formed a coalition to attack voter registration efforts from a multitude of angles to register 1,500 new voters.

Yet despite this impressive goal, with only two weeks until registration closes, even the most dedicated students will not be able to eradicate the culture of

apathy at our university. The university has been of no help either.

In 2008, the university made a commitment to work with students on their voter registration efforts through the Coalition for Civic Engagement and Leadership, an organization created in 2004 to increase students’ civic awareness. These efforts led to an unprecedented 2,514 new student voters in 2008. But this partnership, once known as the TerpsVote campaign, is now defunct.

It is quite disturbing that university administrators have contributed nothing of value to reignite that campaign.

Our community only has the opportunity to elect a governor every four years, and the university’s inaction sends a clear message to us: University administrators do not have faith in our ability to bring attention to higher education through voting.

Without the direct support of the university, voter registration efforts lie solely in the hands of the students. Yet despite the resources at their disposal, the plan devised by student leaders at

ANDREW STEINBERG this university lacks the momentum and drive necessary to energize young people to vote.

In 2002, there were only 693 registered voters on the campus. By 2006, that grew to about 3,300. Today, there are slightly more than 2,600 registered voters. But the biggest challenge is not in increasing voter registration to their 2006 levels — it’s getting students to vote.

Student leaders cannot expect to captivate students and make them feel politically relevant over the course of two weeks. Voter registration efforts will not be successful until students feel they are politically relevant — not just before elections, but all of the time.

Rather than just working to increase the number of voters, student leaders

L

ast Monday, as I sat before the president of the United States in a live TV audience, a recent law school graduate posed a question to him. Speaking of his dashed hopes of finding employment, disappointment at having to move back home, failure to make student loan interest payments and doubts about affording a home and family, he described his generation’s rapidly dissipating faith in the administration. He then poignantly asked Barack Obama, “Is the American dream dead?”

Although the potentially turbulent future ahead is a relatively new realization for many young Americans, in truth, the American dream has long been in jeopardy. Monday’s question reveals not only the expectation among some that Obama can restore the American dream but also the disappointment that he hasn’t done so already.

Such desires are understandable but nonetheless ignorant of the long-standing trends that brought about the precipitous decline of the American middle class. To fully understand the America of 2010, it is necessary to revisit the America of 1980, when a weak economy and a hostage crisis in Iran helped Ronald Reagan win a landslide electoral victory. The support he garnered from previously Democratic blue-collar workers — dubbed “Reagan Democrats” — was significant. In bringing these voters to the Republicans’ side, Reagan realigned American politics and sounded the death knell for the New Deal coalition that had previously expanded the middle class through Social Security, the GI Bill, Medicare, Medicaid, the Civil Rights Act and the Pell Grant.

Despite Reagan’s popularity, the benefits of his supply-side economic policies failed to “trickle down” to the workers who have, over the years, come to favor his political party at the polls. In 1980, the richest 1 percent of Americans earned just 9 percent of the nation’s wealth. By 2007, that portion had risen to 23.5 percent.

This dramatic consolidation of wealth was highlighted by Obama, who pointed out that in 2009, amid the Great Recession, each of America’s 25 highest paid hedge-fund managers took home an average of $1 billion. Our nation’s yawning wealth gap, spawned in part by the discredited ideology of the president’s fiercest critics on the right, has created a chasm into which the middle class continues to fall.

Obama hinted at the irony of an electorate that frequently votes against its own class interests when he told Monday’s audience that he personally stands to benefit from the renewal of the Bush-era tax cuts that he now seeks to abolish. His opposition to the cuts, part of the first Oval Office effort in nearly a decade to boost the diminished prospects for the American dream, is commendable. The current era of Democratic leadership on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue has yielded real benefits for working Americans that include a higher minimum wage, the guarantee of health insurance, protection from predatory lenders and an overhaul of federal student financial aid.

Yet, to expect the administration to reverse a 30-year-old trend or to reject the president’s congressional allies on the grounds that Obama has failed to transform our country and its capital city during his 21 months in office is every bit as unfair as the very injustices that enrage voters. Flowing from both ends of the political spectrum (Jon Stewart told Bill O’Reilly days ago that he is “saddened” by Obama), such sentiment fails to grasp the magnitude or historical context of the challenges at hand.

The profound confusion over who is responsible for the fading of the American dream shouldn’t obfuscate the frustrations its elusiveness has generated among voters. Indeed, such frustrations are clearly justified. However, the anger directed at the president and members of his party is deeply misplaced. The decline of America’s middle class has been 30 years in the making; an informed perspective suggests a restoration may take just as long.

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.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2010 | THE DIAMONDBACK

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Features HOROSCOPESTELLA WILDER

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16 Sandwich cookie 17 In — (as found) 18 Oater baddie 20 Puccini opera 22 Drop — — line 23 Radio part 24 Stock or bond 26 “Wolf Man” Chaney 27 Tax no-no 30 Early settler 34 Snub 35 “— A Lady” (Tom Jones tune) 36 Outback bird 37 LAX guesses 38 Bitter 40 Woe is me!

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Previous Day’s Puzzle Solved:

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Helm position Chew on Kitten’s toy Hearing aid?

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DOWN 1 Antenna pole 2 Currencyexchange fee 3 Wheel tracks 4 Mount Elbrus range 5 Not decaf.

6 Shrewdness 7 Water-lily painter 8 Movie lioness 9 Zero 10 Preparing fish 11 Galley of myth 12 Must have 13 Wound a matador 19 Archeology finds 21 Get real! (2 wds.)

25 Overnight guest accommodation 26 Command to Rover (2 wds.)

27 Not slouching 28 Forage crop 29 Beaded calculators

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orn today, you are a quick-witted, gregarious and generally high-spirited, fast-paced individual who can make the most out of even the minutest opportunity.

The label Johnny on the spot is well applied to you, for you are never far from the center of the action, and whether you are striving to better your own position or further another’s cause, you are always the first to spring into action and take advantage of the situation in which you find yourself and the circumstances surrounding it. You don’t like to wait — for anything. If you sit down to eat, you want your food as soon as possible; if you go out to play, you want the games to start immediately; if you’re in it for love, you want things to heat up right away. And in most cases, you get just what you want.

B

You are a quick learner, but you are not all that studious — in fact, you learn best by watching others and by jumping in as soon as possible to put your newfound skills to the test. You are not afraid of stumbling and falling down; you will surely pick yourself up, assess the situation, and start all over again with lessons learned.

Also born on this date are Jayne Meadows, actress; Sada Thompson, actress; Meat Loaf, rocker and actor; Shaun Cassidy, singer and actor; William Conrad, actor; Arthur Penn, director; Sam Ervin, U.S. senator and Watergate-committee chairman.

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SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — There’s no reason to think that your beliefs will come under fire, and yet you may want to softpedal some of what you have to say.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — A conflict of sorts is likely to arise out of the blue, and yet you will have a certain suspicion of what has caused the trouble.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — You may not be satisfied with the usual opportunities — or the usual rewards — and you’ll have a chance to open new doors by day’s end.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Others may misunderstand your approach at first, but this is no reason to temper your methods.

You can’t please everyone, after all.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) — A corporate issue may actually begin to affect you at home, even though you are not directly involved at the workplace.

Neither is necessarily a bad thing.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) — You may have what some may call an unfair advantage, but the truth is that your preparation has been better than anyone else’s.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) — Though you haven’t heard of any negative trends beginning, you must guard against any careless errors becoming something you cannot handle.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) — A little improvisation early in the day can send a project into a whole new direction, and you may enjoy immediate results.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) — You have more style and flair than others engaged in similar activities; as a result, you’ll enjoy more attention — and favorable reviews.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — You can capture the attention of those who usually pay you no mind.

Take care, however, that it’s for the right reasons.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) — You may be surprised to find that you are much more — or perhaps a little less — than you claim to be.

Copyright 2010 United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

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PREVIEW | THE DANCE PARTY

Life of the party University alumni bring their pop-rock group back home

BY SHARAD THAPER Staff writer

After graduating from the university with an English degree, Mick Coogan did what most new graduates do: He got a job and began teaching AP English Literature at a local high school.

While his weekdays were spent discussing and analyzing poetry, plays and novels with his students, Coogan jetted off to Los Angeles on the weekends to perform with his band, The Dance Party, which will be releasing its new album, Touch, tomorrow and performing at the Rock N Roll Hotel on Friday.

Keeping his teaching separate from his role as the lead singer of a band living a life of sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll was difficult, but Coogan believes studying English has helped him in his musical endeavors.

“As an English major, I was exposed to a lot of literature, and it helped me grow as an artist,” he said.

Coogan and another university alumnus, lead guitarist Kevin Bayly, formed The Dance Party with some friends in College Park in 2005. While the two jammed together on a few occasions before, both finally committed to playing together as a band.

Early on, the band tried to establish itself in the Washington music scene by playing as many gigs as possible.

“We got serious really fast,” Bayly said. “I don’t remember where we started, but we played at frat parties, house parties, clubs and whatever we could get our hands on. We had a big show at Lupo’s, which is Thirsty

The Dance Party, a band containing several university graduates, will release its album Touch tomorrow and play at the Rock N Roll Hotel on Friday. PHOTO COURTESY OF EASTWEST.ILGPRESS.COM

Turtle now.”

Coogan — who lists 9:30 Club as his favorite Washington venue in which to perform — and his band began to receive attention in 2007 from bloggers and local newspapers due to the band’s constant presence in the area and flamboyant performances.

Unsatisfied, however, The Dance Party pushed its boundaries further.

“We decided to make the transition to a full-time band a couple of years ago,” Bayly said.

“We were trying to get an offer, and an entertainment lawyer told me that all roads lead to L.A. Nothing more true than that. If

you’re going to do rock and pop music, that’s where all the labels are. You can’t do this in New York and definitely not in D.C.” On one occasion while partying in Los Angeles, Coogan and Bayly met a dancer who worked at the strip club Crazy Girls. It turned out to be a major breakthrough.

“It was a random Sunday night, and we were getting tanked,” recalled Bayly. “Mick came up to me and said, ‘Check it out. This girl thinks we should play at the club she works at.’ We got the contact info, and Mick went to check it out. Pretty soon, we were hanging out with strippers.”

The encounter with the dancer led to a series of performances at Crazy Girls over a period of six months. Having gained exposure on the West Coast, The Dance Party soon signed with Atlantic Records.

Heather Peggs, who works in the artists and repertoire division of Atlantic Records and was involved in the process of signing the band, first spotted The Dance Party during one of its performances in Los Angeles.

“I was really blown away,” Peggs said of the performance.

“It’s a long process to find a band, and I’m looking for star quality. The frontman Mick is a superstar — he has that ‘it’ fac-

tor. When you see him perform, it’s electric.”

With a record deal in hand, The Dance Party started working on their album, Touch.

While collaborating with artists such as Justin Hawkins of The Darkness and Scott Shriner of Weezer, the band spent nine months completing the album.

“It was a great learning experience,” Coogan said.

Still, Coogan believes the new album is reflective of the band’s experiences only.

“Our record speaks clearly as to who we are,” he said. “Many bands have an image and a sound that conflicts with who they actually are. Not ours. Our

music is consistent and straight out of our lives.”

In addition to working on Touch, The Dance Party returned to the East Coast to perform at 2009’s Art Attack, which was headlined by Ludacris.

“I grew up in Prince George’s County, and I’ve been going to Art Attack since high school,” Bayly said. “I remember when it was on the mall, but it was super exciting to play at the stadium.”

The highlight of the night, however, came after the performance, when the band moved over to Cornerstone and played an impromptu set.

“The people there gave us permission,” Coogan said. “We were black-out drunk, and the place was packed. It was f---ing crazy. Everyone was looking for an excuse to party.”

“We partied all night and woke up the next day in strange places,” Bayly added.

The band’s Friday performance will be its first in the Washington area since Art Attack.

Both Coogan and Bayly are eager to return to their hometown and play for their friends, but for audiences not familiar with their music, Bayly warns their shows are for a certain group of people.

“I think [a] The Dance Party show is a dance party show.

It’s the idea of what we’re all about. Either you’re with us or you’re not.”

The Dance Party will perform at the Rock N Roll Hotel on Friday. Tickets are $14, and doors open at 8 p.m. for the 9 p.m. show. The band’s album, Touch, will be released tomorrow. sthaper@umdbk.com

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2010 | NEWS | THE DIAMONDBACK

7

Philosophy students go back to the future

HUMANITIES from page 1 brings in a substantial amount of funding for the university and the state, there is often the perception that humanities play a less vital role at the university.

“It’s the sciences that is perceived as really running the university in terms of bringing in the money,” Fenster said.

“In the humanities, no matter how wonderful of a reputation a professor or program has, they don’t have access to the scale of federal funds that are available to scientists. As a result, their contributions are perceived to be less by some administrators.”

English professor Martha Nell Smith, who drafted a letter to the Presidential Search Committee last semester emphasizing the need for a president who appreciates the humanities, saw Loh’s appointment as a positive step for the university.

Smith said it’s hard to tell how Loh will react regarding the humanities and sciences departments because he hasn’t fully transitioned to the university yet, but she’s optimistic he will appreciate all disciplines.

Farvardin said it shouldn’t matter what background a president comes from for them to do an efficient job running the university, noting former university President Brit Kirwan’s background in mathematics and Mote’s engineering degree.

“I don’t think a president’s discipline should really have any influence on the treatment of the university,” he said. “All presidents should treat the university in a balanced way, and

‘Time travel’ course earns spot on odd classes list

BY DIANA ELBASHA

STRANGE SUBJECTS

Staff writer

For any students who ever wished they could travel back in time to the unwise decision they made the night before, there’s a class for that.

Philosophy and Time Travel — PHIL408T — appeared in the university’s course catalog for the first time this summer.

And as topics once considered lacking educational purpose increasingly find their way into college curriculums, some are referring to the current state of higher education as simply odd. But professors said those on the outside just don’t understand.

Daniel de Vise, the writer behind The Washington Post’s College Inc. blog, published amid his recent postings a list of 15 courses he dubbed the oddest in the Washington area. Philosophy and Time Travel earned the No. 12 spot on the list, a ranking that confused philosophy instructors at the university, who believe the course’s title is being misconstrued.

Dave McElhoes, who taught the course, said the concept of time is discussed in several philosophy courses, and this course was no exception.

“If I wanted to teach a course ... I’d have to find something to grab [students’] interests,” McElhoes said. “Time travel seemed the obvious choice.”

He described paradoxes and theories surrounding time travel that would compel students to analyze its content philosophically. A portion of students’ grades in the course relied on class debates via an online discussion board.

“The essential thing in philosophy is the analysis of arguments,” McElhoes said.

So while the course may not actually teach students how to travel back in time, it does explore important theories and arguments surrounding a fundamental philosophical topic, said students and faculty in the philosophy department.

“There was a surprising amount of legitimacy to the topic,” said senior computer science major Aaron Sanders, who took the course to satisfy the elective requirements of his philosophy minor. “It may be odd ... but I got the same looks when I told people I was taking this class as I did for my other metaphysics courses.”

Students who did not take the class were also as intrigued by its title and subject matter.

A philosophy course at this university made it onto a list of the 15 oddest courses offered at Washington-area schools that was compiled by a Washington Post blogger: 1. Introduction to Arboriculture (tree-climbing), Montgomery College 2. Hallucinating, Georgetown University 3. War and Dancing: Strange Bedfellows, Goucher College 4. Restorative Art I (embalming), University of the District of Columbia 5. How to Win the Tour de France, Marymount University 6. Banned and Dangerous Art, University of Mary Washington 7. Lies and Secrets, Marymount University 8. Ancient Egypt: Sex/Drugs/Rock, Johns Hopkins University 9. Sustainable Living: Raising Chickens at Home, Anne Arundel Community College 10. Understanding Baby Boomers, American University 11. Field School in Material Culture (tobacco harvesting), College of William and Mary 12. Philosophy and Time Travel, University of Maryland 13. Community Performance for Peace, Conflict and Dialogue, Goucher College 14. Vampires: Their Historical Significance in Literature, Film and Pop Culture, Gallaudet University 15. The Male Experience (development of male behavior), Frostburg State University SOURCE: The Washington Post “I would definitely be interested to hear what people think about time travel,” sophomore letters and sciences major Jessica Mayorga said.

Sophomore letters and sciences major Karen Cid said the course is the most unusual she’s heard of.

“That class is definitely worth being on the list,” she said, amused by the title of the class. “I would never even think of taking that.”

But believe it or not, time travel may not be the most unusual topic studied at this university, some students said.

Senior history major Nicolas Minges said one assignment for the oddest class he’s ever taken prompted him to socialize — for a grade — with men in drag.

“Our final project had to be an ‘out-of-comfort-zone’ experience,” he said of EDHI338P: Emergent Themes, which he completed last semester. “So my friends and I attended drag queen bingo.”

Other students described courses that require playing two hours of video games per night — PSYC445: The Psychology of Video Games and Entertainment — and that teach students how to properly raise bees — BSCI121:

Beekeeping.

Allen Stairs, associate chairman of the department, denounced the list, describing it as “silly” and taking only surface-level analyses of classes into consideration.

“In some cases, what’s going on is that titles are a little bit catchy,” he said of the ranked courses. “My guess is every single one is a rigorous, serious course.”

McElhoes reiterated that classes appearing to be out of the ordinary must be interpreted in context to be taken seriously.

“I suppose, as far as the title goes, it seems sort of strange,” he said. “But not to a philosopher.”

Stairs said he approved McElhoes’ request to teach PHIL408T “without batting an eyelash.” He described feeling amused that PHIL408T was considered extraordinary and believes its name was taken out of context when ranked.

“People who aren’t in philosophy think [the course] is something other than what it is,” Stairs added. “Nobody is sitting around wearing their foil hats thinking we’re making time machines.”

I’m convinced Mote and Kirwan did that.”

Others, however, think it matters what field the president tends to lean toward, and some professors said Loh’s psychology background is an advantage.

“Personally, I think scientists tend to see things in black and white, and maybe that’s not the best approach to running a multi-layered and multicultural institution,” Fenster said. “You have to be able to perceive nuances in order to appreciate the wealth of diversity here.”

Farvardin said even though research grants primarily go to the sciences because of the work’s nature, the university community values the humanities just as highly.

“I don’t want to give any impression that humanists are not engaged in research,” he said, noting that research for a historian is different and often less expensive than research for a physicist. “We are making significant advancements in the arts. We’re bringing outstanding scholars here who are doing cutting-edge scholarship.”

Despite the fundamental differences between the humanities and the hard sciences, Farvardin said this cultural variety is beneficial in a college setting.

“It’s what makes such a rich university community,” Farvardin said. “If all the parts of the university were the same, the university would lose its intellectual vigor.”

Physics professor Jordan Goodman said even though the science departments bring in more money, the humanities are always appreciated for

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their contributions to the university.

“We know we’ve been a strong part of giving the university the reputation it has, but we’re happy to see the rest of the university succeeding, too,” he said. “The state legislature sees the importance of a program that brings in a lot of resources and jobs, but we in the hard sciences think it’s best when the whole university is a strong place.”

Though Goodman said Mote’s propensity for engineering was beneficial for the science departments, he added he didn’t think those schools would now suffer because Loh’s expertise lies elsewhere.

“It’s good to have someone who knows what you do, but a top quality person will figure out what we do,” he said. “As long as he has the best academic interest at heart, it won’t be an issue.”

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“Dr. Loh was kind enough to reach out to Anna [Bedford, Graduate Student Government president] and a group of graduate students to talk with us about our issues,” Dillow said. “It is a positive sign. We have always wanted a leader of the university who is taking the opinions and needs of graduate students into consideration.”

In their meeting, Loh listened as Bedford laid out many of her top concerns and explained how graduate students feel like a neglected constituency at the university. She said she left feeling encouraged the incoming president took the time to hear her concerns.

Communication between the GSG and administrators has been shaky in the past, and transparency issues have plagued the relationship, Bedford said.

“The problem has been that graduate students have kept their head down, what with workload high and time short,” Dillow said.

“Without people like Anna, who know the issues and when we as graduate students are being shorted, we will continue to be underrepresented.”

Bedford added graduate student representation has been lacking in the past because of limitations administrators have put on them.

“This is not a comment on Loh because he hasn’t done anything yet, but students in the past have been invited to participate and represent the graduate student body, then are restricted in their participation,” she said.

Bedford is also disappointed by the low completion rates of graduate students and thinks the number reflects a university that doesn’t prioritize graduate students, she said.

Her frustration may be shortlived: Harshman said Loh was very proactive in Iowa about finding ways for graduate students to

finish their degrees efficiently.

“I would definitely encourage students to go to [Loh] with concerns and ideas,” said Harshman.

“He takes his students seriously, and he will make things happen.”

Graduate students have been demanding administrators take action to offer them more affordable housing, satisfactory childcare options and comprehensive health care .

Many students have repeatedly said the stipends they receive are not high enough for them to afford clean, convenient housing and that the university should do more to provide or safeguard their options.

“We are providing the university with important administrative and teaching labor, while getting so poorly paid compared to the D.C. area cost of living,” Matt Stamm, graduate student senator and chairman of the Student Affairs Committee, wrote in an email. “ ... It could give graduate students additional housing options within their financial reach and could act as a recruiting tool when the university seeks new, talented graduate students.”

Students said they aren’t totally satisfied with the university’s recent progressions with health and child care but are willing to wait and see if the situation improves.

A family care and referral service that provides advice from a consultant hasn’t gone far enough to fix their dilemma, they said, and some are skeptical of the mandatory health insurance and thirdparty billing system the University Health Center has implemented.

Though Loh hasn’t set any tangible goals yet, graduate students said they will continue to be optimistic that he can deliver.

“His past accomplishments are very impressive, and if he has as much success at Maryland as he has had at other institutions, it should serve this university well,” Stamm wrote. romas@umdbk.com

8

THE DIAMONDBACK | SPORTS | MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2010

MEN’S SOCCER

Tar Heels toss aside Terps, history in 2-1 win North Carolina scores game’s first two goals and holds off late charge to secure first victory over Terps in seven years

BY CHRIS ECKARD Senior staff writer

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Trotting off Fetzer Field on Friday night, the Terrapin men’s soccer team was silent.

The Terps remained speechless as they went through cool downs and stretches. No one wanted to — much less could — justify what had happened on the field against North Carolina in the preceding 90 minutes.

Across the field, Tar Heel students serenaded their team as the group celebrated a 2-1 victory, its first win against the Terps in seven years. Looking the part of the ACC favorite, No. 3 North Carolina (5-10, 3-0-0 ACC) controlled possession, frustrated the No. 5 Terps (42-1, 1-1-1) and finally broke through against a Terp team that had long dominated them.

“I’m not a good loser,” said coach Sasho Cirovski, who withheld players from interviews after the loss, “and hopefully we’ll not repeat this again.”

The difference fell just 10 minutes into the contest, when North Carolina midfielder Michael Farfan collected a pass from Enzo Martinez following a Terp foul.

About 35 yards from the Terps’ goal, Farfan made a swift move past forward Jason Herrick and launched a shot.

The ball curved back to the top left corner of the goal and whizzed past the fingertips of goalkeeper Zac MacMath for the first score of the game, stunning the Terps and invigorating the Tar Heel faithful.

“They made the play that made the difference,” Cirovski said.

Farfan’s picturesque score was just the second goal the Tar Heels had ever scored on MacMath, who

Defender London Woodberry and the Terps had scoring chances Friday night but could not escape North Carolina with a win in hand.

CHARLIE DEBOYACE/THE DIAMONDBACK

had never lost to North Carolina before Friday.

“It’s a game about making plays,” Cirovski said. “It was a play that we should have stopped on the dribble or made a good save, and we didn’t do it.”

Just eight minutes into the second half, the Terps made another mental mistake. This time, officials whistled midfielder Matt Kassel for a handball inside the penalty box to give the Tar Heels a penalty shot chance.

Farfan lined up and launched a shot to the lower right corner of the net. MacMath dove right.

Despite fewer shots and opportunities, the Tar Heels held a 2-0 lead.

The Terps’ offense continued to struggle. Cirovski tried different formations and player combi-

nations to spark his attack, but little affected North Carolina’s stiff backline.

The Terps certainly had their chances — a wide-open Matt Kassel shot from point-blank range that ricocheted off the right post, a Casey Townsend header saved by North Carolina goalkeeper Scott Goodwin, a last-ditch corner and free kick in the final minute — but they could not convert.

“They have a very senior backline, and they’re tough to penetrate,” Cirovski said. “[Goodwin] made two incredible saves. He made the plays today, and hats off to him and their team.”

The Terps’ lone score came in the 75th minute, after Tar Heel midfielder Stephen McCarthy was called for a handball inside the penalty box. On the ensuing penalty kick, Kassel sliced the deficit to one with a well-placed shot to the right corner of goal.

But no matter what the Terps tried in the final 15 minutes, North Carolina had an answer.

“We squandered a lot of very good chances and we just weren’t dangerous on them,” Cirovski said.

“It was not a great day for our attacking players.”

In both road conference matches this season — an earlier draw at Boston College and Friday’s defeat — the Terps have struggled on offense, failing to grab the early lead. A looming Friday battle against No. 11 Duke now carries even more importance for a Terp team stuck in the middle of the ACC standings.

“It’s a tough loss, but we lost to a good team,” Cirovski said. “We’ll pick up our pieces, we’ll lick our wounds and we’ll be ready for Duke.” ceckard@umdbk.com

Goalkeeper Zac MacMath allowed two or more goals for only the second time this season in a 2-1 loss at No. 3 North Carolina. CHARLIE DEBOYACE/THE DIAMONDBACK

FIELD HOCKEY

Terps sprint to finish in win vs. Wake Forest Dennig starts scoring in 5-3 win at Demon Deacons

BY JAKOB ENGELKE Senior staff writer

Forward Jasmyne Spencer, right, had several scoring opportunities against No. 14 Duke yesterday, but she and the Terps had to settle for a 1-1 tie at Ludwig Field. MATTHEW CREGER/THE DIAMONDBACK

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Terps can’t close in ACC opener, settle for 1-1 tie

BY CONOR WALSH Staff writer

As midfielder Lydia Hastings’ blast from 45 yards away bounced straight down off the crossbar midway through the second overtime of the No. 8 Terrapin women’s soccer team’s game yesterday, the crowd at Ludwig Field collectively gasped.

One line judge told Terp coach Brian Pensky that he was certain that the ball did not cross the line. Hastings certainly thought differently.

“It’s going to be interesting when we look at it on the tape,” Pensky said. “I don’t know how he could tell me with 100 percent certainty.”

Hastings’ near-miss exemplified the kind of day it was for the Terps, who tied No. 14 Duke, 1-1, despite outshooting the Blue Devils 9-1 in the two overtime periods.

“We had opportunities until the last 10 seconds of the game,” forward Ashley Grove said. “It’s frustrating.”

If it weren’t for Grove, however, the Terps (8-0-1, 0-0-1 ACC) would have left their first conference game far more frustrated.

A Blue Devil goal in the 62nd minute, which came when Terp goalkeeper Yewande Balogun lost control of a cross after a collision in the box that allowed Duke’s Callie Simpkins to tap the ball into an empty net, gave

the visitors a 1-0 lead.

“Duke had so much energy after that goal,” Pensky said.

“It’s tough to come back and tie a game.”

It appeared the Blue Devils’ ensuing momentum would overcome the Terps’ pressing efforts to knot the score, but Grove’s unorthodox goal in the 76th minute answered their prayers.

After a Duke (6-2-1, 0-1-1) free kick, the Terps could not clear the ball out of the penalty box. In one flurry, the Blue Devils put four shots on goal, but Balogun and the Terps’ backline combined to turn away each chance.

When the Terps were finally able to clear their defensive third, the ball soared toward the Duke net. Blue Devil goalkeeper Tara Campbell came out to play it, but after bumping into a defender, she lost the ball near the top of the penalty box.

Grove, in perfect position, calmly corralled it and put it into the empty net.

After so many legitimate, yet fruitless, attempts on goal — including shots from forward Jasmyne Spencer and midfielder Molly Dreska that found the post in the first half — it was perhaps fitting that the Terps found the equalizer in such unexpected fashion.

“We fought really hard today,” co-captain Caitlin McDowell said after the game. “It was awesome that we could come back

like that.”

Missed overtime opportunities, including a cross that midfielder Amy O’Sullivan nearly tipped in and a point-blank, one-timer opportunity for Spencer that Campbell smothered, only furthered the Terps’ disappointment.

Still, the draw was well earned in light of who they played without. Forward Sade Ayinde, who was tied with Grove for the team lead in points coming into yesterday’s game, missed her second straight game as she continued to recover from a head injury.

The Terps also lost center defensive midfielder Domenica Hodak midway through the first half with what Pensky said was a bone bruise in her knee.

But reserves Danielle Hubka, Olivia Wagner and Skyy Anderson did not miss a beat, allowing the Terps to remain in position to earn a point in the most physical game they’ve been apart of this season. But they aren’t satisfied yet.

“It’s one that with 20 minutes left, you’re finding a way to scratch and get a point,” Pensky said. “Now, at the end of the game, it’s like, ‘Man, I wish we got our three points.’”

Grove, though, has loftier goals.

“All we want to do is finish top in the ACC,” Grove said. cwalsh@umdbk.com

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – After a defensive battle in the game’s first 28 minutes — one through which both the Terrapin field hockey team and Wake Forest were held scoreless — it was only a matter of time before the floodgates opened for two of the nation’s most prolific offenses.

It took a set play to let the scoring break loose. With only seven minutes remaining in the first half, forward Katie O’Donnell sent a penalty corner to defender Jemma Buckley, who rifled a shot toward the Demon Deacons’ cage.

Midfielder Kirstie Dennig was in the right position and tipped the shot into the air and over Wake Forest goalkeeper Kaitlyn Ruhf.

After Dennig’s goal, the game’s first, offense finally started to flow. Two goals were scored in the next four minutes. But it was the Terps who came out on top Saturday afternoon, using a highspeed transition game and relentless pressure from their backline to defeat Wake Forest, 5-3.

“It’s funny how goal scoring creates other goal scoring,” coach Missy Meharg said. “Once the goals started to come, they came for both teams.”

With the score tied at two 12 minutes into the second half, the Terps (8-0, 2-0 ACC) converted multiple fastbreak opportunities to again get on the board.

In the 49th minute, forward Janessa Pope started the rush upfield. She rifled a pass toward the baseline, hitting forward Hayley Turner, who in turn quickly found forward Jill Witmer (two goals) on the backdoor. Witmer finished the play with an easy flick of the stick.

Just seven minutes later, Pope carried the ball from midfield into the attacking third, gaining numbers on the Demon Deacons (6-3, 12). She found an opening in the shooting circle and passed the ball to Witmer, who knocked in a goal while

Midfielder Megan Frazer lunges for a loose ball Saturday in the Terps’ 5-3 win. CHARLIE DEBOYACE/THE DIAMONDBACK

falling down, putting the Terps up 4-2.

“We had some great passing combinations,” Meharg said. “All those freshmen and sophomores up front [with Pope, Turner and Witmer] enabled us to put Katie O’Donnell in the midfield some and get a little more control of the game. Our passing put a lot of pressure on their backline.”

With the Terps’ stifling pressure, the game easily could have gotten out of hand. But with the strong play of Wake Forest’s Ruhf, who stopped 10 Terp shots, the Demon Deacons were able to keep it close.

With 18 minutes remaining, Witmer cut in between two defenders and found herself in a one-on-one situation with Ruhf. Witmer took a blistering shot, but Ruhf flashed a leg pad, making an impressive save and keeping the score at 3-2. “[Ruhf] has a really strong voice, so I can imag-

ine that her defense is really comfortable with her back there,” O’Donnell said. “There’s not much more to say [other] than she did a phenomenal job stopping us.”

Although the Terps left with the victory, they failed to capitalize on numerous opportunities, resulting in a lack of scoring early in the game.

After halftime, though, the Terps came out as a different team and ended all hopes of a Demon Deacon upset.

“In the first half, we had so many opportunities that we just didn’t put in the net,” said O’Donnell, who finished with one goal. “We knew that in the second half, if we kept knocking, something would fall in the goal for us. So that was our thought process going into the second half — just keep trying and keep going. And that’s what we did.” jengelke@umdbk.com

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2010 | THE DIAMONDBACK

2 0 1 1

9

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10

THE DIAMONDBACK | MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2010

Sports

Making sense of Saturday Check out TerrapinTrail.com for a breakdown of the Terps’ win over Florida International from beat writers Michael Lemaire and Kate Yanchulis.

TERPRECAP

Terps 42, FIU 28

Oct. 2 Duke

Running back Da’Rel Scott and the Terps ran away from Florida International on Saturday, using a series of big plays to put away the Golden Panthers, 42-28.

FIU from page 1 impressively in near-upsets in the first two games of the season, the Terps, led by quarterback Danny O’Brien in his first career start, put them away with time to spare.

The first freshman quarterback to start for the Terps since 1999, O’Brien stepped in after the shoulder injury starter Jamarr Robinson sustained last week proved worse than expected.

O’Brien had received significant playing time in just one game so far this season, against Football Bowl Subdivision team Morgan State. But despite a still-injured ankle Saturday and limited experience, O’Brien played with poise, completing 18 of 27 passes for 250 yards, the best performance by a Terp quarterback this year.

“Danny did a great job today,” wide receiver Torrey Smith said. “He made his reads and didn’t try to do anything really

over the edge. He was doing his job.”

The Terps’ offensive line, hurt by injury and the resulting personnel shifts, struggled to open holes for the running game, especially after starting left guard Andrew Gonella went down on their first possession with a high ankle sprain. Gonella later returned to the game.

But the unit did contain a speedy pass rush, allowing just one sack to a defense that had forced five interceptions through two games. The line’s performance was buoyed by O’Brien’s snap judgment, which translated to quick blitz pick-ups and plenty of open receivers.

“That’s what you need at the quarterback position,” Friedgen said.

“You need a guy who can make decisions, put you in the right place and give you a chance to be successful.

He got the ball to our guys who can make some plays.”O’Brien did take time to adjust. On his first three drives, he threw floating

passes that often sailed too high for his receivers, and the Terps had just one first down on the first three possessions. While the Terps waited for their offense to pick up, the Panthers took advantage, scoring a touchdown to take an early 7-0 lead.

But five seconds into the second quarter, the Terps evened the score when O’Brien found wide receiver LaQuan Williams in the left corner of the end zone.

The touchdown toss still drifted a little high, but Williams extended and reeled it in, dragging his feet inbounds behind him.

“Wasn’t that a big-time catch?” Friedgen said.

That touchdown set up what became a day for big plays.

Less than three minutes later, punt returner Tony Logan maneuvered through a field of Florida International players and broke up the right sideline, leaving three Panthers trailing behind him as he sped into the end zone. The

85-yard touchdown was the first puntreturn score for the Terps since 2004.

The Panthers tied the score twice more, but the Terps never again lost at least a piece of the lead, their offense often capitalizing on the inherent risk of Florida International’s pressurebased defense.

“The type of defense they play is real aggressive,” Smith said. “It’s kind of a risk-reward thing. ... We just took advantage of the opportunities that presented themselves.”

On a first-and-10 from the Terps’ own 32, O’Brien spotted Smith on the right sideline with one-on-one coverage and immediately threw upfield.

Smith made the catch and took it 68 yards for a touchdown.

Running backs Da’Rel Scott and Davin Meggett got in on the highlight reel, too, running for touchdowns of 56 and 76 yards, respectively. Four of six touchdowns came off plays of 55 yards or more.

But the big plays and high score dis-

In surprise start, O’Brien emerges for Terps Quarterback overcomes injury to deliver season’s best performance under center

BY MICHAEL LEMAIRE Senior staff writer

For the first three weeks of the season, inconsistent play had prevented the Terrapin football team’s top two quarterbacks, Jamarr Robinson and Danny O’Brien, from distinguishing themselves. Heading into Saturday’s game against Florida International, the starter’s role still seemed up for grabs.

But coach Ralph Friedgen wasn’t worried about any emerging quarterback battle. He was just trying to make sure one would be healthy enough to play against the Golden Panthers.

O’Brien was still nursing a high ankle sprain he suffered against Morgan State, and Robinson was working his way back from a sore throwing shoulder he injured against West Virginia. The situation became so dire that Terp practices this week featured punt returner and wide receiver Tony Logan, who hasn’t played quarterback since high school, under center as an emergency option.

Although O’Brien eventually returned to practice later in the week, Robinson didn’t heal in time for Saturday’s game.

Friedgen didn’t have to worry, though: Not only did O’Brien stay healthy, he also had the best game of any Terp quarterback this season.

In the first start of his career and the first for any Terp freshman quarterback in more than a decade, O’Brien picked apart a Florida International defense that had thrived on creating pressure and forcing turnovers. Showing tremendous composure and accuracy in a 42-28 win, O’Brien completed 18 of 27 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns — and most importantly, no turnovers.

Quarterback Danny O’Brien threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns Saturday against Florida International. JACLYN BOROWSKI/THE DIAMONDBACK

“In the middle of the week, I thought Danny was moving fine, but he didn’t get many reps, and that’s always my concern,” Friedgen said. “He is a bright kid, and he does work at it. I was impressed with his poise. He never got rattled.

He was just in total control.”

Robinson started the first three games of the season but struggled at times to find the open receivers and complete passes down the field.

Not counting the Terps’ 62-3 win against an overmatched Morgan State team, Robinson had completed just 15 passes for 238 yards,

140 of which came on two touchdown passes to Torrey Smith against West Virginia.

Part of the problem in the past was the offensive line’s inability to keep pressure off Robinson. So with redshirt freshman Pete DeSouza starting at right tackle and R.J. Dill moving to left tackle, offensive coordinator James Franklin devised a game plan that would rely on quick passes and easy reads to help keep O’Brien upright.

O’Brien executed it beautifully.

After completing just one of his first four passes, O’Brien relied on simple underneath drag routes and curl patterns from his receivers to complete his next eight passes and help the Terps storm back after an early deficit.

“We were trying to protect the quarterback, and we tried to run the ball early,” Franklin said. “But that wasn’t going as well as we liked, so the quick passing game was just another way to move the ball and protect our quarterback by taking some pressure off the offensive line, and that seemed to help us for the most part.”

Although Robinson is likely to return next week against Duke, O’Brien’s play may have helped him win the starting gig, at least for now.

Just one day after insisting that the Terps would continue to play both quarterbacks, Friedgen said yesterday that O’Brien would likely start this week against Duke.

“I am going to have to look at the tape, but I think both of them will still play,” Friedgen said. “I think they both have their strengths, and if we can utilize both of their talents, we should try to do that. But I will know more about that when I see Jamarr’s condition.” lemaire@umdbk.com

JACLYN BOROWSKI/THE DIAMONDBACK

guised some of the recurring issues the win also featured.

Though the Terps had 169 rushing yards on 28 carries, an average of 6.0 yards per rush, 132 of those came on Scott’s and Meggett’s long touchdowns.

For the rest of the day, the team averaged just 1.4 yards per run on 26 carries.

The Terp defense stayed on the field for 98 plays and more than 34 minutes, leaving defensive coordinator Don Brown worried about “wear and tear.”

And then there was the announced attendance of 33,254, a figure that seemed generous considering large patches of empty bleachers.

But little of that mattered to the Terps, who left Byrd Stadium having already surpassed last season’s win total and boasting renewed optimism.

“I think it was a great team victory,” O’Brien said. “We threw the ball and protected great. Any time you can do that, you can beat anybody.” kyanchulis@umdbk.com

TWO-MINUTE DRILL WHEN IT WAS OVER After Florida International scored to narrow the deficit to 35-28, the Terps took over with 4:11 remaining in the game. On the first play of the drive, running back Davin Meggett took a handoff, and 76 yards later, the Terps had regained their two-touchdown lead.

TERP HIGHLIGHT Torrey Smith caught a touchdown pass, his conference-leading fifth of the season, for the third straight game after pushing off an FIU defender in the third quarter and racing into the end zone to put the Terps up 28-21.

TERP LOWLIGHT With the Terps up 14-7 late in the second quarter, cornerback Cameron Chism gambled on a deep pass. He missed, and Golden Panther receiver Greg Ellingson coasted in from 43 yards out.

STAR OF THE GAME The Terps were desperately searching for a consistent passing attack, and O’Brien came through with the best game by a Terp quarterback this season. He avoided turnovers and seemed comfortable in the pocket while throwing for 250 yards and two touchdowns.

WHAT THIS GAME MEANS They may not have won any style points, but the Terps did win a game they were supposed to against a team that is better than its 0-3 record. They now have more wins than they did all of last season.