The Diamondback, September 30, 2019

TERPS OF THE ROUND TABLE: Maryland women’s soccer knocks off No. 20 Scarlet Knights, 2-1, p. 10

ABOMINABLE: Dreamworks’ latest movie will have you in tears, p. 9

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Monday, September 30, 2019

nation

release

Senate bill aims to honor Richard Collins

Paper to stop weekly print editions

ROTC graduates who die would be treated the same as active-duty personnel Maryland’s U.S. senators introduced legislation Carmen Molina Acosta Thursday in honor of 2nd @carmenmolina_a Lt. Richard Collins, a Bowie Staff writer State student who was stabbed to death on the University of Maryland’s campus in 2017.

The Second Lieutenant Richard W. Collins III Memorial Act — introduced by Democrats Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin — would allow ROTC graduates who die before receiving their first duty assignment, like Collins, to be treated the same as a member of the Armed Forces who die on active duty.

Rep. Anthony Brown, a Democrat who represents Maryland’s 4th District, introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

When members of the armed services who are on active duty die, their families are eligible for an array of financial benefits from the federal government.

The bill comes after a group of Maryland congressmen — Cardin, Van Hollen, Brown and Rep. Steny Hoyer, whose district includes both this university and Bowie State’s campuses — sent the U.S. Army a letter in July, asking for military honors for Collins and benefits his family was denied.

“Lt. Richard Collins’ death was a heartbreaking tragedy,” Van Hollen wrote in a Thursday press release. “No military family grieving a loved one should have to deal with the added burden of bureaucratic red tape.”

Sean Urbanski, a white former student of this university, is charged with murder and a hate crime in the death of Collins, who was black. The trial is set to begin Dec. 9, after being delayed for a fourth time in July.

Collins was commissioned two days before his death and was set to graduate from Bowie State two days after. He had plans to serve overseas after completing training in Missouri.

His death rocked the two campuses, and drew national attention after police discovered Urbanski was part of a Facebook group called “Alt-Reich: Nation,” which contained racist images. The group has since been deleted.

“The horrendous circumstances of his death were compounded for his family by a system hamstrung in its attempts to support one of its newest officers,” Cardin wrote in the release. “Our hope is that this legislation can bring solace to the Collins family and future families who are forced to cope with the untimely loss of a loved one who had made a commitment to serve our nation.” by

The Diamondback will become an online-only publication in March A f t e r 1 1 0 in touch with the University

by

Samantha Subin y e a r s , T h e of Maryland community,” said @Samantha_Subin Diamondback Leah Brennan, the newspaper’s will cease its editor in chief. “This is where Staff writer weekly print publication in March.

“This is a very logical, n a t u ra l s te p t h a t T h e Diamondback is taking to get

our readership is, so we’re trying to meet them where they are.”

To m M a d i ga n — b oa rd president of Maryland Media

Inc., The Diamondback’s parent company — said the paper’s digital readership is eight times as large as the print audience. Eliminating the print edition is a change board members have been talking about for several years, he said.

The board made the decision after years of watching The Diamondback’s audience move from print to online.

According to Brennan, the website saw about 150,000 visitors last April, the most recent full month of school that data is available. Print editions of the newspaper, meanwhile, bring in around 5,000 readers per week — or 20,000 a month.

In 2013, the paper cut its Friday edition. In 2015, it transitioned to being a weekly See print, p. 8

campus matt mcdonald/the diamondback

“A liminal space”

A look at the community smokers have built outside McKeldin Library

By Matt McDonald | @MattC_McDonald | Staff writer

T

hey’re seemingly always there, nestled alongside McKeldin Library: a group of students, lounging on the pavement or on metal benches, surrounded by wafts of smoke.

The people and their backpacks sketch a rough circle around a manhole as they take drags on cigarettes or vapes. And when they’re not smoking, they talk animatedly.

About the one guy who comes to smoke, but never talks — he wears a leather jacket and glasses all the time. (They call him “jacket glasses.” Technically, they’ve heard him laugh once.)

About being only five years old when 9/11 happened — it’s weird to talk about the national trauma they barely remember themselves.

And about the evolution of Lady Gaga — she went from being a

pop star who once wore a meat dress, to the VMAs, to performing classical duets with “fucking Tony Bennett,” they say.

They have a simple answer when asked what brought them all together.

“It’s because of this,” said Paola Williams, a junior sociology major, motioning to her cigarette.

“Nicotine.”

In fact, the place is one of

See smokers, p. 8

newsumdbk@gmail.com

construction

Regents approved $14 million extra for Cole Field House The project is now set to cost $55 million more than originally planned by

After

the

the regents approved a price hike

AmandaHernández University System in June 2017. @amandavhenan o f M a r y l a n d Over the years, the university Staff writer approved the latest has had to request more funding funding increase at its Sept. 20 board meeting, the University of Maryland’s new Cole Field House is on track to cost $55 million more than originally planned.

In total, the field house project is set to cost $210 million — up by $14.3 million since the last time

as it adjusted the initial design for the facility, said Carlo Colella, the university’s administration and finance vice president.

Construction costs have also increased due to a “hyperinflated” market, he said.

It’s not unusual, he added, for the budget of a large, multiyear

project to increase over time.

The recent $14.3 million increase stems from rising construction costs and recent design changes, Colella said, including two additional research spaces for the bottom and upper floors to allow for growth, such as expanding a research program or creating a new one.

“Oftentimes, you take a long time to plan and budget design and deliverability,” Colella said. “But undergraduate majors or research activity can increase at faster rates See cole, p. 8

calendar 2 OPINION 4 FEATURES 5 city 6 diversions 9 SPORTS 12

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2 | news

monday, september 30, 2019

CRIME BLOTTER

By Jeff Barnes | @thejeffbarnes | Senior staff writer Police made arrests for disorderly conduct and responded to reports of armed robbery, suspicious activity and bicycle thefts over the past week.

ARMED ROBBERY Police responded to a reported armed robbery on Harvard Road Friday night, according to a UMD alert.

Police believe the suspect left the area, and issued an “all clear” by 10:32 p.m., a later alert read.

The victim, a male, was walking down Harvard Road toward the College Park Metro Station when he was apprehended by the suspect, who demanded money, Prince George’s County Police Department spokesperson Kyndle Johnson said.

The suspect took the victim’s money, and the victim ran away, Johnson said. The victim called and reported the robbery at 9:20 p.m.

Prince George’s County Police are investigating the incident.

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY At about 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 23, University Police responded to the area near Worcester Hall on Preinkert Drive for a possible abduction involving a vehicle and a male yelling at a female, Hoaas wrote.

Police later determined the incident was a student group welcoming a new member into its club,

Hoaas wrote.

The vehicle’s driver was referred to the Office of Student Conduct and this case is closed.

DISORDERLY CONDUCT On Sept. 22 at about 6:30 a.m., University Police responded to the Marriott Hotel and Conference Center for a report of a man passed out in the lobby of a restaurant, police spokesperson Sgt. Rosanne Hoaas wrote in an email.

When police woke the man, he would not listen to the officers’ commands and attempted to hit one of the officers, Hoaas wrote.

The man, who was from Newport News, Virginia, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.

Alcohol was a factor, Hoaas wrote.

This case is closed.

DUI/DWI At about 1 a.m. on Sept.

2 2 , Un iversity Pol ice stopped a black vehicle for a traffic violation near Campus Drive and 52nd Avenue.

When speaking with the driver, the officer smelled alcohol, Hoaas wrote.

T he d r iver wa s a rrested and charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol and driving while impaired by alcohol. Police also issued the driver traffic citations. newsumdbk@gmail.com

COMMUNITY CALENDAR 30 monday

1 tuESDAY

20% high 75° low 61°

LATEX REFERENCE MANAGEMENT AND CITATIONS WORKSHOP Mathematics Building, Room 1403A, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Hosted by University Libraries. go.umd.edu/wLC

LANGUAGE HOUSE COFFEE AND CONVERSATION St. Mary’s Hall, Multipurpose Room, 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Hosted by Language House.. go.umd.edu/w2T MONDAY MEDITATION Memorial Chapel, Lounge, 6 to 7 p.m.

Hosted by Cafh. go.umd.edu/wZT

STARTUP GUIDE FOR FACULTY/RESEARCHERS AT UMD Diamondback Garage, Suite B, 9 to 10 a.m.

Hosted by the Student Affairs Diversity Initiative. go.umd.edu/wbk

CAMPFIRE BUILDING CLINIC 4128 Valley Drive, 7 to 9 p.m.

Hosted by RecWell. go.umd.edu/wLV

3 thURSDAY

10% high 84° low 67°

10 wednesdaY

10% high 94° low 68°

FALL FOOD TRUCK FESTIVAL Van Munching Hall, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Hosted by Robert H. Smith School of Business. go.umd.edu/wZT FARMERS MARKET Tawes Hall, Plaza, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. farmersmarket.umd.edu/ UNIVERSITY SENATE MEETING Stamp Student Union, Atrium, 3:15 to 5 p.m.

Hosted by the University Senate. senate.umd.edu MEN’S SOCCER vs. RUTGERS Ludwig Field, 7 p.m. umterps.com

4 friday

20% high 85° low 63°

DEMYSTIFYING FREE SPEECH Edward St. John Learning & Teaching Center, Room 1202, 12:30 to 2 p.m.

Hosted by the Hate-Bias Response Program. go.umd.edu/wbJ

20% high 75° low 50°

STAMP ALL NITER Stamp Student Union, 12 p.m. to Saturday, Oct. 5, 2 a.m. go.umd.edu/wbG VOLLEYBALL VS. MICHIGAN XFINITY Center Pavilion, 6 p.m. umterps.com

TERRAPIN EDTALKS: ADVANCING EQUITY The Clarice, Gildenhorn Recital Hall, 4:30 to 7 p.m.

Hosted by the Education College. go.umd.edu/wbU

SEE PRESENTS FALL MOVIES: TOY STORY 4 Stamp Student Union, Hoff Theater, 8 p.m.

Hosted by Student Entertainment Events. go.umd.edu/wbT

ADJUSTING TO LIFE IN THE U.S. H.J. Patterson Hall, Lobby, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Hosted by the International Student Union. go.umd.edu/wZT

SEE PRESENTS: CAUTIOUS CLAY Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom, 8:30 p.m.

Hosted by Student Entertainment Events. go.umd.edu/wbN

SEE PRESENTS FALL MOVIES: TOY STORY 4 Stamp Student Union, Hoff Theater, 8 p.m.

Hosted by Student Entertainment Events. go.umd.edu/wbT

5 saturday

10% high 67° low 51°

MEN’S SOCCER VS. CAL STATE FULLERTON Ludwig Field, 7 p.m. umterps.com VOLLEYBALL VS. MICHIGAN STATE XFINITY Center Pavilion, 7 p.m. umterps.com

6 sunday

20% high 70° low 52°

WOMEN’S SOCCER VS. ILLINOIS Ludwig Field, 2 p.m. umterps.com

Students identify uneven sidewalks, faulty blue lights at safety walk University and county police departments, DOTS and administrators were among those who joined student organizations on the survey

John zacker, interim student affairs assistant VP, speaks to students before the annual walk on Sept. 23. courtney cohn/for the diamondback About 45 Courtney Cohn students @thedbk turned out Freelance reporter Monday night for the SGA’s Safety Walk, an annual trek around the University of Maryland’s campus to help identify potential safety issues.

During the event, walkers pointed out safety problems they noticed, including broken blue lights and street lamps, overgrown trees blocking lights and uneven sidewalks.

University Police and the Prince George’s County Police departments, as well as the Department of Transportation Services and other administrators, attended the walk. Multiple student organizations were present as well — a change from the last two years, when no students in attendance were from outside the Student Government Association, and the event’s only co-sponsor was the Terrapin Trail Club.

“Different students provide different mindsets and different perspectives of what they view as safety issues, so the more students involved, the better the outcome will be for everyone on this campus,” said Doron Tadmor, SGA’s student by

affairs vice president.

To help increase attendance, the SGA recruited multiple co-sponsors, including the Graduate Student Government, Residence Hall Association, Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Association and Omicron Delta Kappa, to help ensure more groups of students would be represented and involved.

Before the walk began, cosponsors and other departments gathered in Stamp Student Union where interim student affairs assistant vice president John Zacker, University Police Deputy Chief David Lloyd and SGA members spoke about the importance of having a safe campus and building connections among organizations. And after that, the attendees split into three groups to take different routes on and off campus, passing through North Campus, South Campus and the area from the College Park Metro Station to Regents Drive.

Lloyd said Monday’s findings were consistent with what they’ve discovered before, but there were fewer lights out than in than previous years.

“We’re very much invested in doing everything we can

to keep the students, staff, faculty and visitors safe,” he said. “Part of that is education, doing walks like this, and just having general conversations with the stakeholders.”

University administration, police, facilities management and other departments are made aware of the issues from the walk, and the correct department works to resolve it.

The issues should be resolved “in a month or in a couple weeks,” Tadmor said.

Some students also noted the importance of focusing on safety both on and off campus.

“We’re a university that is heavily connected with our city, so we need to make sure our city and campus are safe together, and not separately,” said junior Dan Alpert, a marketing major and the student liaison to the College Park City Council.

Students also pointed out that fixing minor things can make a big difference in making students feel safer on campus.

“Like any community, we can always get better and grow,” said Daniel Yelsits, president of the IFC. “Our community is great, and we can always make it safer than it already is.” newsumdbk@gmail.com

monday, september 30, 2019

news | 3

SGA wants more student voices in pres search

Members criticized search committee members for not prioritizing student input in the process by

The Uni-

Loh initially announced stitutions across the state.

didates themselves once they’re

SGA’s resolution read, “causing reforms. Now, the board is re-

But SGA members said the a significant gap in trust quired to livestream its meetAmandaHernández v e r s i t y o f chosen. The candidates aren’t his retirement in October, currently scheduled to appear amid fallout from the death of relationship between the univer- between students and the Board ings, and student regents’ term @amandavhernan Maryland’s lengths were doubled, among SGA proposed before the campus community, Maryland football player Jordan sity community and the board of Regents.”

Staff writer “emergency” legislation Wednesday, calling for more student involvement in the search for university President Wallace Loh’s replacement.

On Tuesday, the committee charged with appointing the university’s next president — set to take over after this academic year — opened its doors to students, faculty and community members, asking to hear concerns and questions about possible candidates.

But some Student Government Association members took issue with the forum, criticizing it for not prioritizing student input. Now, they’re calling for a more open process.

SGA President Ireland Lesley called for forums with the can-

according to the university’s presidential search webpage.

“It’s critical for the committee to know how frustrated students feel about this process,” she said. “We feel like our voice is being excluded.”

David Rekhtman, the speaker of the SGA’s legislature and the bill’s sponsor, echoed Lesley. He said the search committee members at Tuesday’s forum often seemed uninterested in students’ questions or comments.

“Oftentimes it felt like they didn’t care even though they said they did care,” Rekhtman said.

“People would come up with legitimate serious concerns and they would just say ‘thank you, next.’”

McNair, who suffered heatstroke at a team workout. Subsequent investigations found that athletic trainers failed to recognize and properly treat McNair’s condition, and that administrative oversight allowed widespread abuse in the football program.

At that October press conference, Loh said he’d retire in June 2019. But in January, he announced he’d stay on another year, prompting frustration from some students and faculty who felt he had gone back on his word.

The committee looking for his replacement is an entity branched off the University System of Maryland’s Board of Regents, which sets policy for this university and 11 other in-

has been damaged — making them uneasy trusting the regents with the process.

The board — run by regents the governor appoints — took control of both investigations into McNair’s death after this university launched them, prompting criticism from many that it had overstepped its bounds.

In addition, the Washington Post reported that the regents charged with investigating the football program — who recommended embattled head football coach DJ Durkin keep his job after the scandal — threatened to fire Loh if he ousted Durkin.

“Non-transparent decision making and poor leadership has led to a litany of scandals,” the

In addition to meeting with the presidential search committee, the SGA plans to work with the Board of Regents’ student member and USM’s Student Council to ensure that the board maintains transparency throughout the process.

They also intend to work with student groups such as the Residence Hall Association and the Graduate Student Government to further mobilize students and promote the SGA’s message.

“Our campus deserves to be included in the process,” Lesley said.

After the campus and many state lawmakers spoke out against the board last year, the Maryland General Assembly voted to institute a series of

other changes.

But for David Pontious, a member of the SGA’s Student Affairs Committee, the board still isn’t trustworthy enough to handle the selection.

“It’s frankly insulting to students that this momentous process to select our next president will play out behind closed doors and broadly without their input,” he wrote in a message.

“The days of the Board of Regents’ smoke-filled room must end.”

The SGA will vote on the resolution at the next week’s general body meeting, which will be held on Oct. 2 in the Benjamin Banneker Room at Stamp Student Union. newsumdbk@gmail.com

Students feel “ignored” at last presidential forum Tuesday was students’ last chance to discuss their thoughts with the presidential search committee

By Samantha Subin & Sahana Jayaraman | @samantha_subin & @SahanaJayaraman | Staff writers Attending the University of Maryland was always a dream for Katie Brown. So, when it came time for college, it was the only school she applied to.

But that admiration disappeared when Brown became a graduate assistant at this university after her undergraduate years. That’s when she said she began to feel that the institution exploited its workers for the benefit of those at the top.

Ten years later, she’s lost the pride she once had to be a student at the university.

“I haven’t put on my Maryland sweatshirt for a year,” Brown said. “And I know that’s, like, a small thing, but for somebody that loves this place like I do — or did — that’s a big thing.”

The search for the university’s next president has high stakes for Brown. And on Tuesday, she joined other university employees, students and community members to share what she’d like to see in the school’s next leader — and criticize the search for that person, so far.

Tuesday’s two open forums constituted students’ last opportunity to sit before committee members and provide their input on the presidential search. The rest of the process will remain confidential as a group of finalists is chosen and interviewed, University System of Maryland spokesperson Mike Lurie wrote in an email.

At the forums, some called out the committee for not engaging students in the presidential search process. Students criticized the board for planning the forums during class time, naming it as yet another reason they and their classmates feel ignored.

“The Board of Regents is asking the campus to trust them to make a hire that is going to address all the concerns that we have,” said Ireland Lesley, student body president. “After the board’s decision-making last year on the non-fire of coach Durkin and our accreditation being placed on review, that’s a lot to ask.”

Long-time university President Wallace Loh will step down at the end of this academic year, following a one-year postponement of his retirement. Loh announced his initial plans to retire Oct. 30, amid an investigation into the university’s football culture and the death of Maryland football player Jordan McNair.

Speakers at this week’s forums were offered three minutes to voice their thoughts and opinions to search committee members. Eighteen of the 20 search members were in attendance. While the search committee will determine the candidates and finalists for the position, the Board of Regents will make the final hiring decision.

Many speakers voiced the importance of accountability and transparency in the university’s future leader in the wake of the death of McNair, who succumbed to heatstroke suffered at a university workout in 2018.

“I think that 19-year-old young man is now buried in the ground for no good reason,” said Zabrina Anzyl, assistant director for student services and an alumna of this university. “I also think that there should have been a lot swifter accountability when it came to taking action

for that incredibly serious worst case scenario infraction.”

Speakers also stressed the importance of informing and updating the campus community appropriately in the wake of such events.

Last year, following the death of McNair, there was also a mold epidemic in dorms and an adenovirus outbreak — which university officials waited 18 days to tell students about after finding the virus present on the campus — that led to the death of student Olivia Paregol. The university faced fierce criticism for its delayed response and lack of communication with the student community.

Diversity issues were also central to Tuesday’s forums, with many calling for the need to assist LGBTQ students, international students and people of color on campus.

“We need someone who can appreciate that the value of a student is more than an SAT or ACT score,” said Kim Nickerson, assistant dean for diversity, equity and inclusion in the behavioral and social sciences college. “Maryland has one of the best education systems in the country, yet we underperform in recruiting African American and Hispanic Latino students to this university.”

According to a report from the university’s Institutional Research, Planning and Assessment office, the 2018-19 academic year’s freshman enrollment for African American students was at 7.3 percent — its lowest in decades. The data also revealed that the overall total of African-American undergraduates dropped to 11.6 percent.

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Gary Attman, a Board of Regents member and head of the presidential search committee, at the September 24 hearing. julia lerner/thediamondback Following the afternoon forum, Gary Attman, a member of the Board of Regents and the head of the presidential search committee, said he was pleased with the student and faculty commentary the committee received.

“We got a wide variety of comments from different

members of the university constituency,” Attman said.

“And we are taking them to heart, we’ll consider them as we review candidates and interview candidates.”

But Brown and other attendees weren’t as optimistic.

“I think it went exactly how it always went, or how it always

goes,” Brown said. “It’s people talking into a void at a bunch of people who will smile at you and turn around and make the decisions that please whatever eight donors they give a shit about this week.”

newsumdbk@gmail.com

monday, september 30, 2019

4 | OPINION

Opinion OPINION POLICY

EDITORIAL BOARD

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.

The Diamondback is adapting to meet the demands of its audience LEAH BRENNAN I still re- in September alone, which is put more resources into our @allhaeleah member my over eight times the number investigative work and more. first front- of people our weekly print And those are just a few of Editor in chief p a ge p r i n t byline in The Diamondback.

After I covered a breaking story about a Residence Hall Association proposal, I realized the article I’d written had made it to the print edition — and it was thrilling.

A lot has changed since I was a freshman, and the three years I’ve worked at this paper have certainly been eventful. We’ve been at the forefront of t h e c o ve ra g e o f m a n y national stories, including the death of a Maryland football player and the scandal that followed. We’ve also published a slew of special and investigative projects, launched a new podcast and revamped our website and social media presence.

And over time, the way our audience interacts with our content has changed as well. In the late 1970s, our print circulation was at a high at just over 20,000 per day, a number that held steady into the ‘90s. Now, we’re at a weekly distribution of 5,000 — not bad, but far from the degree that our digital audience has grown.

Our website has had more than 160,000 unique visitors

paper reaches per month.

Our readers have shown us that this is how they consume news, so we’re meeting them where they are. By the end of this academic year, The Diamondback will cease publishing its weekly print edition while continuing its digital focus.

Like other college and professional publications, maintaining advertising revenue is a challenge. But this change is driven by much more than financial considerations.

We ’re a s t u d e n t - r u n newspaper with two key goals: teaching student journalists the skills they’ll use in the field and reporting well on our community. We don’t have unlimited resources to accomplish those goals, so we have to decide what the best way is to reach our audience and capitalize on it.

We could continue to print a weekly paper, but given that’s not where we’re reaching most of our readership, it doesn’t make the most sense.

So, we’re doing what does make sense. In addition to our new podcast, we’re also planning to feature our content on TVs across the campus, develop an app,

the ways we’re staying in step with the digital focus we’ve been cultivating for years.

We’ll keep covering the news that we’ve always covered — sitting in the back rows of crowded City Council and SGA meetings, chasing down interviews with sources across campus — all while finding new ways to tell stories. And as we move forward, your voices continue to be important to us. If you have ideas, want to share your thoughts or be part of the work we’re doing here, feel free to reach out on social media or via email.

We’re excited to see what comes out of this transition.

For 110 years, The Diamondback has published awardwinning journalism that’s adapted to its audience.

We started as a daily print paper, cut the Friday edition, became a weekly, and by the end of this academic year, we’ll be only online. And throughout it all, our core vision has been consistent: We believe in telling the stories of our community.

So that’s what we’re going to keep on doing. opinionumdbk@gmail.com

column

College Park is legislating against residents HADRON CHAUDHARY @OpinionDBK Opinion Editor

College Park will always be marked by the struggle between permanent and transient residents, the established and the youth, the clean and the scrappy. The tragedy of this conflict is that, in trying to defend their communities, permanent residents prevent college students from joining them. The city council’s passage of a noise ordinance Tuesday is an especially unwelcoming message from the city to students. This targeted legislation isn’t going to preserve municipal harmony, but rather further disunity.

The ordinance prohibits “unruly social gatherings” of eight or more people. It goes on to define unruliness in terms of behavior that’s already criminalized – underage drinking, public urination, blocking the streets and more. But the last provision broadly prohibits “other conduct” that is a threat to “quiet enjoyment” of the neighborhood. What falls in this category is at the discretion of permanent residents, and how this is enforced is at the discretion of the police. For someone having an event at their house, it requires a lot of trust in these entities — who already think you’re trouble — to not shut you down. It discourages gatherings, it encourages suspicion and it uses police as a medium for one-way communica-

tion rather than neighborto-neighbor interaction.

None of that feels safe for a college student.

Moreover, the fine structure for violations of the ordinance is punishing students. It’s $500 for the first infraction for the tenant and $500 for the landlord.

These fees are the same amount, when the income brackets for these two demographics vary wildly — and $500 approaches almost a month’s rent for a tenant in College Park.

There’s also no real protection for tenants from their landlords sticking them with paying both fines.

Students aren’t empowered to retaliate against malicious and negligent landlords, lacking the time and resources to go to court.

Adding a $1000 fine on top of already extravagant rent prices could pose a serious threat to a person’s housing security, pushing them out of the neighborhood or affecting their ability to attend university.

In a comparable spirit is the city’s recent proposed b u l k t ra s h o r d i n a n c e , wh i c h l i m i ts f re e b u l k trash pickup to four times a year instead of allowing unlimited pickup requests.

This ordinance isn’t in response to a communal p ro b l e m . R a t h e r, c o n cerned citizens were told it’s meant to curb abuse of the system by about 5 percent of city residents, pa r t i c u l a rly t h ose wh o bring massive waste from their jobs to dispose at

home. The purpose of the legislation is fair, as this is clearly unsustainable, but making laws to target a very small group of people is so much more byzantine than other avenues of communication, such as education programs or one-on-one conversations.

Legislation shouldn’t be couched around the idea of “don’t worry, this isn’t about you.” It takes you further from caring for your neighbors and creates arbitrary dichotomies of the good citizen versus the bad one, not acknowledging that the “bad” is thus excluded from constructive community resources and conversations.

The nuisance ordinance passed by unanimous vo te , so i t se e m s c l ea r that, despite so many testimonies, there wasn’t an understanding of what’s at stake for students in College Park. It’s a literal silencing of our activities, taking more power from the disadvantaged — what co n s t i t u te s a n u i sa n ce will only ever be defined by established residents, and instead of promoting community conversations b e twe e n re s i d e n ts a n d student renters, the police get the final word.

For a measure meant to preserve the neighborhood’s “shared values,” as described by College Park resident Aaron Spring, it’s certainly making it hard to be included. chauds@umd.edu

Leah Brennan

Arya Hodjat

Anastasia Marks

Hadron Chaudhary, Zachary Jablow

EDITOR IN CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR

OPINION EDITORS

The Diamondback will continue to serve the UMD community If today is Sept. 30 and More people are reading The Diamondback than TOM MADIGAN you’re on the University of ever before.

MMI Board President Maryland’s campus, there’s probably a print edition of The Diamondback within a few hundred feet of you.

You might even be reading one!

But it’s more likely — eight times as likely, in fact — that you’re reading these words online. and that’s why I’m writing to you today.

The Diamondback has been serving the University of Maryland community since 1910, doing so independently since 1971. For countless students, faculty, staff, neighbors and visitors over the decades, reading the campus news meant picking up a print newspaper.

But newspapers are no longer the most effective way to reach many readers at once. And readers certainly don’t find newspapers the most convenient way to get the news. That’s partly why, later this school year, The Diamondback will discontinue its weekly print edition and publish online only.

On behalf of my fellow board members at Maryland Media Inc., the nonprofit group that owns The Diamondback, I want to explain how we arrived at this decision and why we’re excited about The Diamondback’s future as a digital platform.

For those of you who have been following the struggles of the news industry the past couple decades and watched as we cut our print edition from five days a week, to four, then to one, this might be disappointing news. But many of you may not notice a change at all. You read us online.

And I’m glad you do — not just because you trust us to report fairly and accurately on the campus community, but because it means you already find value in the digital version of The Diamondback.

In fact, the steady growth of The Diamondback’s online audience convinced us this was the right time to end the print edition, particularly as print costs have begun to overtake print revenue for good. The existence of a healthy digital community is the result of the tireless and innovative work of The Diamondback’s student leadership over the past few years. The Diamondback’s website, dbknews.com, attracts as many as 160,000 unique visitors per month. This digital audience is roughly 800 percent larger than the current print audience.

Just as The Diamondback has a responsibility to the campus and College Park community, Maryland Media Inc. has a responsibility to The Diamondback’s student staff. We need to make sure we’re providing our students with the best preparation for their careers. We think the trends make it clear we’re better off focusing our resources on digital journalism.

According to a 2011 study, Sunday and weekday newspaper circulation both fell below 50 percent of U.S. households roughly 15 years ago, as part of a long, steady decline. Another study found that total circulation of U.S. daily newspapers has been cut almost in half since then.

To put those together: If you’re a student today, you’re less likely than your parents and far less likely than your grandparents to have grown up reading newspapers. The odds might be even lower for your children. This is the market our student journalists will graduate into, and it’s the market they’re serving today in College Park.

There’s a part of me that feels strange about all this. Back in 1992, I went up to The Diamondback’s newsroom looking for a job on my second day on the campus. I loved newspapers and collected them wherever I went. I still have clippings of some of my articles and even entire papers. But that was a different world. Our phones were landlines. We didn’t have a reliable way to file copy from the road.

We developed film in a darkroom. Times change.

It’s likely that you’re reading these words on a handheld device that has more processing power than NASA had for Apollo 11. The journalism industry used to think of the internet as a boutique technology, home to a niche audience. Today, it’s simply how we communicate.

And now, after almost 110 years, we’re fully embracing a medium whose ubiquity in our daily lives would have been unthinkable when we began.

Times change.

And the next time they do, The Diamondback will be here to tell you all about it.

Tom Madigan is the board president of Maryland Media Inc. He is a former Diamondback sports editor, among many other things.

column

The Purple Line is being built sustainably LIYANGA DE SILVA There are plenty of reasons active or aggressive enough in its approach to climate change, but I think this is one of the to hate the Purple Line. @liyangads few exceptions.

P e r h a p s yo u h a te i t Columnist because it means there’s constant construction on campus, or because most of the trees along Campus Drive have been cut down, or because you think it’s a waste of money. Maybe it still angers you that the Purple Line was built in a relatively privileged area, while plans for Baltimore’s Red Line — which would have addressed the dearth of public transportation in low-income areas — were scrapped.

But regardless of our disdain for the Purple Line, we have to admit that the plans themselves are a model for sustainability and transparency that should be used in all development projects.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that in 2015, 548 million tons of construction and demolition debris were generated in the U.S. This is over twice the amount of municipal solid waste: the trash we throw away everyday. Given the Purple Line is going to be over 16 miles long, spanning from Bethesda to New Carrollton, it’s definitely going to involve huge amounts of construction and, therefore, huge amounts of waste.

At the same time, the Maryland Transit Administration has been diligent about recognizing and mitigating the environmental effects of the construction. The Final Environmental Impact Statement, available on the Purple Line MTA website, outlines a variety of potential issues, including the potential consequences on vulnerable, low-income populations.

The University of Maryland is also helping to alleviate any negative environmental effects from the development. Though about 125 trees have been chopped down or relocated to accommodate on-campus construction — including the Purple Line — there are plans to plant around 225 new trees this year on the campus.

I have often said that this university is not pro-

Another commendable aspect of the Purple Line development is its transparency. It is incredibly easy to find information about the progress of the construction, with specific dates, locations and descriptions of what the crew will be doing. Access to information is a major issue that is too often not addressed, and so the availability of information regarding the plans is something other development projects should use as a model.

Perhaps the honesty and the environmental consciousness can all be attributed to the fact that the project is receiving full federal funding.

As a government project, there is definitely an expectation for it to be more accessible and transparent than a private one. Really, any development that impacts public spaces or the environment should be uphold standards of accountability and equity, regardless of whether it is a public or private project.

We must also remember that the Purple Line simply means more accessible and sustainable transportation for the future. MTA estimates that the new rail line will take 17,000 cars off the road. Public transportation in general is much better for the environment and should be a large part of a more sustainable future.

In that sense, the Purple Line is a step in the right direction.

Ultimately, even though construction for the Purple Line could be detrimental to the environment because of the waste it will create, the project is much more environmentally conscious than most. MTA is providing a development model for the creation of sustainable transportation that is transparent with the public and will ultimately reduce the harm to the environment caused by mass transportation. liyanga.a.ds@gmail.com

MONDAY, September 30, 2019

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6 | news

monday, september 30, 2019

City Council unanimously bars “unruly social gatherings” Over 50 students, city residents and landlords turned out to give their opinions on the ordinance by

After more

“What’s an unruly crowd?”

he said.

students’ choices, making it

keep an explanation of what “responsibility to stand up

Angela Mecca t h a n t h r e e At t h e ta i l e n d o f t h e Rigg’s amendments also unfair they could be held ac- the shared values are of the for what’s right,” even though @AngelaMecca2 h o u r s o f meeting, District 3 council didn’t address student con- countable for their behavior neighborhood, so that it can his tenure on the council has Staff writer d e b a te i n a member John Rigg put forth cerns that the ordinance spe- under the new ordinance. be safe.” ended. packed room Tuesday night, the College Park City Council unanimously passed a revised version of a widely-criticized ordinance prohibiting “unruly social gatherings.”

By the end of the night, about 60 people had spoken up about the ordinance, which redefines “unruly social gatherings” as a nuisance and leaves residents and landlords susceptible to fines. University of Maryland students and city residents waited in a line that sprawled out of Davis Hall’s doors for a chance to share their thoughts.

David Dorsch, a 45-year College Park resident who had spoken on the issue at a council meeting in early September, said Tuesday that the ordinance discriminates against students.

“College towns have students, the students — just like other residents — should be able to get together and h ave f u n ,” Do rsc h sa i d , drawing applause from the audience after his testimony.

Like many of the speakers, Dorsch took issue with the ordinance’s language, claiming it was too vague. Part of the definition of an unruly social gathering, as described in the ordinance, is “conduct which constitutes a threat to the public safety” or general welfare.

“How subjective can you get? Who determines what a substantial disturbance of the peace is?” Dorsch said,

four amendments to alleviate some frequently raised concerns about the ordinance — but they didn’t fully address worries about its wording.

The first of the amendments clarified that residents won’t be fined for a single noise violation under two different ordinances — the social gatherings ordinance and the city’s noise ordinance, another piece of legislation that passed Tuesday night and further limits nighttime noise.

Additionally, the amendments adjusted the definition of a social gathering from four to eight people.

They also changed when a landlord’s occupancy permit would be revoked, from immediately after the resident’s third infraction to the end of their lease — responding to concerns that the ordinance could leave tenants homeless.

The fourth amendment changed the fines that could be imposed on a landlord to $500 each infraction. All of the amendments passed 5-3.

To m G ra y, a p r o p e r ty ow n e r a n d l o n g t i m e College Park resident, said the amendments addressed some of his issues with the original version of the ordinance, but he is still left with concerns about whether or not students’ opinions were taken into consideration.

“There was a unanimous vote about something that was so universally opposed by students, and it means their voices aren’t heard,”

cifically targeted students, or worries about the financial burden that would come with potential fines.

Others argued that the ordinance should have been discussed for longer. Near the end of the meeting, Rigg suggested that the council meet with members of the on- and off-campus communities after the legislation is implimented to discuss its effects.

“We have to find a way to make sure that everybody’s at the table for future discussions of this issue, we have to find a way to make sure that your voices are heard,” said District 3 council member Robert Day. Over the past week, more than 2,000 students at this university signed a petition against the original unruly social gatherings ordinance.

Their signatures accompanied a letter — co-written by the Student Government Association, Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Association presidents — that called for the rejection or amendment of the ordinance.

“We as students and residents can be better — need to be — better neighbors,” said Daniel Yelsits, a senior government and politics major and Interfraternity Council president at this university.

“I don’t think that this ordinance is the answer to that.”

And students weren’t the only ones to voice concerns.

Many landlords present claimed there is no way they could be expected to monitor

Landmark Apartments sold for $132.15 million As the latest student housing complex sale, it follows the View and Terrapin Row by

Landmark

now, for student housing,”

Even so, according to the

SahanaJayaraman Apartments, College Park Mayor Patrick documents, the View sold for @sahanajayaraman a U n i v e r - Wojahn said. “There is a lot a little less than $460,000 Staff writer sity of Mary- of other interest in student p e r u n i t . T h e p re v i o u s land student housing complex on Route 1, sold for $132.15 million — about $7,000 more than the per-unit price the University View sold for last year.

SH Landmark College Park Venture, Landmark’s previous owner, sold the building to an affiliate of the Chicagobased real estate firm Harrison Street Real Estate Capital, according to documents filed with the Maryland Department of Assessment and Taxation July 10.

The Landmark deal comes amid a slew of apartment sales in the area. Aside from the View, Terrapin Row — a multi-building student housing complex on Hartwick and Knox Roads — sold to the Dallas-based Pinnacle Campus Living in 2017.

“There’s a real market — a very hot market — right

housing in College Park and several student housing developments currently in the pipeline. There’s still a huge need for it and a huge demand for it.”

L a n d m a r k ’s 2 8 3 - u n i t building cost HSRE nearly $ 4 67,0 0 0 p e r u n i t , a c cording to the documents.

The company declined to comment or confirm that its affiliate bought the building.

L a s t ye a r, C B R E , t h e company that represented the View’s sellers, announced in a press release that the building sold for $235 million, calling it the largest ever single-asset student trade in the United States.

However, documents filed with MDAT reveal that the View actually sold for around $2.4 million less than CBRE claimed. CBRE didn’t respond to request for comment.

owners of the apartment building made more from selling the complex than they would’ve made if they had continued to rent it out, said College Park’s economic development coordinator Ryan Chelton.

“Sounds like something very similar happened to the Landmark,” he said.

“Sounds like they sold for a much higher rate than they thought they would receive any offers for. So they had to take them up on that offer.”

But in the grand scheme of things, Chelton said students who live in Landmark will not notice much difference after the sale.

“Very similar to the View, I believe management will remain relatively the same,” he said. newsumdbk@gmail.com

When her turn to address the council came, Carol Gray identified herself as a landlord, a former student at the university and College Park resident for over 40 years.

“Wearing all three hats, I would urge you to listen to these kids,” she said.

But those in favor of the ordinance argued that many of the actions included in the definition of unruly social gatherings are already prohibited actions under law, such as public urination, littering and public drunkenness. Proponents of the ordinance also pointed out that individuals wouldn’t face criminal charges under its text — just municipal infractions. “ T h i s i s s te p p i n g t h e actions down, versus stepping the actions up,” said Aaron Spring, a College Park resident. “This is trying to

The Constitution was cited by both sides of the debate.

Many who opposed the ordinance argued that it went against the First Amendment’s right to assemble, while those in favor argued that the Constitution allows for peaceful assembly, and unruly social gatherings are not peaceful.

Chris Keosian, who was the student liaison from 2016 until his graduation in 2018, commuted to College Park for the public hearing from Washington, D.C. On Monday, a letter from previous student liaisons to the council was sent in opposition of both the noise and unruly social gatherings ordinances, with signatures from every student liaison since 2012.

Keosian said he pitched the idea of writing a letter because he believes he has a

“Ordinances written specifically to target student residents do nothing to live up to the mantra of ‘One College Park’ or build a ‘Top-20 College Town,’” the letter read. It was signed by Alex Tobin, Keosian, Cole Holocker, Catherine McGrath and Josh Ratner.

Just before 11:30 p.m., the ordinance passed with the amendments. But Tom Gray said the decision will have repercussions that go beyond the ordinance.

He had one piece of advice for students: vote.

“There are people on [the Council] who I think are awesome public servants, and there are people on there who I think don’t care about student interest,” Tom Gray said.

“That should be a massive factor in this next election.” newsumdbk@gmail.com

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monday, september 30, 2019

news | 7

Latinx students push for campus cultural center Calls for the project date back to the 2008, but officials say there’s no progress to report by

When she

and that some want to see

wo rke d o n b r i n g i n g t h e

Lambda Fraternity, were able

“What’s going on now with

to get involved with Latinx

AmandaHernández arrived at the revived. center to fruition. Originally to come together and propose the Latino Cultural Center activities because I didn’t @amandavhernan University of The university established from Uruguay, Cerpa was funding for a cultural center is an unfortunate case of know where to find them,” Staff writer Maryland her a U.S. Latino Studies minor surprised when she first in Preinkert Hall, Cerpa said. history repeating itself. she said, “so I think that freshman year, Maura Miranda had a pit in her stomach.

A graduate of Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, Maryland, she came from a school that was majority-minority. But coming to College Park, Miranda — who is Salvadoran a n d G u a te m a l a n — fe l t completely isolated.

“I feel like an outcast in my hall, in my classes, and even on campus,” Miranda said.

“It is important for Latinx students to feel like they belong and to feel like they are part of the community on campus.”

One important part of making that happen, many s t u d e n ts s ay, wo u l d b e creating a Latinx cultural center, where students could connect with each other and faculty, join clubs and learn more about their cultures and history. It’s a project that’s been talked about for more than 10 years —

i n 2 0 0 8. W h e n s t u d e n t leaders were advocating for the program, they wrote a manifesto that detailed eight demands — including a space for Latino students akin to t h e Ny u m b u r u C u l t u ra l Center, which opened in 1971 to support black students and faculty.

Years went by and the space was not created. In March 2016, the university s e t a s i d e a ro o m i n t h e basement of Tawes Hall for Latinx students to meet and hold events, but students continued to push for an official center.

When reached for comment by The Diamondback, university spokespeople didn’t have any updates to provide about plans to build a cultural center.

Candela Cerpa, the vice president of Political Latinxs United for Movement and Action in Society, is one of the students who has

a r r ive d o n c a m p u s a n d couldn’t connect with other Latinx students right away.

“So many freshmen have come up to me throughout the years saying they can n eve r f i n d L a t i n os o n campus, and that’s exactly how I felt my freshman year,” she said. “It would also help us have a better connection to the surrounding community, which has a strong Latin presence.”

Prince George’s County is about 20 percent Hispanic o r L a t i n o, a cco rd i n g to government data. Latinx student enrollment at this university, meanwhile, has stayed relatively stagnant for the past five years — hovering at around 10 percent of the undergraduate student body, according to the Office of Institutional Research, Planning and Assessment.

It was not until fall 2017 that several Latinx student groups, including PLUMAS and the Lambda Upsilon

Students sent a proposal to the Student Facilities Fund, but were unable to acquire funding and didn’t receive permission to use the space, s a i d No a h E c k m a n , t h e fund’s former chair.

Cerpa attempted to revive the effort last year, but said she wasn’t successful in connecting with enough Latinx groups across the campus to work together on a proposal for administration.

Manuel Ruíz, a 2009 graduate of this university and member of Lambda Upsilon Lambda, was one of the student leaders who helped advocate for a U.S. Latino Studies minor and Latinx cultural center. He said it can be difficult to make progress on the needs of underrepresented and marginalized communities. “ U n f o r t u n a t e l y, t h e bureaucracy of an institution l i ke t h e Un ive rs i ty o f Maryland can be a huge i m p e d i m e n t ,” h e s a i d .

It may b e necessary fo r students and faculty allies to organize and rise up to the occasion, just as we did in 2008, to make the case for why this center should exist and why it needs to happen now.”

Junior economics major Jesse Turcios added that a cultural center could serve as a home away from home for overwhelmed and struggling students.

“A Latinx cultural center would most definitely help Latino students who may be lacking a sense of belonging or are just overwhelmed by college,” Turcios said. “The center would be a place that students could depend on.”

Similarly, Liz Castillo, a junior government and p o l i t i c s m a jo r, b e l i eve s that a cultural center would guide new students to join Latinx-oriented clubs and organizations.

“As a new student, I had no idea how to even begin

a center would serve as a great hub for students to get involved.”

A n d u n t i l a c e n te r i s established, Castillo worries that the Latinx community on campus will not be as strong or unified as it needs to be to help support incoming and current students. They’re scattered across the campus and across majors, so it would be nice to have a place to draw closer together, she said.

It’s also a point of pride for them, she added. It shows the campus and administration they won’t be ignored.

“I think a Latinx center would be a very important statement about the presence of Latinx students on campus,” she said. “We are here, and we are not going anywhere. A center would ensure that this message is broadcast loud and clear.”

newsumdbk@gmail.com

International students worry about new social media policy A new Homeland Security rule allows the collection of social handles on immigration and travel forms Some international students at the University of Maryland are concerned a recently proposed rule by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security could put their social media privacy in jeopardy.

The rule, proposed in early September, would allow the DHS to collect social media handles across platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Reddit and Vine from the past five years on immigration and travel forms.

The handles would be used to confirm an applicant’s identity, and determine whether their entrance in the U.S. would pose a national security risk, according to the by

Carmen Molina Acosta @carmenmolina_a Staff writer

Federal Register’s website.

But students such as Bhanu Moturu are concerned the rule would prevent students from speaking freely. Moturu — president of Yuva, an o rga n i za t i o n fo r I n d i a n graduate students at this university — worries the rule could deter students from coming to the U.S. in the first place.

“Not knowing how this information will be used is scary for international students who are applying to study in the US and it can limit their freedom of expression,” Moturu wrote in an email. “We think this extra vetting process can make students question their choice of pursuing an education in the US.” Homeland Security officials already look at

publicly available social media handles, according to the Federal Register’s website.

But the process is laborintensive, according to the Register, and requires steps for officials to make sure they’re looking at the correct social media accounts.

“The collection of applicants’ social media identifiers and associated platforms will assist DHS by reducing the time needed to validate the attribution of the publicly-available posted information to the applicant and prevent misassociations,” the website reads.

According to the website, the rule would allow Homeland Security to comply with President Donald Trump’s travel ban,

an executive order limiting travel from five Muslimmajority countries, as well as North Korea and Venezuela.

Public comments about the proposed rule can be submitted on the Federal Register website until Nov. 4. After the 60-day comment period is over, the agency can choose to reopen comments, revise the proposal or finalize the rule.

The University of Maryland is a member of three organizations that signed on to a letter last year against the collection of additional social media information, university spokesperson Sarah Marston said: The American Council on Education, the Association of American Universities and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.

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The American Council on Education is in the process of drafting a formal public comment to submit, she said.

“UMD agrees with our associations’ letter from last year and have weighed in with them as they develop their formal comments to this notice as well,” Marston said.

The issue received national attention this August after a Palestinian student set to begin his freshman year at Harvard was refused entry to the U.S. because of political posts that people on his friends list had made on social media, The Harvard Crimson reported.

But Ghazal Arabi Darreh D o r, p r e s i d e n t o f t h e Iranian Graduate Student Fo u n d a t i o n , s a i d s h e understands to some extent why DHS proposed the rule.

They’re just doing their job in making sure the country is secure, she said.

But the rule may encourage self-censorship among some international students, Arabi Darreh Dor said. “ W h a t I fe e l a n d I ’m afraid of is that my opinions are going to affect my visa application,” Arabi Darreh Dor, who is from Iran, said. “ So i f yo u k n ow yo u ’re going to apply for a visa and go through this screening process, you probably have

to filter and censor yourself.”

Even without the rule, Arabi Darreh Dor said some international students are afraid of speaking out for fear it will endanger their future visa applications. Just this past Tuesday, she said she had difficulty convincing other international students to co m e w i t h h e r to a Congressional hearing on the Trump administration’s travel ban, where subcommittees discussed the impact the ban has had.

Sofia Elkin, an international student from Costa Rica, says privacy problems started long ago — before the proposed rule, and even before Trump’s election.

S h e s a i d s h e ’s b e e n detained on five different occasions when entering the country. To try to dissuade immigration officials from detaining her a sixth time, Elkin scrubbed her social media before the last time she traveled. She deleted all political posts before changing her Facebook name and ultimately deleting her account.

“I was paranoid about it,” the senior women’s studies major said. “For all I know, they were checking my social media.” newsumdbk@gmail.com

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8 | news

monday, september 30, 2019

smokers From p. 1 four designated smoking areas on an otherwise smoke-free campus. It’s perhaps the most popular; or, at least, the most wellknown. And for the people who have made it something o f a h o m e , i t’s c o m e to represent more than just a spot to get their fix: It’s a place of community and learning and the best kind of weirdness.

O f te n , p a s s e rs by w i l l throw a glare or a fake cough toward the smokers, they say. But Willliams said it doesn’t phase them. And a ny way, s h e a d d e d , t h e people of the spot are very much aware of the health effects.

“I don’t think anybody h e re p l a n s o n s m o k i n g forever,” she said.

To be clear, not everyone who hangs out at the smoke s p o t i s a s m o ke r. So m e people have quit. Some vape

instead. One who swung by and handed out cigarettes said he was switching to nicotine patches.

But there are benefits to smoking, the group said, and people from around the circle added their two cents in rapid fire.

People who smoke are “ less ugly, and more politically aware,” said one, laughing.

“It also makes you cooler,” said another.

Being a smoker comes with its own kind of selfawareness, Williams said. “ I f yo u ’re awa re t h a t smoking is bad for you and you still do it, that’s why you’re more aware of other shit,” Williams said.

Jake Beardslee, a senior art history and women’s studies m a j o r, s a i d h e ’s q u e e r.

When he started coming to the smoke spot toward the end of his sophomore year, he said he felt accepted immediately.

“It’s always been inclusive

for me,” he said.

I t’s t h e k i n d o f e n v i r o n m e n t t h a t ’s fertile ground for all sorts of digressions — from d i s c u s s i o n s o f “ 9 0 Day Fiancé” to long-winded exchanges on the nature of existence.

“It’s called worm theory,” Ariel Levchenko said matter-of-factly one sunny afternoon. He’s a senior government, economics and — yes — philosophy major. “ H e r e , I c a n d ra w i t fo r yo u ,” h e co n t i n u e d , retrieving a notebook from h i s b a c k p a c k b e fo re h e walked over.

I f yo u c a n s u b d i v i d e a person into smaller moments of their life, Levchenko explained, and if each of those slices still arguably has its own past, present and plans for the future, each slice is kind of its own person, worthy of moral consideration.

Basically, he said, if you get drunk on a Friday, there’s

a separate Saturday “you” that doesn’t appreciate it.

T h e s m o k i n g s p o t ’s apparent permanence as a McKeldin-adjacent fixture belies its fluid nature. People come and go constantly, and even from two visits across two consecutive days, the group’s composition was never exactly the same.

One arrival on the first day was Ronnie Lyles, a senior history major. He sat down and joined the conversation as another student played a Kelela song in the background.

The spot’s crowd even varies with the season, said Lyles, a four-year smoke spot veteran.

“Around midterms and f i n a l s, t h i s p l a ce rea l ly starts to get full,” he said.

“You got hella shit to study for, plus papers. You’re like ‘I gotta finish this code!’

Or whatever. People are just out here, feeling the same thing, man.”

A “big mixture of people”

co m e to t h e s p o t , Lyl e s said. He added that it even serves as a kind of locus for students from other countries.

“A l o t o f t i m e s w i t h those kids, believe it or not, we’re like their first taste of America,” he said.

Many students come from cultures where smoking is much more prevalent, he said. And when they get to College Park, they inevitably end up looking for a spot to smoke. They find it tucked beside the bike racks outside the library, and it becomes something of “a medium for them to get to know people, break outside their shell and experience American culture,” Lyles said.

Beardslee said that it’s hard to provide a single “snapshot” of the spot’s regulars.

“Oftentimes the people who tend to smoke today kind of exist in a liminal space, on the margins of society in various ways.

And that gives them a really unique perspective, and that’s why I love meeting the people here,” he said.

Pe o p l e g ra d u a te , n ew students arrive in the fall.

Life events get in the way of school. There are a few s m o k e s p o t m a i n s ta ys , though. And despite the revolving door of people, “the sense of cohesion remains,” he added.

Williams said she’s been coming to the smoke spot for two years. It’s there where she met all of her closest friends and her boyfriend.

Williams used to commute to school, she said, and living off campus made it difficult to become friends with other freshmen. The spot made it easier for her.

After all, when everyone’s there to smoke, you might as well talk.

“Here,” she said, “you can just start a conversation about anything.”

working on a Diamondback app. Coders are also making progress on Diamondback TV, which will use existing TVs on campus to display the newspaper’s content, board member Corey Dade said.

The final print edition of the paper is tentatively set to run in March, Brennan said. The newspaper will continue to produce the S u r v i va l G u i d e , a m o n g other print products such as the senior edition, which Brennan described as “revenue drivers.”

Madigan expressed pride in the decision,

which he said has been led predominantly by students over the course of “years.”

“This is an evolution that the students have led, which is fitting because this is not only where the future of the news industry is going but it’s also where the present is,” he said. “I’m just very proud of the way they really led this charge to meet their audience, right where they are, right where they need to be.”

Managing editor Arya Hodjat contributed to this story.

newsumdbk@gmail.com

WE’VE GOT A NEW PODCAST. Listen to this story on the first episode of Offbeat, The Diamondback’s news audio companion.

ter.ps/offbeat Listen here!

PRINT From p. 1 p r i n t pa p e r. Now, t h e newspaper is approaching t h e p o i n t wh e re cos t o f printing the paper will exceed advertising revenue, and costs were expected to go i n to t h e n e ga t ive “sometime this school year,” Madigan added.

“We wanted to stay ahead of that,” he said. “Rather than operate at a loss, we should take our resources and put them behind something that was going to have greater longevity and offers a lot more room

cole From p. 1 than were planned.”

Co n s t r u c t i o n o n Co l e Field House started in 2016.

A collaboration between t h i s u n ive rs i ty a n d t h e University of Maryland, Baltimore, the fieldhouse’s second phase was originally intended to be done by late 2018.

In 2017, the university opened the indoor football facility, and this fall, workers are wrapping up work on the windows, roof and metal siding, with plans to work on the outdoor practice fields. The university hopes

for improvement and innovation.”

In recent years, dozens of university newspapers have seen cutbacks amid budget shortfalls a new focus on digital media. Schools such as the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Syracuse University and P u rd u e Un ive rs i ty h ave re d u ce d o r e l i m i n a te d their print production in recent years.

B re n n a n a n d M a d i ga n sa i d t h ey h o p e to rea c h more readers with an increased focus on digital media. Madigan also expects advertisers to follow the

change to online. “ W h e n s t u d e n ts wa l k a c ro s s c a m p u s, t h ey ’re looking for news on their phone, not necessarily picking up the paper along the way,” Brennan said.

O riginally name d The Triangle, The Diamondback began publication in 1910, changing its name in 1921 to reflect the university’s mascot, the Diamondback terrapin.

In 1971, after printing m u l t i p l e b l a n k pa ge s i n p ro te s t o f t h e V i e t n a m War, the University System o f M a r yl a n d ’s B o a rd o f Regents — which oversees

economic policy for this university — cut off the p a p e r ’s f u n d i n g . S i n c e then, The Diamondback has remained financially and editorially independent from the university.

Maryland Media, Inc. is a non-profit organization.

The company, established i n 1 97 1 , a l s o p u b l i s h e s t h e M i tz p e h , a n o n l i n e publication covering the university Jewish community, as well as the Terrapin yearbook.

The Diamondback also launched a podcast called O f f b e a t l a s t we e k , a n d developers are currently

to wrap up almost all the exterior construction by the end of 2020, Colella said.

“The Cole Field House renovation is a critically important project at the University of Maryland, C o l l e g e P a r k ,” b o a r d finance committee chair G a ry At t m a n w ro te in a s t a te m e n t . “ I n to d a y ’s world, we sometimes have to be pragmatic when it comes to cost increases for an endeavor that promises such long-term value.”

The funding will come o u t o f t h i s u n ive rs i ty ’s institutional funds and will be repaid by revenue from the athletic department,

Colella said. Though the re ge n t s a u t h o r i z e d t h e additional spending, specific contracts still have to be approved by the state Board of Public Works.

But some students, like freshman engineering major Emily Tamaro, said the field house isn’t worth the extra funding.

“They’re putting a lot more resources into sports than they probably need to,” Tamaro said.

If the university wants to prioritize research programs, it should invest in the ones it already has by u p d a t i n g e q u i p m e n t and facilities in the biology

department, junior biology “But I realize it does bring a that manner.” major Heather Adams said. lot of culture to the college, “I do think there’s a way so it does have benefits in newsumdbk@gmail.com overemphasis on sports just in general on campus, as opposed to just improving the science departments,” she said. “They should have thought more ahead.”

But because the funding would be repaid from the a t h l e t i c d e p a r t m e n t ’s re ve n u e , s e n i o r p u b l i c health science major Matthew Ellingsworth said he’s fine with it, so long as students’ tuitions are unaffected. “[Sports shouldn’t be] a p r i o r i t y, I f e e l , f o r a BUT CAN THEY PROVE IT? university system,” he said.

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DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE

monDAY, september 30, 2019

diversions | 9

Diversions UPCOMING EVENTS

ONE-SENTENCE REVIEW Diversions Editor Allison O’Reilly on NBC’s new show‘Perfect Harmony’

“Pleasantly reminiscent of my high school choir days” HHH✩✩

U St. Music Hall

Oct. 1

The Anthem

Oct. 4

The Regrettes

7 p.m. $20

Zedd

8 p.m. $41

The Anthem

Lauv

Oct. 5

8 p.m. $36

pg county audubon society presents

A Migration

celebration The sixth annual Mi Casa Es Su Casa birding festival observed the local migration of bird species as they travel to South America

By Zachary Jablow and Jason Fontelieu | @DBKDiversions | Staff writers A barred owl takes flight during the Prince George’s County Audubon Society’s sixth annual Mi Casa Es Su Casa Migration Celebration.

T

he chimney swifts were the hit of the Mi Casa Es Su Casa Migration Celebration at Lake Artemesia Park last week.

“Chimney swifts flying over,” someone called out. A crowd of about 20 turned their heads toward the sky, following a flock of small, cigar-like birds overhead.

For Prince George’s Audubon Society president Kenneth Cohen, the chimney swifts brought a significant moment for him. Earlier in the day, for the first time in his over 50 years of birding, he saw a flock of about 75 chimney swifts come down and take insects off a lake.

“In birding, every day is different,” Cohen, 76, said. “Every season is different.”

The sixth annual festival, held by the Prince George’s Audubon Society, was organized to promote environmental conservation and celebrate the migration of different bird species that pass through the local area on their way to South and Central America.

Tents were set up along a portion of the trail in the Berwyn Heights Park, with joggers and bikers among those who stopped to try samples of birdseed or peruse the nature magazines. There was also a morning bird walk for birders of all skill levels, as well as an arts and crafts area for kids. The second half of the day featured a “flight fest” at the nearby College Park Aviation Museum.

Manning the monarch butterfly tent was Lisa Garrett, a

coordinator of the event and vice president of the Prince George’s Audubon Society, who was quick to note that butterflies migrate during this season as well.

“What is better for a birder [than] to have an outdoor event where we can look at birds and talk to people about birds?”

Garrett said, sporting orange butterfly earrings.

A dry-erase board kept track in brown marker which birds had been spotted throughout the day. There was some excitement surrounding the addition of species like the pied-billed grebe, or warblers such as the common yellowthroat.

“A redstart just flew from that bush over there into that bush over there,” one birder noted, referencing the brightly

colored, medium-sized warbler species.

“All right, well, add it to our list,” came the response from a mildly enthused Cohen.

Cohen compared his love for birding with Martina Navratilova’s love of tennis. According to Cohen, journalist Bud Collins asked her how she stayed interested in the game.

“She looked him right in the eye, and without missing a beat, she said, ‘The ball never comes over the net the same way twice,’” said Cohen, a caterpillar painted on his face by his 12-year-old granddaughter, Ellie.

Another highlight of the day was the raptor show put on by Watkins Nature Center. Park naturalist Paula McNeil showed off to a small crowd a series of

live birds of prey, such as a redtailed and broad-winged hawks and a barred owl.

Lake Artemesia is among the hot spots for birdwatching in the area. On ebird.org, a website run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, birdwatchers can report checklists of birds they’re able to identify, contributing to data used in ornithology and ecology research.

According to the site, where more than 2,200 checklists have been submitted at Lake Artemesia, 215 bird species have been recorded at the lake and its surrounding area. The fall season attracts birders hoping to catch a glimpse of migrating warblers and other species that aren’t in the area year-round.

And this year is an especially

julia nikhinson/the diamondback

important one for the birding community. As reported in The Washington Post, a new study published last week reported that bird populations in the U.S. and Canada are down 29 percent since 1970. That amounts to a loss of almost 3 billion birds in that 50-year period.

Garrett emphasized that conservation was at the forefront of the event. She noted that today’s older generations fought for the successful environmental regulations of the 1970s, and now younger people must keep up the fight to preserve the environment for humans and birds alike.

“What’s good for the birds is good for us,” Garrett said. diversionsdbk@gmail.com

review:

‘abominable’ is an instant classic

This story of a girl and her Yeti is one for the books

By Iris Vukmanovic | @iriswulfe | Senior staff writer abominable has the Dreamworks animation power, and unique storyline, that will keep you coming back for more. photo courtesy of youtube

I

took my place in the dim movie theater at 10 a.m. last week, wiggling into a big leathery reclining chair. Waiting for the movie to start, I killed time by thinking about how I was admonished by the PR person for not showing up 5 minutes earlier.

“I wonder if this movie will be any good,” I thought to myself as I stared up at the screen. The movie was Dreamworks’ Abominable. It’s a story about a girl, Yi (Chloe Bennett), who finds a Yeti on her roof in the middle of Shanghai, and helps return him home to Mt. Everest. “There are so many ways this could go wrong,” I thought to myself again, as the lights faded to dark.

The movie began with a cool point-of-view shot of the Yeti escaping captivity from the cliché crazed millionaire — not sure how much money he has, but he’s rich — Mr. Burnish

(Eddie Izzard) and British zoologist Dr. Zara (Sarah Paulson).

After that, we cut to Yi’s life and find out that her father recently passed away. Instead of mourning, she keeps herself busy with odd jobs, avoiding being at home with her mother and her Nai Nai. We’re also introduced to Peng (Albert Tsai) and Jin (Tenzing Norgay Trainor), who live in Yi’s apartment building. Jin is a caricature of what Boomers and Gen X-ers think millennials and Gen Z-ers are: constantly looking at himself in the mirror, taking selfies and caring way too much about the state of his expensive sneakers.

Peng is his younger brother, a cute and playful little boy who bothers everyone around to play basketball with him.

Aside from the opening shot, the beginning 10 to 15 minutes of the movie were dry and boring. After watch-

ing the trailer, I knew that Yi was supposed to help the Yeti back home, but with the set-up it just felt way too far-fetched.

The characters all seemed twodimensional as well, using one trope after another.

At this point, I was thinking, “Oh man, they really did it all wrong didn’t they. This is going to be just another dull, predictable, quasi-touching animated movie that kids drag their parents to and is everything short of remarkable.”

But, was I wrong. And I’m so glad I was.

This movie is a classic. It defied all expectations. The storyline kept me guessing — AND it kept my attention. Every character I thought was a flat cliché, by the end of the film was turned on their head. The character development wasn’t too much to be unbelievable, but just the right amount to make the story feel real.

I cried five times while watching this film. FIVE. And I don’t consider myself to be a movie-cryer. I think the part that got me every single time was when the Yeti sings. That’s right, you heard me: The giant cute fluffy Yeti HUMS and it’s MAGICAL. Literally! Every time the Yeti sings he summons the magic of nature and it’s beautiful, just beautifully done.

The animation was beyond gorgeous and the storyline was moving and heartfelt. At the end of the movie I walked out with a big stupid smile on my face. I haven’t felt that way walking out of a theater in a long time.

Abominable touches on themes of family, growth, friendship and protecting the environment, reminiscent of (my personal favorite) Miyazaki films. The best part of it all is the seamless inte-

gration with Chinese culture.

It’s refreshing to see something on the big screen that explores a different culture in such a meaningful way.

So, I know I didn’t reveal too much about the movie in this article, but I just don’t want to spoil the pure joy of taking in the film for yourself.

You might think, “Should I even bother?” The answer is a resounding YES. This will be a movie you will keep coming back to watch. I know I will. Hopefully, I won’t cry as much the second time around. diversionsdbk@gmail.com

BUT WHEN YOU DO

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monday, september 30, 2019

10 | Sports

women’s soccer

defender adalee broadbent (right) notched an assist in Maryland’s 2-1 win over Rutgers on Saturday while midfielder Darby Moore (left) played 78 minutes, helping the Terps fend off the Scarlet Knights’ late push for an equalizer.

julia nikhinson/the diamondback

Two first-half goals help Terps upset Rutgers Maryland holds off No. 20 Scarlet Knights, 2-1, for 2nd Big Ten win L a te i n t h e first Jacob Richman half Satur@jacobrichman12 day, with Staff writer Maryland women’s soccer already leading, forward Alyssa Poarch stood over a free kick with a chance to add on.

The ensuing ball curled into the box and took a deflection, landing perfectly at the feet of midfielder Hope Lewandoski, who turned and fired at goal.

Rutgers goalkeeper Meagan McClelland couldn’t make the save as the ball bounced into the net, sparking celebrations for a two-goal Terps lead against a ranked opponent.

Lewandoski ran back toward her bench and screamed “Let’s go!” as her teammates celebrated the critical tally in Maryland’s 2-1 upset over No. 20 Rutgers in Piscataway, New Jersey.

“Wow, it was a remarkable performance by the Terps,” by

coach Ray Leone said. “It was the highest level they’ve seen or played. It was really something else.”

The Terps (6-3-2) were considered underdogs in their first ranked matchup of the season against a formidable Scarlet Knights (7-2-1) team.

Maryland was also looking to win its first away game since its first match of the 2018 season against William & Mary.

The Terps have been a tough team for ranked opponents in the past. Last season, Maryland was able to knock off then-No. 14 Northwestern and drew then-No. 22 Wisconsin. This season, though, the squad had struggled on the road, winless in its first three attempts. Saturday changed that trend.

“Rutgers is such an experienced, top-level team that has been at the top of the Big Ten many, many times,” Leone said. “To see our team play like

that was quite special.”

Rutgers opened the game with most of the control, but the Terps’ defense kept them in it through the first 20 minutes despite two early chances from midfielder Julia Aronov. Maryland finally found its offensive footing in the 21st minute as Poarch made some space outside the box and took a shot, forcing a save from McClelland.

The Terps began amping up their offense from there, taking more control of possession — and it led to the opening score.

A clearance from inside the Maryland box found the foot of Poarch around midfield. She took off down the field, beating out two Rutgers defenders. Her shot was just out of reach of McClelland to establish a 1-0 lead.

“That was an incredible goal,” Leone said. “We were in our own end, and then it was a quick counter. It was kind of exciting because you saw her with all of that space, with 50

yards to go. But just because you have that space, it’s not an easy goal to finish.”

Rutgers continued to hold the majority of the possession but was unable to create any solid opportunities. And with the Scarlet Knights’ inability to find an equalizer, the Terps capitalized through Lewandoski’s strike.

Dana Goldstein found the best chance of the first half for Rutgers as she was able to get her head on a corner kick, but the ball sailed just wide of the net.

The second half was controlled by the Scarlet Knights early, forcing goalkeeper Erin Seppi to make two impressive saves. The first had Seppi meet a wide-open Nneka Moneme and block her shot. The second was a leaping fingertip save on a curling shot from forward Brittany LaPlant.

“Erin Seppi was unreal,” Leone said. “Rutgers was threatening the whole game.

Seppi had to do her part probably in this game more than

any of the other games.”

Despite the clutch saves from Seppi, a deflection off Anissa Mose placed the ball perfectly outside the box for Aronov to strike. The diving attempt from Seppi was not enough to keep the ball out of her net, bringing the score to 2-1.

Poarch began to take attacking chances into her own hands. On three occasions she found a bit of space from outside the box and booted the ball at the goalkeeper. Her tactic forced two saves and continued to keep the Terps threatening.

Meanwhile, forward Amirah Ali finally got involved in the game in the 76th minute, finding space on the far side of the box. But her attempted chip sailed too high.

Ali, one of the top players in the Big Ten, had been neutralized for most of the game. Leone said she would be a handful for the Maryland defense, but it effectively held her in check Saturday.

“The backline was fantastic with [Malikae Dayes] just leading the way,” Leone said.

“The amount of times she just came out of nowhere and saved us was just extraordinary.”

In the 77th minute, forward Mikayla Dayes tried to get on the board, finding a oneon-one opportunity deep in Scarlet Knights territory. She got loose from her defender on some tricky dribbling, but her shot was far wide right of the net.

The Terps were able to hold off Rutgers’ attempt at a comeback, giving them a crucial away win over one of the top teams in the Big Ten. “This was big,” Leone said.

“To get our team’s belief that they are a special team. This was a really important game to play at Rutgers, where we’ve never really done well.

We played well, and now it’s time to go home and recover again and get ready for another special team.” sportsdbk@gmail.com

volleyball

Terps struggle to limit long point streaks Against Ohio State and Michigan State, Maryland quickly fell behind Michigan Kevin McNulty State defen@kmcnulty_219 sive specialist Samantha Staff writer McLean leapt into the air, sending the opening serve of the Spartans’ bout with Maryland volleyball over the net.

After a short rally ending in Michigan State’s favor, McLean set up once more.

S h e wo u l d re p ea t t h e routine four more times as the Spartans jumped out to a 5-0 lead against the Terps in set one before finally co n ce d i n g on McLean’s sixth straight serve.

S a t u rd a y n i g h t ’s straight-sets loss to Michigan State marked Maryland’s second straight Big by

Te n d e fea t , a fte r d rop p i n g i ts o p e n e r a ga i n s t Ohio State. Between the two matches, the Terps won only one set, and the team never led against the Spartans.

That was the result of frequent holes Maryland dug itself into by allowing long runs of points from their opponents, taking themselves out of sets in a hurry. The trend plagued coach Adam Hughes’ squad, which is looking to fix the issue through improving its consistency.

“Giving up runs has been our problem for the last couple of weeks,” Hughes said. “There were a couple times [on Saturday] where

they scored [a lot of] points in a row, and I had to call timeout.”

Against the Buckeyes, a seven-point run from Ohio State buried the Terps in set one. In the third set, a 6-0 run put Maryland down eight points, and the team would never recover. And the fourth set saw a 4-0 run from the Buckeyes that brought them back into the set, which it went on to win 25-22.

On Saturday, the Spartans never looked back after their fast start to open the match. Set two featured another 5-0 run as they c l a i m e d t h e f ra m e by a seven-point margin.

While the runs took the air out of the Terps, they continued to play without fea r d e s p i te t h e c l ea r disparity between them and

their opponents.

“We never lost confidence during those runs,” middle blocker Katie Myers said. “We just couldn’t find any momentum.”

The streaks were helped by a myriad of Maryland errors. For Hughes, the problems originated right off the serve.

“Obviously we’re not trying to get stuck in those situations, but it hasn’t been one specific area,” Hughes said. “I think it m os t ly co m e s ba c k to getting better with our first touch.”

After the Terps’ first two conference matches didn’t go their way, the team will have nearly an entire week to prepare for Michigan to arrive in College Park on Friday. Then, on Saturday, Maryland will get a rematch

with Michigan State.

The Terps are looking fo r wa rd to wo rk i n g o n some of the things that we n t w ro n g d u r i n g t h e unfortunate streaks in the last two matches in the hopes of finding a rhythm in

conference play. “ We j u s t n e e d to ge t back in the gym and work,” o u ts i d e h i t te r Re b e ka h R a t h s a i d . “ I t h i n k we need to work on getting better all around.” sportsdbk@gmail.com

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monday, september 30, 2019

Sports | 11

field hockey

Terps’ Linda Cobano hitting offensive stride Midfielder leads Maryland in goals, with six in eight games this season by

When MaryDavid Suggs @David_Suggs3 land field hockey Staff writer midfielder Linda Cobano was growing up, her dad — and childhood coach — taught her the importance of two-way play and flexibility, a lesson that has stayed with her throughout her career.

So when she arrived at the Field Hockey and Lacrosse C o m p l ex t h i s s u m m e r, Cobano hoped to make a mark on both sides of the ball as a holding midfielder.

However, the sophomore has since developed into a potent goalscorer over the season thus far, scoring a team-leading six goals for the No. 4 Terps. And her goalscoring form reached its peak in games against No. 10 Princeton and No. 18 Rutgers, as she bagged braces in both games to propel Maryland to dramatic victories.

“Fortunately for us, she’s

played all over the field before she came to Maryland,” coach Missy Meharg said. “We’re in a position to move her up into a more attacking midfielder and when we get into the front field, she actually can play in the circle.”

In her last season at Grossflottbeker, a club team in Germany, Cobano played as a fullback, meaning she was expected to contribute defensively while also pushing forward to provide width in the attack.

Cobano’s versatility was particularly enticing to Meharg, who envisioned Cobano as a box-to-box midfielder whose skills wo u l d co m p l e m e n t t h e ba l l - ca r ry i n g q u a l i t i e s of players such as Brooke and Emma DeBerdine and Madison Maguire.

Cobano languished on the bench for the first two games, though — she was ruled ineligible following her transfer.

“It was harsh for me to sit out the first two games,” Cobano said. “But it also made me so excited to be on the pitch.”

Since becoming eligible, Cobano has been a standout presence in Maryland’s lineup, scoring in her debut against then-No. 13 Boston Co l l e ge o n Se p t . 6 a n d starting each of her eight games.

And the Hanover, Germany native has hit her stride in the last week, providing Maryland with a legitimate scoring threat from the midfield.

“In the first couple of games, she was in more of a defending position, but right now she’s in the attacking midfield,” defender Bodil Keus said. “It really helps us get some chances off in the forward [area].”

Against the T igers, Cobano showe d of f he r shot power, firing a couple of long-range efforts into the back of the cage to keep Maryland in the game.

On Saturday, though, Cobano displayed her nous in the shooting circle, de-

midfielder linda cobano has paced Maryland with six goals this season. The Hanover, Germany, native has had two goals in each of her past two games, leading her team to wins over Princeton and Rutgers ­— both ranked foes. julia Nikhinson/the diamondback flecting Keus’ shot into the net for her first goal. She found herself in the shooting circle again in the third quarter, cutting across a Rutgers defender to tap the ball past goalkeeper Gianna Glatz.

B u o ye d b y C o b a n o ’s performances, the Terps

have been on a hot streak in recent weeks, winning six straight games — four o f t h e m a ga i n s t to p - 2 5 competition.

And given her impressive showings over the past few matchups, Cobano has become the center of Maryland’s attack, even if it’s

from the midfield.

“She’s helping people around the forwards, like where to stand and how to do things,” Keus said. “She’s really a threat for the opponents that we are playing against.” sportsdbk@gmail.com

football

Maryland WR DJ Turner charged with DUI, misses PSU game Police. The DUI was one of 12 traffic-related misdemeanors listed for Turner, according to state judiciary records.

Turner was stopped at 1:23 a.m., records show, on Baltimore Avenue near Fraternity Row. The senior was

also charged with willfully disobeying a lawful order and the directions of a police officer, spinning the wheels of his car, failure to stop at a stop sign line and using the horn when not reasonably necessary for safety, among others.

In total, records show $1,450 worth of fines.

The Glenarden native did not play in Friday night’s 59-0

loss to Penn State, a decision coach Mike Locksley made.

“DJ has to focus on the non-football things right now,” Locksley said postgame. “I won’t get into or comment on anything further on that until I have more information. But it was a coaches’ decision not to play DJ today, and again, we want him to focus on the

non-football things.”

This isn’t the first off-field issue Turner’s had.

In 2016, when Turner was a freshman at Maryland, he and running back Lorenzo Harrison were charged with three counts each for seconddegree assault and reckless endangerment as well as one of school molestation stemming from an on-campus

airsoft gun incident.

Three students were struck with pellets on Nov. 6, 2016, and Harrison and Turner were suspended for their last four games that season.

The charges were dropped, however, due to a lack of evidence, and Harrison and Turner were reinstated.

the first play.

That started a string of four straight series with Penn State touchdowns, including Hamler’s escapade through the Maryland defense. Meanwhile, a 14-play drive that lasted over six minutes ended with Jackson’s second interception, sparking a 95-yard drive from the Nittany Lions.

“We had two turnovers, we gave up two big, explosive plays,” Locksley said. “Right from the start, we didn’t give

ourselves a chance.”

But it wasn’t until Clifford’s 15-yard touchdown pass to tight end Nick Bowers with about nine minutes remaining in the second quarter, putting Penn State up 28-0, that the allure of being anywhere else but Maryland Stadium led to the first great migration of students toward the exits.

H a rd ly a ny re m a i n e d by the time running back Journey Brown punched in

a 1-yard touchdown to put his squad up 45-0. He was just one of a multitude of weapons that ripped apart a Terps defense that had looked much improved this year.

“Our fans came out and created a hell of an environment for us today,” Locksley said, “and we went out and didn’t do our job as a team.”

Clifford finished 26-for31 with 398 yards and three touchdowns, setting a school

record for first-half passing yards. Hamler reeled in six catches for 108 yards, and Brown and running back Ricky Slade both found the endzone.

“It’s all on us,” linebacker Keandre Jones said. “We’ve got to prepare better and just keep moving on.”

S o Fr i d a y ’s c o n te s t , despite all the buildup and anticipation, turned into a stark reminder of where Penn State stands as a program and

just how far Maryland lags behind. Since joining the Big Ten in 2014, the Terps have beaten their northern counterparts once. They haven’t scored a touchdown against the Nittany Lions since 2016.

As Locksley pointed out during the week, it’s not a rivalry — not yet, at least.

Maryland has a long way to go, and Friday night exposed as much.

of us. We put together a good drive, and it was not a great decision, obviously,” Locksley said. “We wanted to at least come away with some points in there.”

The ensuing drive saw Penn State drive 95 yards for its third touchdown of the night, aided by a thirddown personal foul committed by Jordan Mosley on a

tackle short of the line to gain.

Down 21-0, Locksley inserted quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome into the game to try to create a spark. But the Pigrome-led group incurred similar ineptitude, going three-and-out on the first possession and punting after one first down on the second drive.

Ja c kso n re t u r n e d to the game after his understudy’s brief stint, but his struggles that carried over from the Temple game only continued.

Similar to the loss to the Owls, the redshirt junior never settled in after his opening-drive turnover, finishing 10-of-21 for 65 yards.

“I’ve got to figure out a way to get our quarterbacks having confidence in playing the way we played the first two weeks,” Locksley said.

“We’ll watch the tape and figure out the things that they can execute.”

Maryland never recovered from the blunder-filled first half, falling handily at the hands of a team loaded with

more than enough talent to capitalize on the extra opportunities handed to it.

“If you have any penalties against a good team like Penn State, it’s going to be a big effect on us,” linebacker Keandre Jones said, “as a defense, as an offense — every phase of the game.”

terback Sean Clifford lit up the secondary for 398 yards and three touchdowns while the Maryland pass rush failed to bring him down once. Wide receiver K.J. Hamler took a pass 58 yards to the house, gallivanting through the Terps’ defenders with relative ease.

Those two players were a major factor in the Nittany Lions’ four straight touchdowns to open the contest.

It would have taken a flawless showing to keep up with Penn State’s firepower.

“Penn State made some great plays,” linebacker Keandre Jones said. “It’s a long season, a tough loss,

and we go right back to the drawing board.”

But there wasn’t much life from Maryland’s playmakers.

Jackson finished 10-for-21 for 65 yards and two interceptions. Running back Anthony McFarland picked up 24 yards on nine carries, and tailback Javon Leake managed 1.7 yards per carry for 10 yards total.

And to cap the Terps’ most promising drive Friday, when the deficit was still just 14 points, Jackson’s second interception ended a 14-play series at the 5-yard line. The gunslinger again fired to a defender in underneath coverage, and Maryland never looked close to threatening

the shutout again.

“It just comes from not executing,” Locksley said.

“When you call plays and they’re not being executed, obviously that creates a little doubt. That creates the lack of confidence.”

Maryland doesn’t know when its offensive confidence first slipped away. But there was no doubt it did, amounting into a lopsided loss to Penn State for the third straight season to leave plenty to ponder over this week.

“Through the first two weeks it seemed like we had that [confidence],” McKennie said. “It’s dropped off over these last few weeks,

but this week at practice it’s definitely something we have to focus on, getting a little bit

of swagger back.”

Coach Mike Locksley said it was his decision to hold Turner out Friday by

Andy Kostka Maryland @afkostka football wide Senior staff writer receiver DJ Turner was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol after being stopped Sept. 20

by University of Maryland

psu From p. 12 “We weren’t firing on all cylinders on any of our teams. We need to work together and play better complementary football in all three phases,” he added.

Then, on the interception return, Jackson was called for a late hit, setting the Nittany Lions up on the 9-yard line and allowing quarterback Sean Clifford to run uninhibited into the endzone on

miscues From p. 12 Jackson stared down tight end Tyler Mabry breaking to the corner of the endzone, drawing the attention of cornerback Tariq CastroFields, who cut in front to nab the Nittany Lions’ second interception of the game.

“I think the air came out

confidence From p. 12 13 points against Temple — in addition to four more via safeties — was brushed off as a fluke, though. But Friday’s shellacking left the Terps searching for answers as to where the confidence from the first two games went.

“I’m not sure. I wish I could tell you,” offensive lineman Ellis McKennie said. “That’s something that we’re going to have to watch the film and see what happened and see when it started to derail and hopefully get it fixed.”

Still, there were more issues at play Friday than Maryland’s offense. Nittany Lions quar-

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12 | Sports

THIS WEEK’S GAMES

TWEET OF THE WEEK Sept. 28

Field Hockey

“If I hear ‘WE ARE’ one more time I WILL lose my mind.”

4 Maryland 18 Rutgers

@Taylor_Wilson28, Maryland softball infielder Taylor Wilson

2 1

Volleyball

Michigan State Maryland

Sept. 28

3 0

Women’s soccer

Maryland 20 Rutgers

Sept. 28

2 1

football

For all the hype, football falls flat Under Friday night lights and in front of 53,228 fans, the Terps were no-shows When K.J. Hamler caught a pass on a Andy Kostka @afkostka slant route midway Senior staff writer through the first quarter Friday night, he had 50 yards and a crowd of Maryland football defenders between himself and the endzone. But the Penn State wide receiver quickly made a nonfactor out of the distance and the bevy of black jerseys ahead.

Cornerback Kenny Bennett was left in the dust after Hamler’s first cut, and safety Deon Jones missed on his tackle attempt, chopping at Hamler’s legs but failing to bring him down. Then, as the junior turned upfield and hit the gas, cornerback Marcus Lewis became his next victim.

Hamler feinted left and right and Lewis slipped to the turf, opening a green sea of space for him to lead the Nittany Lions through, the second touchdown of a contest that got away from the Terps as soon as it began.

The extra bleachers set up to accommodate the overflow of student interest began to empty before halftime, and the hype for the matchup with No. 12 Penn State — one that coach Mike Locksley stopped short of calling a rivalry — deflated.

Locksley was right. For a game to be considered a rivalry, it needs to be competitive. And Friday’s 59-0 obliteration was anything but for the third straight year.

“We’re not going to overreact from one game,” Locksley said after his squad’s second straight loss this season. “Give credit to Penn State.

They were well-prepared, they played at a high level.”

The no-show at Maryland Stadium continued what Penn State had started in 2017 — first, a 66-3 blowout; next, a 38-3 wallop. The 2019 edition perpetuated the series of disasters.

But there was reason to believe — at least through two weeks of the season — that this Terps team (2-2) might prove different. In Locksley’s first season as the full-time head by

coach in College Park, his offense jumped out to a combined 142 points against Howard and Syracuse.

The machine ground to a halt in Week 3 against Temple, though, with a subpar night from quarterback Josh Jackson and goal-line ineptitude at the forefront of a 20-17 loss. And on Maryland’s first possession against Penn State (4-0), those struggles resumed.

Jackson had wide receiver Dontay Demus open over the middle on a post route, but the quarterback didn’t see linebacker Jan Johnson in underneath coverage and rifled a pass that found the wrong color jersey.

“This was definitely a team loss today,” offensive lineman Ellis McKennie said.

See psu, p. 11

Penn state had no trouble against Maryland football on Friday, scoring on its first offensive play and running rampant from there with 619 yards and 59 points, while posting a shutout. julia nikhinson/the diamondback

nittany lions

pounce Sean Clifford and Penn State dissect Maryland’s defense, and coach Mike Locksley’s offense struggles to move the ball

Flags, turnovers prove costly Offensive confidence vanishes by

On MaryEric Myers land football’s @EricMyers531 fifth play from Staff writer scrimmage in its 59-0 loss to No. 12 Penn State, Josh Jackson moved slightly to his right and spotted receiver Dontay Demus breaking free on a post route in the middle of the field. Jackson unleashed a line-drive pass that linebacker Jan Johnson snagged for an interception.

Jackson made the tackle on the return, but did so after Johnson had run out of bounds. It drew an unnecessary roughness penalty on the Maryland signal-caller — one of two flags on the home team during a sequence that set the Nittany Lions’ offense up at the 9-yard line, where Penn State would score from one play later.

The errant throw compounded by the subsequent penalties were the first in a bevy of first-half miscues that put the Terps squarely on the wrong end of a one-sided 38-0 halftime score, silencing their portion of the sellout crowd.

“That’s probably the most disappointing part of this game,” offensive lineman Ellis McKennie said. “We beat ourselves in the first half.”

After committing nine penalties for 88 yards in the 20-17 loss to Temple on Sept.

14, cleaning up avoidable mistakes was an emphasis during the bye week.

Wide receiver Brian Cobbs said during the week leading up to Friday night’s highly anticipated matchup that the team “can’t have a lot of negative penalties because, especially in big games, those can

come back to bite you.”

Cobbs’ warning proved prophetic, as the Terps reverted back to committing similar mistakes early on, with eight penalties for 70 yards during the first-half letdown.

“It starts with playing with discipline and not beating yourself,” coach Mike Locksley said. “You lose way more games than you win. … Look at the way the game started, we didn’t do a great job playing with discipline.”

Trailing 14-0 just over five minutes into the game, the Maryland offense looked poised to give its crowd something to rave about, marching 64 yards in 13 plays to the Penn State 11-yard line.

On second down, though, it all came crashing down.

See miscues, p. 11

by

Perhaps

Andy Kostka i t s t a r t e d @afkostka once MarySenior staff writer land football p u n te d t h e b a l l a w a y after its fourth three-and-out of the first half.

Or maybe it was earlier — the first-possession interception by quarterback Josh Jackson or carryover from a poor showing against Temple two weeks earlier — but it was there in plain sight for all 53,228 fans to see.

As coach Mike Locksley put it, there seemed to be a lack of confidence from his offense, a unit that scored 142 combined points in wins over Howard and Syracuse but stumbled in Week 3 against the Owls.

And once more, when called upon Friday night against No. 12 Penn State, that offense fell flat, managing 128 total yards

and zero points.

That performance — or lack thereof — doomed Locksley to his first shutout since he was offensive coordinator for the Terps in 2015. Beyond that, though, it draws concerns over what Maryland can do as Big Ten play ramps up. For the second straight week, the offense has looked out of sync.

Its offensive line has thinned through injury, its quarterback play appears hit-or-miss and its running backs have found little room to maneuver.

And against the Nittany Lions, those inefficiencies boiled over into Friday night’s catastrophe.

“I don’t feel like we’re playing with confidence on that side of the ball,” Locksley said. “Whether it’s the quarterback, whether it’s the left tackle, whether it’s the

tailback, whether it’s the tight end, we’ve got to get the confidence back.”

There would always be an asterisk next to anything Maryland did against Howard, an FCS opponent, but 79 points and 623 yards built excitement around what Locksley’s scheme could bring against more formidable foes.

There was an improved passing attack with Jackson under center and the team gained 317 yards on the ground.

And when the Terps followed that up with a win against then-No. 21 Syracuse, there seemed to be validation for their season-opening onslaught. After 650 more yards and 63 more points, Maryland leapt into the top-25 rankings.

The offense only scoring See confidence, p. 11