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NO-SHOWS BLACK MIRROR Fans stay away from Byrd Stadium despite 3-1 record SPORTS | PAGE 10

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Regrouped No Wave legends Swans come to town DIVERSIONS | PAGE 6

THE DIAMONDBACK Our 101ST Year, No. 23

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER

Board of Regents extends benefits to same-sex spouses

Senate evaluates GPA policy Issue resurges after five quiet years

Couples now able to receive sick leave, bereavement benefits, tuition remission

BY LEYLA KORKUT Staff writer

The university is once again considering a change to its grade point average calculation system that offers a different weight to a plus or a minus letter grade.

The University Senate’s most powerful committee ordered an evaluation of the university’s grading policy, which has been debated on and off for the past several years. The proposal, submitted to the senate by English graduate student Jamison Kantor, calls for the adjustment of the university’s grade point average system to factor in pluses and minuses.

“This proposal is suggesting that we actually adopt a different GPA

BY LAUREN REDDING Senior staff writer

Members of the Senate Executive Committee charges another committee with the task of evaluating the university’s GPA policy at their monthly meeting Monday. CHARLIE DEBOYACE/THE DIAMONDBACK

for a B+ as opposed to a B-,” said undergraduate student Senator Lisa Crisalli, who ser ves on the Senate Executive Committee.

The committee charged with evaluating the benefits and drawbacks of changing the GPA system is slated to have a full report assembled by March, Senate Director Reka Montfort said. At that time, the SEC can determine

whether the proposal should be brought to the entire legislative body for a vote.

Students, who would be most impacted by any GPA policy change, reported mixed feelings about the proposal.

Some, like sophomore animal sciences and pre-veterinar y major Tenley Diaz said that changing the

see GRADES, page 3

Same-sex spouses of university system employees are now guaranteed the same professional benefits as heterosexual couples, thanks to an attorney general’s opinion issued last spring and a Board of Regents vote earlier this month.

Before this motion was passed, the University System of Maryland did not extend privileges such as taking sick leave to care for a spouse, applying tuition remission to family members or taking time off for the death of a husband or wife to employees’ same-sex spouses.

But when state Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler issued an opinion

STUDENTS SHIFT GEARS TO ‘D’ Staff writer

As President Barack Obama spoke to students in Wisconsin, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius touched on hot-button topics, such as health care and college loan reform, to about 100 students and state residents at an on-campus rally yesterday.

With only 34 days left until the

see BENEFITS, page 7

City may let 18-year-olds run for office

U.S. Health and Human Services secretary speaks to students about health care reform

BY RACHEL ROUBEIN

in February that state institutions should honor the marriage licenses of same-sex couples in other states and modify the legal definition of “spouse” to include those couples, university system officials said it was just the go-ahead many had been waiting for.

Joanne Goedert, assistant vice chancellor for administration and finance of the system, said that the Gansler statement was just validation for what many believed the state and university system should have enacted years ago.

“Same-sex couples have understandably been wanting these benefits for quite some time,” she said. “It

midterm election, Republicans have a chance of gaining a Congressional majority in at least one house. Obama kicked off his “Moving America Forward” campaign yesterday at the University of Wisconsin, aiming to secure the college student vote for the Democratic Party.

Organizing for America — a group created to support the Obama campaign that

City hasn’t seen an undergraduate candidate in years

see SEBELIUS, page 2

BY ALICIA MCCARTY Staff writer

PHOTOS BY CHARLIE DEBOYACE/THE DIAMONDBACK

From the trenches of Gaza Two Al Jazeera correspondents discuss experiences, Western media

BY LEAH VILLANUEVA Staff writer

As Ayman Mohyeldin reported oncamera from a rooftop in Gaza, bombs fell from the sky, forcing him to stop midsentence and duck for cover.

And Sherine Tadros was given a fiveminute window to evacuate before the next attack on a clinic where she interviewed Palestinian families.

For these two Al Jazeera English Gaza correspondents, it was just another day on the job.

TOMORROW’S WEATHER:

Yesterday, these two journalists who had reported from the very center of the chaos in the war-torn Gaza Strip shared their experiences and delivered a cautionary message about the issues of ignorance that pervade Western media portrayals of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

About 70 attendees filled the Richard Eaton Broadcast Theater in Knight Hall for a conversation with the correspondents. With an on-campus Islamophobia

see JOURNALISTS, page 7

Rainy/70s

Al Jazeera reporter Sherine Tadros, right, discusses working in the Gaza Strip as Ayman Mohyeldin, left, looks on. ORLANDO URBINA/THE DIAMONDBACK

INDEX

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

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

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

Depending on who you ask, it’s either a dream come true, a disaster waiting to happen or a purely hypothetical situation, but the College Park City Council has set events in motion that would make it far easier for an undergraduate to serve on the body.

The council voted last night to introduce a proposed amendment to the city’s charter that would allow residents as young as 18 to serve as council members, down from the existing age limit of 21.

If the measure introduced by District 4 Councilman Marcus Afzali — who won his seat last year as a graduate student — survives a public hearing and a final vote over the coming weeks, any undergraduate who has been registered to vote in College Park for a year could be a council candidate in the next election.

Council members are elected to twoyear terms and are paid $4,400 per year.

Although it does not appear the council will reject the charter amendment, there is widespread doubt that the student body could overcome its traditional apathy toward city elections and outvote residents who might be skeptical of a student candidate if an undergraduate ran.

Afzali said any student candidates need to show dedication, maturity and an understanding of city issues in order to stand a chance in an election.

see COUNCIL, page 3

www.diamondbackonline.com

2

THE DIAMONDBACK | NEWS | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2010

Study shows drugs affect boys’ brains University psychology professor examined brains of delinquent boys

BY KELLY FARRELL Staff writer

According to a study coauthored by a university psychology professor, druggedup, antisocial adolescent males may have an excuse for their behavior: brain abnormalities.

Carl Lejuez worked with Colorado School of Medicine researchers to examine 20 adolescent males between 14 and 18 years old who had spent an average of 139 of the last 180 days on probation.

He and his research team compared them with a control group of 20 males of similar ages and backgrounds without histories of substance abuse, major behavioral problems or diagnosed disorders.

He said the study’s findings can be used to help treat problem children.

The researchers studied the boys’ brain activity as they played a computer game

that repeatedly presented them with money-making lotteries and other scenarios with choices between cautious and risky behavior.

In the game, subjects were asked to choose between earning one cent or selecting a chance of either earning five cents or losing 10, with the risk of losing increasing as they proceeded.

The researchers hypothesized that boys who took risks did so because they were either more responsive to rewards or less responsive to punishments than the control group, said Thomas Crowley, the University of Colorado professor who led the study.

The actual outcome was surprising — the boys who had been on probation had a reduced response to reward and an increased response to punishment.

“The brains of these kids do not work like the brains of other people when it comes

to decisions about risk taking,” Crowley said. “It’s a little like if a kid had a developmental disability and you tried to teach the kid calculus, it just won’t work because his brain will not work at that level.”

“While I did believe that the brains functioned differently between the kids with serious antisocial and substance problems and the community comparison kids when they were engaged in deciding whether or not to do something risky, I was surprised at how they functioned differently,” Crowley added.

Because some adolescents die from these disorders, parents and others who treat them must understand how their brains work differently, Crowley said, adding that they need more than a few months of super vision.

“Their brains were much less active when they were making decisions,” Crowley said of the drug-using, misbe-

“The brains of these kids do not work like the brains of other people when it comes to decisions about risk taking.”

THOMAS CROWLEY UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO PROFESSOR

having males. “They did not turn on to the extent the others did.”

Continued substance abuse makes abusers increasingly desensitized to reward and feel the need to take further risks for larger rewards, Lejuez said.

“It only gets worse in a downward cycle,” Lejuez said. farrell@umdbk.com

RHA to tackle roommate survey revisions Association will also consider adding additional buses for holidays

BY ERIN EGAN Staff writer

The Residence Hall Association will likely consider expanded “Break Bus” ser vice and revisions to the questionnaires used to match random roommates this year, officials said at last night’s RHA senate meeting.

The body will consider adding lines to the Break Bus, which now takes students to New York and New Jersey during extended university vacations, to offer ser vice to Delaware and Philadelphia.

“That’s something that will be on the table next meeting,” RHA Vice President Taylor Cole said. “That’s something that I’m excited to see.”

Cole also said the RHA may discuss revisions to the fivequestion sur vey in which on-

campus students describe such characteristics as their smoking habits and cleanliness.

The sur vey might need some tweaks to help students avoid some common roommate conflicts, she said.

“I’ve heard a lot about music being an issue or wanting to know if their roommate gets up early in the morning,” Cole said. “We talk about going to bed late, but what about getting up early, or class schedules, or finding someone through a social networking site. Hopefully we’ll see that come out of here.”

Also at last night’s meeting, the RHA Senate voted to reapprove an ad-hoc Sustainability Committee, temporarily extending a group that it put in place last year. Some RHA members said they hope to see the temporar y group join

CORRECTION Due to a reporting error, yesterday’s story about security cameras misidentified University Police as spearheading the camera initiative. Although police are helping to implement the cameras and will monitor them as part of a contract with the city, it is a city initiative funded by a state grant.

Resident Life, Residential Facilities and Dining and Transportation as a permanent committee.

RHA Chief Information Officer Sasha Azar also announced plans to revamp and upgrade its website and create a newsletter that will describe upcoming events and policy changes.

“This is an awesome opportunity,” RHA President Samantha Lengyel said. “I’m really excited for this year.

We have a lot of big issues on the table.”

“I want to make sure the RHA stays out there and has a good face,” she added.

But the substantive work of the RHA will mostly be left for the body’s future meetings, Cole said, as last night’s was dominated by icebreakers, introductions of new and returning members and

reviews of procedures.

“Tonight was a lot of meetand-greet, introducing and acclimating our senators and to get approvals,” Cole said.

“But starting in two weeks, you will start seeing our bigger issues on the table. Our committees will have met and will be bringing new resolutions about things they want to see changed.”

RHA communications officer Sean Collins reminded the body’s members of what they can accomplish.

“The more you put into it, the more you will get out,” Collins said. “You should want to say, ‘I helped set up that bus route,’ or, ‘I helped get that cereal in The Diner.’

There is a bunch of things you guys can shape and change here on campus.” egan@umdbk.com

SEBELIUS from page 1 has redirected its focus to supporting the entire Democratic Party in the midterm election — hosted the event in the Samuel Riggs Alumni Center where Sebelius echoed Obama’s sentiments regarding the opposing party: Both compared the “R” in the Republican Party to the reverse drive in a car.

“Put the car in ‘D’ if you want to go forward,” Sebelius said.

Sebelius and Obama both spoke at length about challenges facing college students today and the importance of voting in the midterm election, especially regarding the recent reform of health care for young adults.

Senior business and government and politics major Ashwani Jain, state student coordinator for Organizing for America, said the event used the recent health care provision — effective Sept. 23, young adults up to the age of 26 can choose to remain on their parents’ health insurance plan as a part of Obama’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act reform — as a transition point for talking about the midterm election’s importance.

Junior kinesiology major Sean Bur said health care reform will be on the forefront of his mind when he goes to the polls due to an abundance of media coverage on the issue, adding he feels relieved he’ll be able to rely on his parents’ insurance if he falls on hard times.

But not everyone agreed the health care reform was necessary. Sophomore government and politics major Zachary Cohen, an elected Baltimore County Republican Central Committee member and Student Government Association representative, said while he supports allowing young adults to stay on their parents’ plan, he’s uncomfortable with the reform for two reasons: It was thousand of pages long, and it’s probable the plan will lead to an expansion of government and an expansion of taxes.

“I think that some of the problems they’re trying to repair could be fixed in ways by the market without the government expanding at such a large rate,” Cohen said.

Senior English major Kevin Ford said that if the economic times were better, 26 years old would be too old to remain dependent on a parent’s insur-

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius speaks to an audience in the Riggs Alumni Center. CHARLIE DEBOYACE/THE DIAMONDBACK

ance plan.

“If a college degree guaranteed you a job at 22, then 26 would be excessive,” he said, adding that health care will be a secondary consideration for him at the polls. For Ford and many other students, education reform is the primary.

Sebelius used her platform yesterday to laud Obama’s changes to the student loan process. By eliminating the middlemen — big banks — from the process, money will go directly to students, while the amount of federal student loans were increased by $60 billion, she said.

Obama, who made affordable education a priority in the 2009 campaign, said the importance of accessible higher education is more important than ever.

“We want to make sure in good times and in bad times no American will have to sacrifice their dream of going to college,” Obama said at the University of Wisconsin.

Cohen said that when voting, students should keep in mind that, as the future generation, college-aged students are the ones facing the burden of national debt.

“There’s going to reach a time where the debt hits critical mass, and we’re going to have to increase taxes dramatically; there’s just no alternative, we’re going to have to pay it off eventually,” he said.

Sebelius said it’s important to spread the word about this election’s importance.

“Elections have real consequences; they have real consequences on people’s lives — on their abilities to get ahead,” she said. roubein@umdbk.com

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2010 | NEWS | THE DIAMONDBACK

GRADES from page 1 GPA policy would be detrimental to students.

“That would suck,” she said. “Because just that .5 or .1 difference could take someone’s scholarship away.

An A is still an A, and it doesn’t matter how high or low an A you got.”

Other students said the grading policy deserves a second look.

“I feel like there would be less stress because there’s more grades and you won’t automatically jump to a C,” sophomore biology major Hannah Guerin said. “There are more ways to get a B.” The senate approved a similar proposal for grade point average adjustment in 2005, but it was revised when then-Provost William Destler said the proposal could have an unforeseen negative impact on minority and disadvantaged students — an already at-risk population. Destler referenced a study that demonstrated how a plus-minus system could decrease graduation rates by up to 2 percent.

A lack of specificity in the GPA policy proposal also prompted the Student Government Association in 2007 to approve a bill recommending that a grade of C- should be valued as a 2.0.

In response to the SGA’s concerns, Destler suggested

the university create an option on Testudo that would allow students to request an unofficial transcript where pluses and minuses would be accounted for in the numerical average so they could determine how the policy change would impact them individually before the recalculation took effect on students’ official transcripts.

The SEC said that the unofficial recalculation was meant to be a temporary solution to the issue at the time, and Kantor’s proposal presented a good opportunity to revisit the policy.

And if students’ opinions are any indication, there is no easy answer.

Sophomore psychology and Spanish major Anna Cohen said that a new system would better reflect a student’s efforts by noting nuanced differences that exist between letter grades.

“It’s more fair because it’s just more accurate,” she said.

“If you got an 89 and a B+ and if you worked really hard, it could make a difference in your GPA.” But Diaz echoed Destler’s concerns that a new system would only disadvantage students by lowering their grades and putting some at risk.

“I’m just against it because people on the borderline, between the grays, are going to get downgraded,” she said. korkut@umdbk.com

3

COUNCIL from page 1 They need to have a vested interest in the city and not just a desire to sit on the city council, he said.

“A government and politics major thinking, ‘This would be really cool,’ shouldn’t run,” Afzali said. “It’s not what our city needs.”

Even as a College Park native, Afzali — who was a 24-year-old government and politics doctoral student at the time of his campaign last November — said running as a student posed problems.

“The first time people saw me, there was a little skepticism,” he said. “But once people saw that I had a good work ethic and I cared a lot, they didn’t mind that I was a student.”

Nick Aragon, who ran for a District 4 seat in 2007 as an undergraduate senior, said because students are split among three of the city’s four legislative districts, it is difficult to assemble a student voting bloc.

“If more students want to run, then great, but until the districts aren’t gerrymandered, I don’t think age will matter,” Aragon said.

Aragon said running as an undergraduate would be “an uphill battle,” adding that any student who runs must be concerned with not only students but all residents in his or her district.

“One thing I’d definitely hate to see is someone who just pokes the flames with student-resident relations,” Aragon said.

David Daddio, who was a senior when he dropped a District 3 council bid in 2006, echoed Afzali

The College Park City Council could get some younger blood if existing members vote to amend the city’s charter to allow 18-year-olds to run for office. CHARLIE DEBOYACE/THE DIAMONDBACK

and Aragon’s comments about dedication and student support.

Although total voter turnouts for city elections are traditionally low, city officials estimate fewer than a hundred students are typically among the several thousand total voters.

“It’s one thing to run; it’s another thing to win,” Daddio said. Younger students being able to run is a great idea, he added, but to earn a council seat “someone is going to have to be really motivated.”

Student Government Association President Steve Glickman said the key to getting a student into office is not to label them as a student but rather as a city resident, which was the SGA’s approach when it campaigned for Afzali.

“If you support them as a stu-

dent, the candidate doesn’t win,” Glickman said.

Hilary Staver, a board member of the UMD for Clean Energy student group that organized a successful get-out-the-vote effort in the last city election, said she felt the time commitment of a council seat would deter many students from seeking office but a student could be qualified.

“If [a student] takes the time to learn the issues, they could certainly do an adequate job,” Staver said.

In an interview last year, District 2 Councilman Bob Catlin said no one should be elected to the council who will not be in the city long enough to run at age 21.

“Tell them to get older. That’s what they do for drinking,” Catlin said last year. “If you’re interested in the city, then you should stay.”

The point may be moot, however. Although a seat may open up within a few months if District 3 Councilman Mark Cook is successfully elected to the county school board in November, neither Staver nor Glickman knew of any potential candidates. A special election would fill that spot; the next election would be in November 2011, when every council member is up for re-election.

According to Afzali, the city will likely hold its public hearing on the amendment Oct. 26, and it would take effect 50 days after a favorable council vote — in time for a District 3 special election.

“If a seat were to open up, we would encourage and support a student to fill that spot,” Glickman said. mccarty@umdbk.com

Divided city council Here’s the Scoop passes Shuttle-UM on Senior Pictures! program extension 2 0 1 1

T E R R A P I N

Y E A R B O O K

City pays DOTS $6,000 to allow non-student residents to ride buses

Senior Pictures for the 2011 Terrapin Yearbook will be taken for three weeks, October 4-22, 2010, by Herff Jones Photography. Six to eight poses will be taken, including an optional cap and gown shot, and it only takes five minutes!

BY ALICIA MCCARTY Staff writer

The photo session doesn't cost you a cent, and guarantees you a place in the 2011 TERRAPIN, all at no cost. You select the pose to be published in the 2011 TERRAPIN to preserve and recognize your college memories. HJP offers a wide variety of excellent, quality photographs at reasonable prices. Students often find these portraits make great gifts and help resumes and job applications.

AND . . . You Can Win An iPod Touch Or An iPad! At the conclusion of the photo sessions every senior photographed will be entered in a drawing to win an iPod Touch or an iPad! And, since we don’t want you to wait ‘til the last minute to get your picture taken, each senior photographed during the first week, 10/410/8, will be entered three times in the drawing. Get your picture taken 10/1110/15, you’ll receive two chances and if you wait until the third week, 10/18–10/22, you’ll get only one chance. So why wait? Call today and make an early appointment!

SAVE $14!!

Save $14 on your 2011 Terrapin Yearbook if you purchase one when you get photographed.

WHAT TO DO? Call 1-800-687-9327 between 8am5pm to schedule your most convenient time for an appointment, or visit our website at ouryear.com (school code:

87101) and make your appointment online!

We’ll be shooting October 4-22, 2010, Monday-Friday, 11am-7pm in room 3101 South Campus Dining Hall (Terrapin Yearbook Office).

CALL 1-800-687-9327

BETWEEN 8AM-5PM TODAY TO MAKE YOUR APPOINTMENT! OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT

WWW.OURYEAR.COM (SCHOOL CODE: 87101) AND MAKE YOUR APPOINTMENT ONLINE! 3101 SOUTH CAMPUS DINING HALL OCTOBER 4-22, 2010 • 11AM-7PM

For a third straight year, the City of College Park is purchasing Shuttle-UM bus passes for non-student city residents after negotiating with the Department of Transportation to lower the initial price of the 1,000 passes from $10,000 to $6,000.

A divided city council voted 5-3 to continue the pilot program designed to provide more public transportation options to College Park residents, with some council members questioning whether consistently low ridership numbers is worth even the discounted cost.

Only 340 of the 1,000 passes the city purchased for its residents in 2009 were issued, officials said, and DOTS reported just 289 rides by residents last year.

“The way it’s working now, it doesn’t seem to me that it’s a good idea to continue,” District 1 Councilwoman Christine Nagle said. “To me it’s just throwing $6,000 away.”

Councilman Pat Wojahn, Nagle’s District 1 colleague, echoed her concerns but said it was too early to abandon the program.

“I think we should give it one more year,” Wojahn said.

“We as a city need to support public transportation. I think it’s the easiest way we can work to address traffic issue.”

Wojahn added he would also like to pursue partnerships with other bus ser vices in the area, such as Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority or Prince George’s County public transit.

District 2 Councilman Bob Catlin said it’s important for the city to keep the ShuttleUM partnership running to prove its commitment to mass transit as it seeks state funding for future ventures.

“I don’t know why we’d let the program go two years and then give up on the whole idea. It’s an idea that’s taken a lot of ef for t from myself and other staf f,” Catlin said. “If we let this thing die this year, there’s no

HOW THEY VOTED The College Park City Council voted last night to continue its program offering city residents Shuttle-UM passes, but council members were divided on its cost effectiveness.

IN FAVOR Pat Wojahn, District 1 Bob Catlin, District 2 Stephanie Stullich, District 3 Marcus Afzali, District 4 Denise Mitchell, District 4 AGAINST Christine Nagle, District 1 Jack Perry, District 2 Mark Cook, District 3 telling how long it will take to resurrect it next time.”

A condition that city officials said was implied — but not explicitly stated — in the agreement with DOTS also drew some council members’ opposition: The price for the bus passes will revert to the previous price of $10,000. District 2 Councilman Jack Perry said this concern encouraged him to vote against the measure.

DOTS officials could not be reached for comment this week.

District 4 Councilman Marcus Afzali voted for the bus contract, but said he was torn between Catlin’s and Perry’s positions.

“In the future, if UMD does charge $10,000, that’s a pretty tough sale, and maybe we shouldn’t go for ward with it,” Afzali said. But, he added, “Saying we want a bus line on Route 1, then canceling this ser vice, won’t look good for our case.”

The measure’s third opponent, District 3 Councilman Mark Cook, was quoted praising the program in the Gazette on Sept. 9.

Cook did not explain his vote at the meeting and said he did not have time to speak to a reporter after ward. mccarty@umdbk.com

Read The Diamondback online!

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THE DIAMONDBACK | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2010

Opinion

THE DIAMONDBACK

MARISSA LANG EDITOR IN CHIEF

YOUR INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK PHONE: (301) 314-8200 | FAX: (301) 314-8358 3150 SOUTH CAMPUS DINING HALL | COLLEGE PARK, MD 20742 NEWS@UMDBK .COM | OPINION@UMDBK .COM

KATE RAFTERY

ANN SUN

MANAGING EDITOR

DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR

JUSTIN SNOW

KEVIN TERVALA

OPINION EDITOR

OPINION EDITOR

Staff editorial

Guest column

Breaking the stronghold O

ver the years, students and faculty in the arts, humanities and social sci- lege struggled to be heard in classes that averaged 67 students — a problem largely ences have been quick to point out the disparities between their disci- brought about by funding disparities among the university’s colleges.

But perhaps the most noticeable sign of this university’s willful neglect of the its plines and the so-called hard sciences — biology, chemistry and engineering, to name a few. Students and professors have made claims that two largest colleges can be found in annual graduate program rankings issued by the university places more emphasis on subjects such as mathematics and mechani- U.S. News & World Report. In 2010, many graduate programs from the business, education, engineering and computer, mathematical and natural sciences colleges were cal engineering than it does on ones such as art history and anthropology. ranked relatively high by the publication. These rankings were subsequently trumAnd who can blame them for this belief?

Indeed, one need only look at the composition of the administration to see where peted on university websites, heralding the caliber of this university’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs. the priorities of this university lie. For example, the university But what of the rankings of programs in the arts, humanihasn’t had a president whose background was not in engities and social science colleges? neering, math or physics since 1975 — though this will Although the criminology and criminal justice department change with incoming university President Wallace Loh. And Administrators have long was given the highest ranking by U.S. News & World Report of six vice presidents at this university, four are tenured professidelined the arts and this year, the university neglected to post this achievement sors in the engineering or computer, mathematical and natuhumanities to the detriment on its newsdesk site. ral sciences schools and zero hold doctoral degrees in the We can’t know whether the situation would be different if arts, humanities or social sciences. of the university. there were at least one high-ranking administrator from Interim university President Nariman Farvardin said the either of the university’s two largest colleges. But by stacking academic background of administrators shouldn’t matter — stating that “all university presidents should treat the university in a balanced way” — the administrative deck with educators from the hard sciences this university has ensured that these departments have remained underfunded and underappreciated. but if history tells us anything, it’s that background does matter.

And if this university is ever going to break into the top five, top 10, or even top 15 For years, the arts, humanities and social sciences colleges have been consistently neglected by the university as administrators focused their attention on other schools public institutions as ranked by U.S. News & World Report, administrators must truly make all colleges and disciplines a priority. As it is, this university, ranked 18th, is trailand colleges — often ones that bring in large government research grants.

While the university was engaged in building the Kim Engineering Building and ing behind its peers in these national ratings: the University of California, Berkeley the Bioscience Research Building, structures which opened in 2005 and 2007, (No. 1); the University of California, Los Angeles (No. 2); the University of Michiganrespectively, other buildings on the campus were deteriorating. Jiménez, Woods Ann Arbor (No. 4); and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (No. 5) domiand Key halls — buildings that house the language, anthropology, women’s stud- nate the top spots in humanities and social sciences lists.

Administrators must look beyond their own academic backgrounds and see the ies and history departments — were identified by the Facilities Master Plan as untapped potential across all disciplines. Every year, students pack classrooms in being in need of renovation.

And in 2009, while the majority of students at this university were benefiting from Jiménez, Tydings, Key and Woods halls. It is clear they recognize the value of an arts, having an average class size of 37, students in the behavioral and social sciences col- humanities or social sciences education. It is time the administration follows suit.

Our View

Editorial cartoon: Ian McDermott

Equality: By sea, by air and by land

D

espite the recent filibuster of an attempt in Congress to repeal the archaic Clintonera “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, it seems only a matter of time before new legislation overturns the discriminatory practice. Last week, a Washington state judge ruled unconstitutional the discharge of a gay nurse from the U.S. Air Force. This ruling could be an important precedent in the overall outcome of the issue at hand.

Additionally, recent accusations of military inefficiency, including one suggesting a fleet-wide problem involving submarine officers cheating on qualification exams, represents misplaced priorities in recruitment. Indeed, illegitimate qualification seems a better reason for discharge than sexual preference. It is unfair that gays are driven to hide personal choices in the same way the above-mentioned officers have done. As both ends of the political spectrum have come to embrace the gay rights movement, it seems imminent that the DADT policy will fall out of favor with these mil-

IAN

RODENHOUSE itary recruitment practices. However, the issue has fallen into the all too common trap of politicization at the expense of expediency and fairness.

Instead of being made into a partisan issue, something as basic as providing equal rights to all, regardless of sexual orientation, should already have been a long acknowledged principle — one consistent with the Constitution. Moreover, as time has undoubtedly seen, the military has not stood to benefit from this unfair discrimination. It seems worth noting that the U.S. military disregarded sexual orientation when recruiting troops for undermanned efforts, such as the Vietnam War. An analogous instance of military ire is the discharge of dozens of Arab linguists, who possess

a needed and already scarce ability within the military, on account of sexuality. Clearly, this is an issue that has legitimate concern coming from all parties in the United States. Accordingly, President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen have all supported the repeal of the policy.

Despite its importance and the abovementioned bipartisanship, a significant attempt to repeal DADT failed in the Senate last week, only 4 votes shy of the 60 needed to pass. While the divide was, except for two Democratic senators, almost strictly down party lines, the issue is not simply a disagreement between the left and right. Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) attached the measure as an amendment, along with other Democratic priorities, including the DREAM Act on immigration reform, to the annual Defense Authorization Bill. With the midterm election nearing, some speculators have suggested Reid attached these amendments in a way he knew conservatives would block so as to

ensure his seat, which is up for reelection in November, and polls have shown he may be losing. As Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) outlined, many Republicans who support the repeal of DADT voted down the bill.

These are important considerations in lieu of the coming election. It seems unfortunate that those who would oppose gay marriage fail to recognize their own irrational social policies will drown out the voice of those with legitimate economic and political merit, as is particularly true on the right. It is especially the responsibility of students, who represent the next generation, to reconcile these differences and ensure the extension of gay rights is no longer made an issue that hampers real political debate or enables political mudslinging — especially over a right as basic as providing equality to the country’s own citizenry.

Ian Rodenhouse is a sophomore government and politics major. He can be reached at rodenhouse@umdbk.com.

Moderates: Where have all the good people gone?

D

emocrats and Republicans are driving toward a cliff.

They’re both doped up on whatever drug could make them delusional enough to think they deserve to be reelected and too busy bickering about whose necktie is more patriotic to see the end of the road up ahead. They’re about to nose-dive into oblivion, and if we have any sense, we’ll encourage them to speed it up.

Although this election year has been painted as Democrat hunting season, with Republicans poised to take at least one house of Congress in November, the jigs of jubilation on the right are naive. Average Americans are not swinging to the right any more than they swung to the left two years ago.

They are fed up with the party in power, much the same way they were in 2006 when they booted out congressional Republicans.

A recent New York Times/CBS poll found voter discontent with their representatives, Republicans and Democrats alike, at the highest rate in two decades.

And while Republicans are facing happy

prospects this fall, their approval rating among voters is even worse than Democrats’. Ten percent more of voters disapprove of congressional Republicans than Democrats, with the GOP holding a disapproval rating of 73 percent. In fact, more voters believe Democrats have better ideas for the economy and disagree with Republicans about extending the Bush tax cuts for wealthy Americans.

And yet Republicans, despite their deficit of good ideas and expulsion of moderates from their ranks, are set to take over Congress.

This projected victory is not a verdict on conservatism versus liberalism.

Instead, it is the result of exhausted and anxious Americans who have been given a choice between two piles of shit.

We can vote for the spineless Democrat who will twiddle his thumbs and get absolutely nothing done, or we can vote for the hyperbolic Republican with really bad ideas. But gosh darnit, he’ll make sure they happen.

Missing from this equation are the centrists, whose voices are silenced by

JUSTIN SNOW mentally numb tea partiers and ignored by befuddling Democratic wonks.

The amount of sheer disdain and dissatisfaction toward the two parties in Washington should send a clear sign to moderate politicians that a door is opening. Although third-party candidates usually don’t have a shot in hell at winning an election, voter patience is entering its twilight hours.

Taking a page out of the tea party’s own playbook, moderates have begun to organize. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, whose own career has taken him from being a Democrat to a Republican to an independent, is putting his popularity and his billions behind moderate candidates across the country. And his spreading popularity could open the door for a presidential run. On

top of that, moderatism will enter the lion’s den at the end of October as Jon Stewart of The Daily Show converges on Washington with potentially thousands of fans for his “Rally to Restore Sanity” aimed at the “Busy Majority.”

It’s easy enough to be disheartened in today’s political climate. It seems no one is listening, and perhaps they’re not. But for the three quarters of the country that are fed up with everyone with a “D” or an “R” next to their name, have a little hope. Although the tea party has demonstrated how easy it is to exploit the gullibility and insecurity of a small portion of the electorate, it has also shown what’s possible when you organize. For those who have had enough, it’s possible to express anger without being forced to vote for a pile of shit.

Extremism may have won a battle or two, but the war isn’t over yet.

Moderates, suit up. We’ve got a country to govern.

Justin Snow is a senior history major. He can be reached at snow@umdbk.com.

End the rhetoric

R

ennie Silva’s Sept. 27 guest column, “A dead dream?,” raises an important topic but is far too simplistic. I do not seek to champion the Republican economic policy — far from it — but the picture Silva paints is far too lopsided.

Silva points to the growing income inequality in this country.

However, the statistic itself does not tell us much. Income inequality can grow even as total wealth and quality of life for all classes increases. Would Silva prefer the poor be poorer so long as the statistics show the rich are less rich? Further, pretax income levels are essentially meaningless in an economy where government wealth redistributions alter the final outcome. By excluding government transfers — Social Security, welfare, Medicare, unemployment and other benefits and subsidies, as well as regional cost of living — the real gap between income earners is highly overstated.

Silva began his column by recounting the story of a law school graduate who cannot find a job and is having difficulty paying his student loan bills. Can this be attributed to supply-side economics? Or Ronald Reagan’s tax cuts? Hardly.

The larger problem of student loan debt is that government, under Democratic and Republican administrations, with the best of intentions of helping people get an education, made it too easy to get a loan. Young men and women, who in the free market could never get a $100,000-plus loan to attend certain universities because they would be too much of a risk and their degrees did not have a value that would warrant such an investment, can now get the money (debt).

However, the job market’s demand for their degrees, or from the schools from which their degrees came, does not — and I doubt has ever, particularly for law and other liberal arts programs — matched the supply. Thus, these students find themselves in a far worse financial position than they would have otherwise been had the government stayed out of the student loan industry.

Silva also pointed to higher minimum wage as a positive policy outcome from President Barack Obama and the Democrats in Congress. I do not doubt the good intentions of those who support minimum wage increases. However, the problem, particularly in a recession economy, is that businesses will simply not hire.

In the spring, The New York Times published an article about unpaid internships. According to labor laws, many of these unpaid internships might be illegal. Thus, instead of unemployed new graduates not getting paid but gaining important experience in areas in which they might hope to one day have careers, they are left unemployed and at home. This is supposed to be an achievement?

For the record, although I am a conservative, I do not think the Republican policy of always cutting taxes is a good idea. Sometimes, tax cuts, especially when they do not promote re-investment or are not paid for with equal cuts in government spending, can be disastrous.

This country faces serious economic problems. Neither the Republicans nor the Democrats are entirely innocent or entirely to blame, but we need to move past the simplistic rhetoric that helps no one except for politicians and media pundits.

Benjamin J. Rodkin graduated in 2007 and was a government and politics major. He can be reached at benjaminrodkin@gmail.com.

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2010 | THE DIAMONDBACK

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Features HOROSCOPESTELLA WILDER

CROSSWORD ACROSS 62 Aunt Bee’s nephew 1 Dart about 63 Wee parasite 5 Mine passage 64 Hold forth 10 Roquefort hue 65 Techie 14 Behind time 66 Night twinkler 15 Wisdom tooth 16 Charged particles 67 Fragrant compound 17 Claim 68 — Harper of 18 Deep black “Far North” 19 Bandleader Sammy — DOWN 20 Chatty 1 Hail a cab 22 It repels moths 2 Emerging magma 23 Over and over 3 Anatomical 24 Hard bench passage 25 Under the 4 Bratty kids table (2 wds.)

5 Fuses, as ores 29 Flimsier 6 Freight hopper 33 Not quite right 7 Matty or Felipe 34 Dossier 8 Season-ticket 36 Festive log holders 37 Nigerian tribe 9 Strive 38 Scatter about 10 Park amenity 39 Faux — 11 Laundry amount 40 Earns as profit 42 Phoenix neighbor 12 New Age singer 13 Opportunist 43 Hotel offering 21 Tabloid topics 45 One-seated 22 Average grade vehicle 24 Sigh of relief 47 Short verse 25 New Orleans 49 Dog days mo. gridder 50 Gamy 26 Brown pigment 51 Feeling remorse 27 Animal life 54 High, high winds 28 Subsequently (2 wds.)

29 Turf grabber 60 By and by 30 Eye part 61 Fateful card

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orn today, you are never one to complain when you have to wait your turn, for you are confident that when it comes, you will always make the best of it — and so you do. You are a hardworking individual, and you always keep your eyes and ears open, ready to respond to any kind of opportunity that comes your way.

You have been blessed with many talents, but you are not the type to waste them in any way, and you are never guilty of merely showing off simply because you have the chance to do so. You like to put your talents to productive use, not merely to put them on display — for you are not ostentatious in this way or in any way, for that matter.

B

You have the makings of a firstclass companion, lover or friend, for you never seem eager to reap the rewards of companionship on your own; rather, you live to share your life with others, and to help them be all that they can be. Those in your inner circle enjoy your generosity and loyalty at all times.

Also born on this date are Greer Garson, actress; Madeline Kahn, actress and comedienne; Bryant Gumbel, TV host and sportscaster; Lech Walesa, Polish patriot and president; Gene Autry, actor; Miguel de Cervantes, novelist.

around you who are after the same things and you’ll discover that you have many allies.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — You’re not likely to get your hands on a sure thing, but once you have your hands on it, that doesn’t much matter, does it?

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Cleverness gets you only so far, and then you must be ready and willing to rely on more solid know-how. A friend offers assistance.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — All signs point to a scenario that is, perhaps, more than you can fully understand. You may need to call in the experts.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) — You must remain in constant contact with those on your team in order to get where you need to go and reap all possible rewards.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) — You’ll want to make sure that you have all eventualities accounted for — or the mistakes you’ll make as a result may undo you.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) — What begins as a lark may become something quite serious before you know it, but not everyone around you is willing to follow your lead.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) — You may not be able to recall all the facts and figures you will need, but you know where to go to retrieve them when the time comes.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) — Certain questions you will be asked may prompt you to remember things that you have tried to forget, but this can be beneficial.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) — You should be able to recover from a slip of sorts very quickly. Don’t make matters worse by denying what is obvious.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — You should be able to provide others with a great deal of assistance, and you won’t have to be on the scene to do it.

Copyright 2010 United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

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6

THE DIAMONDBACK | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2010

REEL NEWS

Diversions

SUPERMAN RETURNS...AGAIN Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures are trying to reboot the Superman film franchise once again, this time with Inception and The Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan as a producer. The Los Angeles Times reports Darren Aronofsky, director of the upcoming Natalie Portman-starring Black Swan, is a top candidate to direct a new film based on the classic DC Comics character. With that news, Moviehole.net reported a new rumor: Portman as Lois Lane if Aronofsky gets the job.

arts. music. living. movies. weekend.

PREVIEW | SWANS

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Guiding us up a rope

WILD NOTHING PLAYS AT 9:30 CLUB The time right after college graduation is a whirlwind for any student, but for Jack Tatum it was even more so.

In the days after graduating from Virginia Tech this past May, Tatum saw his full-length album Gemini — released under his Wild Nothing name — become critically acclaimed, and he soon after embarked on a summer of nearly nonstop touring around the country and the world.

“It’s kind of hard to explain — to be able to do that as soon as I was,” Tatum said. “I think I was really lucky to be able to do that.”

Wild Nothing is on tour with Stars and opened for the band at the 9:30 Club in Washington yesterday and will play again tonight.

Tatum, who grew up in Williamsburg, Va., before attending Virginia Tech, recorded Gemini in his Blacksburg apartment, playing every instrument himself — all while juggling schoolwork.

“From start to finish, it took me about six months,” he said. “Not necessarily because I was putting that much thought into it, but I just didn’t have the time to really just get it done, so it kind of took me a while.”

During those six months, Tatum put together a product that sounds nothing like the recently popular, guitar-centric bedroom recordings of Wavves and labelmate Beach Fossils. Instead, Tatum meticulously paired his love for pop songs by The Smiths and Fleetwood Mac with the shoegaze sensibilities of bands such as My Bloody Valentine.

— Daniel Gallen

BY ZACHARY BERMAN Staff writer

For the full story, just click the Diversions tab at:

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The genesis of a band is a hard order of events to explain. One band’s influence over another is nearly impossible to quantify, which is why so many significant bands, particularly those born amid a wide variety of musical styles in the 1980s, seem to slip through the cracks of modern reverence.

Swans, the challenging no-wave and darkly expansive post-rock troupe, is one such band: seriously influential for numerous musicians, yet often unfairly overlooked in the mainstream. Newly reformed by creator Michael Gira and having released its first new album in 14 years, My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky, Swans set out on tour this year hoping to reclaim the striking grandeur of previous efforts. The New York-based band will play at the Black Cat in Washington tonight.

Although it’s regarded with admiration in many musical circles, Swans has never truly been a very popular band. Making a living has been difficult under these circumstances, but Gira has long believed the freedom to do as he pleases was worth some hard times in the past.

“It takes determination and, I guess, stubbornness, maybe kinda stupid stubbornness,” Gira said. “It’s easy to give up. Swans has never been a commercial success, so to speak, so it’s hard then finding ways to get the money to make records, and it’s live in the meantime.”

Gira, the mastermind behind Swans’ often infinite depths of brutal sorrow, started his artistic ventures as a visual artist, painting and drawing at a Los Angeles art school. Gira’s world changed with the development of punk in the late 1970s, and he dropped out and migrated to New York.

By 1982, Swans had formed, unleashing its own particular brand of sludgy post-punk that has often been compared to early Sonic Youth, perhaps more because of each band’s individual originality. Swans gained a reputation during this period as one of

Classified CALL

loudest touring acts.

Over the years, the band played everything from 20-minute electric guitar dirges and sweeping post-rock meditations to somber folk rock and even a few standard covers, including “Love Will Tear Us Apart” by Joy Division.

After the ethereal sound art and massive crescendos of Swans’ last album, Soundtracks for the Blind, Gira moved onto another project, Angels of Light. He’s been making records for the past 13 years while slowly, inevitably moving back toward his origins.

“When I stopped Swans way back when, my agenda was that I had to be able to write a song on acoustic guitar and perform it solo and have it be powerful in its own way,” Gira said.

“Once I had a song that fit, I would go into the studio and record it. ... Then I would start orchestrating it. After doing that for so many years, it started to become a predictable thing. I had written these songs that I thought would be an Angels of Light record, but when it came time to do it, it just was not what I wanted, so I took them and opened them up.”

Joining the new Swans are some of the band’s oldest collaborators, including longtime guitar player Norman Westberg, whose blaring chords were once a defining part of the band.

The new record focuses on the post-rock elements present in later recordings and emulated in part by bands such as Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Jesu. However, Swans’ second most insistently present musician, Jarboe, whose input was invaluable to the last era of the band, is noticeably missing.

Once Swans’ keyboardist, songwriter and Gira’s partner in life, this seemingly integral piece of the band is not affiliated with the group’s new iteration. While many fans may be disturbed by her absence, Gira contends that Swans has always been his project and that what people may want or expect from him isn’t what needs to happen with the band.

“I don’t care what they say,” Gira said of fans’ questioning Jarboe’s

estrangement. “I have tremendous respect for her; she was a big contributor to the band, an important one.

But I can say this is not a reunion — it’s a reactivation. Swans is my project, always has been. I don’t undervalue people’s contributions by any means, but in this version, it doesn’t make sense to have her — we haven’t been in touch. That would make it into a nostalgic reunion act; that’s really not what I’m interested in.”

Instead, Gira wants to progress and continue pushing his band forward into new musical realms.

The only piece of the Gira puzzle not receiving complete attention is his record label, Young God Records, which features acts such as Devendra Banhart and Akron/Family. Writing, recording and touring is hard enough as it is without the added

but to temporarily shut down the record sales section of his website while he focuses on Swans.

By no means does this entail the death of Young God Records.

Instead, it means a sudden surge in popularity for all its artists. Gira plans to work with music for the rest of his life, no exceptions.

“I’m always finding new ways to survive,” Gira said. “I can’t imagine — certainly it would be the end of my life if I had to work for someone, no way.”

Always a self-described endless well of anger, Gira continues to try to push the boundaries of music, inclined by his own need for creation.

Swans will perform at the Black Cat tonight. Doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $20 in advance and $25 the day of show.

stress of a record label to control.

According to Gira, the media explosion behind Swans’ new album has rocketed Young God sales skyward, forcing Gira to not only buy his first laptop Michael Gira, leader of the “reactivated” Swans.

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2010 | NEWS | THE DIAMONDBACK

7

Student activists hope to spread the love Group aims to create community, save the world

BY STEPHANIE WEAVER For The Diamondback

One Saturday night last semester, Ben Simon and Gabe Barouh decided they wanted to save the world. For the two best friends, it was a typical Saturday night conversation.

“It’s a habit we have to get into deep philosophical conversations while driving home on Saturday nights,” said Simon, a junior government and politics major, who was feeling disillusioned with the world’s state of affairs at the time.

After the duo attempted to save the world through their writing and rapping efforts, they were questioning whether they were actually making a difference.

“We were depressed about the state of the world,” Simon said.

“We started to get angry at what we see in our own culture and the net impact of our behavior by not living sustainably. Then we started thinking, what if we did something? Something really big?”

They talked to their friends, who talked to their friends. And at the beginning of this semester, 15 to 20 students came together to co-found The Love Movement UMD, which members described as an action-based community service and a social club with members who believe community service should be fun, not a chore.

“We want to do stuff about stuff,” said Barouh, a senior sociology major. “Society is headed toward a cliff, and we are trying to miss that cliff.”

TLM is a non-partisan group that hopes to bring people together over issues its members hope everyone cares about, such as

About 70 attendees filled the Richard Eaton Broadcast Theatre in Knight Hall to hear two Al Jazeera correspondents talk about reporting in the Gaza Strip. ORLANDO URBINA/THE DIAMONDBACK The Love Movement President Ben Simon, left, co-founded the student group to help the world. ORLANDO URBINA/THE DIAMONDBACK

poverty, global hunger, homelessness and the environment, and the word is spreading.

TLM’s activities will attempt to connect existing campus groups, capture a sense of community and accomplish something for the world, all while having a good time, according to Joe Hammer, a sophomore government and politics major who is coordinating the group’s planned Spread the Love event Oct. 23.

At the event, students will spread either peanut butter or jelly on a slice of bread and find an opposite who can make a PB&J whole, generating an estimated 6,000 sandwiches for a homeless shelter, Hammer said.

“It’s community service with speed dating. It sounded like a great idea to me,” said Aaron Revere, a freshman linguistics major who said hearing about Spread the Love encouraged him

to join TLM. “One of our main goals is to reverse the common misconception that giving means losing something,” Simon said.

“Often when you give, you get back so much.”

The group had about 750 fans on Facebook as of last night — up from about 500 on Friday — from this university and elsewhere.

Members said they recently heard from a University of Michigan student who is looking to set up a TLM chapter at his own school.

Any student interested in getting involved can e-mail thelovemovementUMD@gmail.c om or attend the next weekly planning meeting Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. in the Dorchester Hall basement classroom. news@umdbk.com

JOURNALISTS from page 1 event just last week and another one scheduled for later this month, the discussion of the Israeli-Palestinian war that’s occurring so far away is a meaningful issue for a large base of students.

The event included a special screening report from Mohyeldin on the Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound convoy, including on-board footage of the attack and a report from Tadros on an Israeli government press conference a few days before the attack that distorted the facts on poverty in Gaza.

Those in the audience came ready with questions for the war correspondents on their experiences and the IsraeliPalestinian war in general — including the dangers of reporting from a war zone, finding the human faces behind the conflict, the Arab world’s antagonistic views of the West and vice-versa.

Mohyeldin and Tadros emphasized their personal mission as reporters to look beyond the flash, bombs and terror that define most of today’s headlines and understand the story’s larger context that is far too often overlooked in Western media.

They explained that, unlike Al Jazeera, virtually all Western media networks have no bureaus in Gaza and therefore cannot accurately capture the true complexity of the Middle Eastern world and the many forces that influence it.

“They lack the on-the-ground context, and they lack the dayto-day nuances of life and the developments,” Mohyeldin said of Western media. “You cannot look at Gaza from yesterday’s perspective and try to understand what’s happening.

You cannot look at rockets

Ayman Mohyeldin, an Al Jazeera reporter, shares information about his career with a student. ORLANDO URBINA/THE DIAMONDBACK

“A lot of things perceived as bias is really a lack of knowledge and a bit of ignorance.”

SHERINE TADROS AL JAZEERA ENGLISH GAZA CORRESPONDENT

being fired in Israel and say it’s just the result of a few months worth of policy or a few years worth of policy. That is something that most Western media news outlets have tremendously failed in.”

The subject of context rose repeatedly during the conversation as they discussed the implications of generalizing the Arab world.

“I think that a lot of things perceived as bias is really a lack of knowledge and a bit of ignorance,” Tadros said. “And we see that a lot in the language that is used in Western media.”

This issue hit especially close to home for journalism graduate student Klive Oh. As an international student from Korea, he said he often found

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was the opinion that answered a question ever yone had had for a long time.”

On Sept. 17, the Board of Regents — the 17-member committee that oversees policy for all of the state’s higher education institutions — voted unanimously to approve the benefits extension. There were a few abstentions, however, Goedert said.

In May, the state’s Department of Budget and Management asked all state agencies to extend benefits to employees with domestic partners, such as health insurance expansion and property rights.

Although all university and system employees are covered by this legislation, Goedert said the board chose to further clarify what rights and privileges same-sex couples have because they didn’t have any control over the state’s policy recommendation.

Issues such as sick leave, bereavement leave and tuition remission — a policy that allows immediate family members of university employees to enroll for a reduced rate — were not explicitly included by the state’s recommendation earlier this year. As a result, Goedert said they quickly became the three biggest concerns for the system’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

The University Senate’s Staff Affairs Committee will be monitoring and possibly endorsing the maneuver, committee chair woman Cynthia Shaw said.

She noted the system-wide issue was brought to the committee’s attention by Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,

himself having to correct his peer’s misconceptions of his country’s people and war.

“It was right on the spot about those details I had in mind regarding international news coverage,” he said.

Other students who attended the event said the discussion was more enlightening than the typical forum.

“I thought it was interesting to see their perspectives,” freshman journalism major Nick Munson said. “It opened my eyes to the stereotypes that exist between Americans and Arabs and within the Western media outlets.”

And although Mohyeldin acknowledged a bias in the media often occurs, he said he can only attempt to tackle the issue with accurate and fair reporting.

“Yes, I do think that there is a bias,” Mohyeldin said. “Do I think it’s my own personal responsibility to try to crush it?

No, I don’t think so. I think my job is to report and provide analyzed information and knowledge, and in doing so I hope that provides the appropriate context and understanding.” villanueva@umdbk.com

NEW PRIVILEGE Earlier this month, the Board of Regents approved the extension of professional benefits to same-sex spouses that have been available to heterosexual couples for decades.

Some of those benefits include: Sick leave: If the spouse of a university system employee is ill, a state worker can take extended time off from work to care for their wife or husband.

Tuition remission: If an immediate family member of a university system employee wants to study at one of the state’s higher education institutions, they may do so at a reduced cost.

Bereavement leave: If the spouse of a university system employee dies, the state employee may take extended time off to mourn the loss.

Transgender Equity Director Luke Jensen, who was also a vocal advocate of state-wide domestic partner benefits in years past. Jensen was not available to comment for this article.

“It’s important to look at all constituencies on campus and do our best to be equitable and inclusive, especially in light of [the university’s] new strategic plan for diversity,” Shaw wrote in an e-mail yesterday.

Shaw said this is an issue the committee has been tracking since last year and would like to have a resolution on by the end of the semester. redding@umdbk.com

8

THE DIAMONDBACK | SPORTS | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2010

WOMEN’S SOCCER

After physical draw vs. Duke, Terps avoid injury bug’s bite Hodak, Ayinde set to return from injury before game Thurs.

BY CONOR WALSH Staff writer

After Sunday’s 1-1 draw with No. 19 Duke, signs of the No. 7 Terrapin women’s soccer team’s most tr ying game of the season littered Ludwig Field.

The team was banged up. Players staggered around the field, many having just played more than 100 minutes of soccer. Athletic trainer Amelia Sesma scrambled to get ice to the injured and Muscle Milk to the exhausted.

But there were bigger issues than fatigue. Fiery center defensive midfielder Domenica Hodak, who has started every game for the Terps this season, appeared to be out indefinitely with a knee injury.

Reserve forward Sade Ayinde had just finished watching her second consecutive game from the bench as she continued to fight back from a head injury.

Needless to say, after a physical ACC opener in which the Terps squandered a handful of overtime opportunities, the Terps clearly weren’t feeling all that great.

But after two days of recovery, the Terps’ injury worries have dwindled to nearly zero — a surprising development in light of who they once worried they might be without.

Hodak has made a remarkably

ATTENDANCE from page 10 gosh, I wish I was there; I’ll be there next week,’” Logan said. “I feel like it was just a couple things, especially after the [28-14 loss to] West Virginia ... which kind of got the fans down.”

While the Terps already have surpassed last year’s win total with a 3-1 start to the season, students might not yet be ready to give up their Saturdays for the Terps.

“I used to [go to games] freshman year,” said Jackson Bowers, a junior English major. “I haven’t really gone the last couple years. Last year, we were just awful, which wasn’t really fun to watch. And I don’t know, this year, I was sort of in the same mode as last year, just not really into football. ... I think last year has put a bad impression on a lot of people.”

“I think that’s one of the reasons I kind of stopped going last year ... because the two games I went to last year, I think we lost both the games,” Rosenfeld said.

“And then, the next couple games we lost. And it was just like, ‘Well, I’m not going to tr y to go see that team get blown out.’”

Interim Athletics Director Randy Eaton said 6,500 of an available 11,000 student tickets were claimed for the Florida International game after 10,500 were claimed two weeks before for the Terps’ victory over Morgan State.

Though disappointed by the turnout, he thinks it’s more

FOOTBALL from page 10 limited in practice by a high ankle sprain. The Terps did not announce O’Brien as the starter until just before kickoff Saturday.

While similar guardedness could be expected this week, it will be hard to turn away from O’Brien, who won ACC Rookie of the Week honors after the Terps’ 42-28 victory against the Golden Panthers.

He threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns, and his 181.45 passer efficiency rating for the season would lead the ACC if he had enough attempts to qualify.

PRINCETON from page 10 But relentless defensive pressure from the Tigers held the Terps in check. The team’s first goal, a top-shelf shot from O’Donnell, came with only 9:09 remaining in the contest.

Even in defeat, the Terps took the game as a learning experience. After going through the

quick recovery from an injury that coach Brian Pensky said would take at least a week to heal and will be ready for Thursday’s game against No. 9 Virginia.

Ayinde, the team’s second-leading scorer, practiced yesterday and also is back.

And while the Terps are not yet completely recuperated — as evidenced by forward Ashley Grove missing yesterday’s training session with what a team official described as “dead legs” — they are in much better shape than most would have anticipated. “[Coming in healthy] is huge for us,” forward Jasmyne Spencer said.

“We’ve had less numbers and had to play longer minutes. It definitely takes a toll.”

It certainly took a toll on Spencer, who said she was still recovering after playing 102 minutes Sunday as the Terps coped with the loss of Ayinde.

With the return of their two key contributors, the Terps’ regained health should allow them to continue to capitalize on one of their most redeeming qualities: depth.

With Ayinde and Hodak down Sunday, midfielders Danielle Hubka and Olivia Wagner and defender Skyy Anderson logged more minutes than they were accustomed to.

Hubka, an ACC All-Freshman team

an outlier than a sign of waning interest in Terp football among the student body.

Attendance, Eaton said, is as he expected.

“I would say, first of all, that just looking at the game Saturday may not be a good snapshot,” Eaton said. “I think any time that you get a nonconference opponent at a noon kickoff is problematic for student attendance. It has been the entire time that I’ve been here. Obviously for us, we want to see the student section packed ever y game.

But especially over the last two or three years, we have seen a significant decrease in student attendance at all of our noon games. They don’t show up. Looking back on my college days, is that too early in the morning? Maybe that is.”

The university has little sway in setting kickoff times, which are usually decided by TV networks and the conference. But with ACC play beginning for the Terps on Saturday against Duke in a game that will start with a more student-friendly 6 p.m. kickoff, the athletics department expects a strong bounce back. And even after the spotty turnout at the Florida International game, the department said attendance is in line with projections for the season, which included a 14 to 15 percent decrease in season-ticket sales.

“Obviously, over our next four home games, our projections are up substantially from what they were those first two games, so we’ll just kind of have to wait and see where we

“I’m going to play the best guy — the guy that moves the ball.”

RALPH FRIEDGEN TERRAPIN FOOTBALL COACH

“I’m going to play the best guy — the guy that moves the ball,” Friedgen said. “You know, I’m not that stupid, contrary to popular belief. My job is to win football games, and we’ll do whatever we’ve got to do to put the guy in that’s going to help us win football games.” kyanchulis@umdbk.com

regular season unscathed a year ago, the Terps lost when it mattered most — to North Carolina in the national championship game.

O’Donnell doesn’t want to see that happen anymore.

“Hopefully, every time we step on the field from now on, we remember what it feels like,” O’Donnell said. “And it won’t happen again.” jengelke@umdbk.com

selection last season, played 78 minutes at four different positions across the field to help out the reconfigured Terps.

A deep squad of dependable players should help the Terps, whose game Thursday is their second of six games in 19 days, by far the most strenuous stretch of their season.

“It’s a trickle-down effect,” Pensky said of the impact of Ayinde’s and Hodak’s health. “Especially given the fact that we’re coming off a 110minute game, it allows us to use more fresh legs.”

While the Terps were not satisfied with Sunday’s draw, success should come easier for a healthy Terp roster as it marches through a three-week slate that also includes road games against Virginia Tech and No. 2 Boston College.

The Terps, however, still must work to erase a developing pattern. The team has surrendered the first goal in its last three games before clawing back and salvaging two wins and a draw. Perpetuating the habit will only make wins harder to come by in the Terps’ crippling ACC schedule.

“In all of our ACC games, especially Virginia, we’ve got to be the first ones to score,” Spencer said. “It takes so much pressure off and gives you that edge.” cwalsh@umdbk.com

end up after those games,” Eaton said. “Again, is it cause for concern, or is it what we thought it was going to be?”

Athletics officials again pointed to the lagging economy for decreased ticket sales, but Eaton conceded that attendance will only be as good as the product on the field. At 3-1 and with a bowl berth possibly in reach, the Terps know what they need to do to bring students back to Byrd Stadium.

“The crowd, if we keep winning, they’ll be there,” coach Ralph Friedgen said. “I could rationalize it all I want with the time of day, the temperature, the economy, the record. But if we win this week, there will be more next week. If we win the next week, there will be more the following week.

We’ve got to win.”

“I think just the more we win, the more people will come out and support us,” linebacker Alex Wujciak said.

“We’ve just got to keep it up and hope the fans will see that this team’s for real.” schneider@umdbk.com

Despite an injury Sunday, midfielder Domenica Hodak will be available for the Terps’ game against Virginia on Thursday. MATTHEW CREGER/THE DIAMONDBACK

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2010 | THE DIAMONDBACK

9

10

THE DIAMONDBACK | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2010

Sports

Terps’ 3rd-down troubles The Terrapin football team has struggled on third down this year, and continued troubles could cost them. Get more at TerrapinTrail.com.

FOOTBALL

For the second straight home game, few fans remained at Byrd Stadium on Saturday to cheer the end of the Terps’ 42-28 win over Florida International.

FANNING OUT Even as Terps win at home, fans opt to stay in theirs

BY JEREMY SCHNEIDER Staff writer

Waking up at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Ryan Rosenfeld ambled down the stairs of his off-campus house and poured himself a bowl of cereal.

He clicked on his TV, pulled up the channel guide and flicked through the listings before he stumbled across one program he’d completely forgotten about: the Terrapin football team’s noon home game against Florida International, which was being played just about two miles away.

The junior marketing major had slept through the start of the Terps’ 42-28 victory, but by the look of the student section at Byrd Stadium on Saturday, he wasn’t the only one missing out.

The student bleachers near the west end zone were all but barren to start the game and emptied even further as the game progressed and the scorching heat intensified.

With a mass exodus at halftime and a steady number trickling out long before the game was over, players didn’t have much of a chorus for their customary victory song

with students at the final gun.

Players, students and athletics depar tment of ficials pointed to the noon kickof f, nonconference opponent and unseasonably high temperatures as reasons for the low turnout Saturday — “It was hot,” wide receiver Tony Logan said — but fans, more impor tantly, still might be cool on the team’s prospects this year after the Terps’ dreadful 2-10 campaign last season.

“A lot of people texted me at the game saying, ‘Oh, my

see ATTENDANCE, page 8

JACLYN BOROWSKI/THE DIAMONDBACK

Friedgen undecided at quarterback spot

EMPTIED BYRD Although the Terrapin football team has already surpassed its 2009 win total with a 3-1 record this year, the Terps have brought out two of the lowest attendance marks in Ralph Friedgen’s 10-year tenure as coach. Here’s a look at the Terps’ five worstattended games since Friedgen took over:

BY KATE YANCHULIS Senior staff writer

Terrapin football coach Ralph Friedgen said yesterday that he would not decide on a starting quarterback for Saturday’s game against Duke until the end of the week, but it appears redshirt freshman Danny O’Brien may keep his newfound starting role.

Jamarr Robinson practiced Monday but was still limited by a shoulder injury he suffered in the Sept. 18 loss to West Virginia.

After starting the Terps’ first three games this season, Robinson sat out Saturday’s win against Florida International. Still, Friedgen said he’s improved from where he was at the beginning of last week.

Terp coaches largely kept mum last week about the relative progress of Robinson and O’Brien, who was

33,254: Sept. 25, 2010 vs.

Florida International 35,042: Nov. 28, 2009 vs.

Boston College 38,415: Nov. 3, 2001 vs. Troy State 39,006: Nov. 30, 2002 vs.

Wake Forest 40,099: Sept. 11, 2010 vs.

Morgan State

Source: umterps.com

see FOOTBALL, page 8

FIELD HOCKEY

Newly minted No. 1 Terps start slow, suffer first loss of season to No. 4 Tigers

BY JAKOB ENGELKE Senior staff writer

Trailing by one with just five minutes remaining in its game against Princeton yesterday, the Terrapin field hockey team took a chance.

Looking for an extra push on offense in the game’s waning minutes, the Terps replaced goalkeeper Melissa Vassalotti with for ward Kirstie Dennig.

But after a Terp turnover, the Tigers streaked upfield toward an empty goal. Midfielder Molly Goodman’s score was the game’s last, and Princeton went on to win, 4-2, marking the first regularseason loss for the Terps since 2008.

“I credit Mar yland for fighting back within one goal two times and having opportunities,” coach Missy Meharg said. “To utilize an

11th field player is always a gamble but worthy if you come out on top.”

After yielding an early goal against No. 8 Wake Forest in a 5-3 win Saturday, the No. 1 Terps (8-1) doubled their trouble Tuesday, allowing two early goals to the No. 4 Tigers (7-0). The Terps couldn’t muster a shot on target until the game’s 58th minute and a goal until the 61st.

“We need to start off the

game well,” for ward Katie O’Donnell said. “They came out in the first half and won all the 50-50 balls and passed perfectly to each other. So we need to take exactly what they did ... so that we can kind of sit pretty for the rest of the game.”

Just hours after earning the No. 1 ranking in the latest Kookaburra/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll — the first time they have held the

top spot this season — the Terps fell to a Princeton team they had defeated 13 straight times. The Terps last lost to the Tigers on Sept. 30, 1998, more than a decade ago.

“It’s difficult,” O’Donnell said. “I was thinking about how many losses I’ve had over my entire career here, and it’s not very many. The feeling is definitely foreign to me, and it’s something that I don’t want to feel again for the rest

of the season.”

With the game boasting two of the NCAA’s most prolific offenses — the Tigers and Terps entered the match ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in goals scored per game, respectively — a high-scoring showdown like that of last year’s 12-goal NCAA semifinal matchup, a Terp win, was expected.

see PRINCETON, page 8

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