110509

STATE SMACKDOWN

OUT OF TUNE

Terps blow by Bowie State, 90-48, in first exhibition

Robert Zemeckis’ latest animated effort, A Christmas Carol, is an insult to Charles Dickens’ classic DIVERSIONS | PAGE 8

SPORTS | PAGE 11

Thursday, November 5, 2009

THE DIAMONDBACK Our 100TH Year, No. 48

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER

Athletics drops new ticketing policy Student feedback was overwhelmingly negative

BY JAKOB ENGELKE Staff writer

Assistant Provost for Equity and Diversity Cordell Black, whose job was eliminated due to budget cuts, speaks at last night’s meeting in Nyumburu about his dismissal. CHARLIE DEBOYACE/THE DIAMONDBACK

Students furious over diversity official’s ousting Protest march planned for today at noon

BY ADELE HAMPTON Staff writer

The Nyumburu Cultural Center’s multipurpose room pulsed with anger last night as hundreds of students and faculty members vented their frustrations about the removal of Assistant Provost of Equity and Diversity Cordell Black from his longtime position.

“If someone has given to this university their blood, sweat and tears as he has, they should be able to walk

out the door on their own terms and not because of back-door dealings that some folks did in terms of plotting and removing him from his position,” Relations Director for the Nyumburu Cultural Center Solomon Comissiong said. “We need to mobilize and organize around one single thing and that is reinstating Dr. Black ... by any means necessary.”

Last Thursday, Black was called into a meeting with Provost Nariman

see BLACK, page 7

Hundreds of students packed into the Nyumburu Cultural Center multipurpose room to hear Black speak about his dismissal.

Just three days after changing its student ticketing policy to award an extra loyalty point to students who arrive between 90 and 60 minutes prior to Terrapin men’s basketball games, the Athletics Department has discontinued the program.

The initiative, which was designed to give students extra incentive to arrive early and support the team, did not receive good reviews. Many students contacted the Athletics Department, saying the extra loyalty point would only further encourage the controversial practice known as scanning and leaving.

“The students e-mailed and called with really well-thought-out arguments,” Senior Associate Athletics Director Brian Ullmann said. “We had considered those arguments ahead of time, but we felt like it was enough and that the arguments were valid enough. ...

The last thing we want to do is encourage more scan-and-leave.”

Some thought under the new policy, students would go earlier to earn the extra point but be less encouraged to stay for more than an hour of pregame activity.

Students who arrived more than an hour before Tuesday’s exhibition against Indiana (Pa.) did receive an extra loyalty point, regardless of whether they stayed. But for the remainder of the season, only attendance — not arrival time — will play a factor in loyalty points. There will still be no entry times until

see TICKETS, page 11

CHARLIE DEBOYACE/THE DIAMONDBACK

Slumping economy leads to drop in retention rate

BY CARRIE WELLS Senior staff writer

Last year, Brittany Pressley never missed a football or basketball game. She involved herself in student groups, academic societies and made plans to live with five of her new best friends this year.

But three weeks before school began, Pressley’s plans were derailed by a letter explaining $34,000 of her student loans had been cut from her financial aid package. In tears, she realized coming back wasn’t an option.

Pressley is one of more than 250 students who didn’t return for their sophomore years this fall — a trend that is

worsening, according to data from the Office of Institutional Research, Planning and Assessment. The 2008 freshman class saw about 8 percent fewer students return for their sophomore years than the 2007 class did, but that number masks a significant loss of black and Latino students who didn’t return.

Pressley looked to the Office of Student Financial Aid for help, but she was told there wasn’t much they could do, she said. Realizing rising out-of-state tuition at this university was just too much, the former psychology major was forced to apply at the last minute to

Minnesota Vikings free safety and university alumnus Madieu Williams sits with university President Dan Mote before speaking about his $2 million endowment to the School of Public Health. VINCE SALAMONE/THE DIAMONDBACK

see RETENTION, page 3

Bringing success home

GSG officials skeptical of plans to adjust doctoral enrollment

BY MELISSA QUIJADA Staff writer

Graduate school administrators are in the process of reevaluating the size of dozens of doctoral programs, but Graduate Student Government leaders fear the initiative could harm graduate students.

Administrators want to increase the completion rate of graduate programs

TOMORROW’S WEATHER:

Terp turned NFL star starts public health center focusing on hometowns of Prince George’s County, Sierra Leone

BY DARREN BOTELHO Staff writer

while minimizing the amount of time it takes students to earn a degree. As part of this process, they are working with individual departments to set target program sizes for next fall. Departments will then be expected to adjust their admission rates to meet the targets.

The strategic plan, a 10-year road

see DOCTORAL, page 7 Sunny/50s

Minnesota Vikings starting free safety Madieu Williams hasn’t forgotten where he came from.

The 28-year-old university alumnus, who is playing in his sixth season in the NFL this year, returned to Prince George’s County yesterday to announce the creation of a new university center focused on global health issues. The Center for Global

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Health Initiatives will focus on addressing health problems in his two homes: Prince George’s County and Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Williams, who was born in Sierra Leone, donated $2 million to the university’s public health school to get the center going — the second major contribution in the college’s history.

“Health, literacy, nutrition and education — problems in these areas — are serious problems in Sierra Leone and right here under

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

DIVERSIONS . . . . .8 SPORTS . . . . . . . . .12

our noses,” Williams said during the press conference. “We need to step up and do something.”

School of Public Health Dean Robert Gold said he and Williams had been in communication with each other for more than a year, discussing how Williams could help the community that helped him for so many years. At first, Williams intended to create a scholarship

see WILLIAMS, page 3

www.diamondbackonline.com

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THE DIAMONDBACK | NEWS | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2009

Colombian agency appeals to univ. to ‘adopt’ country’s captives

BY NELLY DESMARATTES Staf f writer

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Images of kidnapped prisoners, blindfolded and in chains, flashed across the screen in a small conference room in Van Munching Hall.

Some of the victims were captured as children and had been held in the jungles of Colombia for as many as 11 years. Their faces were dirty, their expressions wear y. And as a dozen students and professors looked at them yesterday afternoon, some members of the audience cried.

It was exactly the reaction Carl-Henri Prophète was hoping for.

“I know people can help put pressure on the Colombian government and the militias,” said Prophète, a public policy graduate student who invited Adopt-AHostage, a program designed to raise awareness

to the plight of Colombian captives, to the campus yesterday.

Colombian college students started the program in 2008. Today, it allows people from across the world to communicate with kidnapped prisoners through pre-recorded messages that the agency broadcasts over Colombian radio.

This lets captives know that people are campaigning on their behalf, said Fernando De Villena, a public policy school alumnus who currently works with Adopt-A-Hostage.

“We want to stop the indifference of the world and show solidarity to victims and their family,” said De Villena. “To give personal stories to those statistics.”

About 2,000 hostages are currently up for “adoption” on the agency’s website www.adoptaunsecuestrado.org.

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University alumnus Fernando De Villena points out the areas with the highest concentration of kidnappings in Columbia. CHARLIE DEBOYACE/THE DIAMONDBACK

Though nobody knows for sure how many Colombians have been kidnapped, one Colombian agency estimates the number is higher than 2,500. Some captives are taken for political rea-

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sons. Some are held hostage for ransom. Others are used for prostitution and dr ug traf ficking.

Kidnapping has dogged Colombia for more than 40

years.

The School of Public Policy chose to highlight this problem last night as a par t of its monthly development circle, which invites speakers to lecture on international policy problems that impoverished countries are facing.

A few of the videos shown last night included proof-oflife videos where the captives thanked the students and their adoptive parents for sending them messages. The radio is one of the few ways that outside messages can reach the captives, De Villena said.

“What we can do is use the freedom we enjoy to help those who aren’t free,” De Villena said. “People around the world are needed to raise their voice on behalf of those who can’t be heard yelling in the jungles.”

Three weeks ago, De Villena adopted his own hostage, a former captain of the Colombian army who has been held captive for 11 years. The captain has an 11-year-old son who was born three months before the kidnapping, and the captain is periodically allowed to send videos to his son, De Villena said.

Once an adoption takes place, the “adoptive parents” will receive information about the life of their adoptee before their captivity and about the current life of the hostage’s family after the kidnapping.

The initiative has a one adoption per person limit, in order to create a better attachment between parent and adoptee, De Villena said. desmarattes@umdbk.com

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2009 | NEWS | THE DIAMONDBACK

RETENTION from page 1 Rutgers University, close to her New Jersey home.

“There were just crazy thoughts going through my head,” she said. “It’s like, this is going to affect my career, my future. ... It was traumatic.”

For universities, retention rates indicate a school’s prestige and its ability to effectively educate and graduate students.

When retention rates rise or fall, potential students, parents and other institutions take notice.

Overall, retention rates at this university have been steadily on the rise at least since the early 1990s — IRPA reported in 1992 that 85 percent of freshmen returned for their second year. This year marks the first drop in retention since 2005.

University President Dan Mote said the drop in retention rates was disconcerting, but added for minority populations, statistical anomalies are more likely due to their size. The retention rates for black students have jumped

around in recent years — the 2007 class saw a significant rise.

Mote said if the trend of fewer students retained continued, he might form a task force to address the issue.

Nationally, 25 percent of students don’t return to the college or university where they spent their freshman year, according to the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems. This university’s retention rate is still well above that, at 93.2 percent for the 2008 class.

But for Mote, “any kind of drop is worrisome.”

Male students seem particularly prone to leaving the university. In the university’s black and Latino populations, men left after their first year in much higher numbers than their female peers.

But not all populations are at risk. Numbers of Asian-American and international students who returned for their second year increased significantly this year.

In a move to ensure that students return for their second years, university officials are targeting two key reasons for leav-

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RETENTION RATES Overall 2007: 94.0 percent returned, 2008: 93.2 percent Black 2007: 95.2 percent returned, 2008: 90.9 percent Latino 2007: 92.2 percent returned, 2008: 90.4 percent

Source: Office of Institutional Research, Planning and Assessment ing: financials and academics.

The office of financial aid saw an enormous rise in aid appeals this year, officials have said. This apparent need prompted administrators to create a donationbased fund intended to help students with emergency financial need. The Keep Me Maryland campaign has raised more than $250,000 for students so far.

In an attempt to address the needs of academically vulnerable students, the university also began several “bridge” programs for newly admitted freshmen to take during the summer that teaches rising freshmen skills to

succeed in college they may not have learned in high school.

But for students like Pressley, who had to abandon the life she had built at this university, the efforts are not enough.

Pressley said she is adjusting to life at Rutgers by attending Bible study, but said she hasn’t made many friends and is often lonely. If she can secure more loans, she hopes to return.

“I really, extremely miss UMD,” Pressley said. “I can go back and visit friends but I do hope to [re-enroll] next year.” cwells@umdbk.com

Madieu Williams speaks at a press conference about his $2 million gift to the public health school. VINCE SALAMONE/THE DIAMONDBACK

WILLIAMS from page 1 fund but then began thinking on a more global level, Gold said.

“Talking to advisers and to people at the School of Public Health, I realized my broader vision of wanting to touch on so many different issues and make a big difference,” Williams said. “In order to reach more people and solve more issues, it needed to be a global initiative.”

Gold said Williams attended a day-long meeting with experts, advisers and legislators from around the country who are involved in global health issues Tuesday to discuss the specific focuses of the center.

Students in the School of Public Health will be invited and encouraged to volunteer at community health organizations — like schools or HIV/AIDS clinics.

“It’s our hope to get students involved in whatever programs we set up,” Gold said.

In January, Gold and Williams will travel to Sierra Leone for up to 10 days to explore various areas of interest and gain insight into the problems facing the region, Gold said.

Issues such as illiteracy, infant mortality and HIV/AIDS are prevalent in both Prince

George’s County and Sierra Leone, Gold said. But the center will also focus on more locationcentric issues, such as malaria in Sierra Leone.

“Sierra Leone has a very high infant mortality rate — the third highest in the world — and Prince George’s County has one of the highest in the state,” he said. “But HIV/AIDS and literacy are also a problem in both. We’re not going to just look at problems that both areas share though.”

The center is not Williams’s first philanthropic contribution to places of his past.

In March, construction was completed on a four-classroom school in Freetown that Williams funded. In April, Williams teamed up with the public health school to hold a free football clinic and health screening for 200 kids and their parents. In June, Williams supplied his old high school — Duval High School in Lanham — with new Under Armour cleats for every player on the varsity football team, according to The Madieu Williams Foundation’s website “I am very blessed to be in this position to look beyond the playing field and make a difference,” Williams said. “And honestly you can’t put a price on making a real difference.” botelho@umdbk.com

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THE DIAMONDBACK | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2009

Opinion

KEVIN ROBILLARD

THE DIAMONDBACK

EDITOR IN CHIEF

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

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Staff Editorial

Guest column

Energizing voters

A step back for diversity

S

tudent election turnout used to be joke fodder for this page. The pal- tions have broad impact on issues student activist groups care about. Finding try number of student voters, especially in city elections, has been a these areas and showing them to students who care could dramatically thorn in the side of groups such as the Student Government Associa- increase voter turnout. Eventually 80 votes from members of one student tion, which have historically tried — and failed — to get out the vote group ramps up to 300 votes cast by members of four groups, and then 1,000 votes cast by members of 20 groups. in College Park. And then yesterday, a clean energy group Rather than throwing out 1,000 nets and hoping to catch led an 80-person march to the polls. a tiny percentage of votes, UMD for Clean Energy went UMD for Clean Energy, a student group that highly pubafter a smaller number of students with much more licized its city council endorsements and then organized UMD for Clean Energy hard success. This is a lesson for any group that wishes to the march to City Hall, experienced a success that no other provided a blueprint for involve students in elections: Students who are not involved student group in recent memory has ever come close to in will not magically become activists when they hear blanket the city elections. In doing so, they also provided a clear future student election statements about which candidate wants to increase the blueprint for how other groups could do the same in both involvement yesterday. penalties for noise violations; students who are involved city and SGA elections. will listen if they are presented platforms that treat them The group gave students a distinctly different reason to vote, compared to what student groups have done in the past. Most get-out- like living, breathing members of the College Park community.

In the spring, student turnout will more than likely be poor for the SGA the-vote efforts have been ideologically non-partisan. They encouraged people to vote based either on their identity as students, or with platitudes about elections, perhaps hovering at about 4,000 total votes, as has been the case in the last few elections. But maybe if student groups follow the blueprint and civic duty — both excellent strategies for generating apathy.

But if you treat students like citizens with real concerns, the way UMD for stress issues that different student factions value, they will reap the same sucClean Energy did, you can see results. The group based its campaign around cess in getting out the vote as UMD for Clean Energy.

Broad efforts to encourage the masses to vote simply don’t work if students general environmental causes such as reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable development. It showed students how the city council don’t see why their ballot matters. But by targeting students who care about elections could help make a difference in these areas and then channeled that certain issues and informing them about where the candidates stand, turnout could increase dramatically. If groups continue to serve vague platitudes passion in an organized manner.

There is no reason this strategy should be limited to UMD for Clean instead of concrete policy reasons, the student body will continue to stroll Energy. In a variety of ways, large and small, the city council and SGA elec- down the road of apathy.

Our View

Editorial cartoon: Jenna Brager

Obama: Rousing the believers

O

ne year ago, the youth of this nation proved we were “fired up and ready to go” as 24 million of us turned up at polling places to overwhelmingly support a candidate who we thought would bring the change we could finally believe in.

I was among them.

Like countless young Americans, I readily drank the Change-Aid and convinced others to become hopemongers. I enlisted in a movement that sought to heal divisions, empower people and transform this country. Casting my first presidential vote for Barack Obama was momentous. But my nearly blind devotion to the Obama campaign was a rational decision. After eight long years of incompetence, unilateralism, corruption, partisan rancor and fear-mongering, something — anything — different was demanded. But what was different about Obama was that he was someone you actually wanted to vote for. Personally, you had to be

MATT

VERGHESE impressed by his eloquence, intelligence, coolness, optimism and energy. But more importantly, he successfully tapped into a feeling that dreams no longer had to be deferred, that change was achievable, and that it was still possible to care and believe in something again.

Have I kept the faith one year later?

It is easy to be discouraged.

Health care reform and climate change legislation languish in Congress, where Democratic leaders seem only to squabble and squander opportunity. Men and women continue to die in Iraq and Afghanistan, while homosexuals still can’t ser ve openly. The president may have the won the Nobel Peace Prize, but Iran

is waffling on the nuclear deal offered in Geneva, and Israel and Palestine are no closer to peace.

Banks are still getting bailouts and giving out billions in bonuses, while jobs are still scarce.

But I didn’t vote for a perfect man, and I definitely didn’t expect radical change in the first 300 days of his term. Governing is a slow and incremental thing, and requires a leader who is conscientious and not myopic, and builds consensus even if compromise is necessar y. Obama has only proved to be a realistic agent of change rather than some idealistic ideologue.

My true disappointment does not lie with the president, but with myself and my generation. Our moment of empowerment seems to have been fleeting. We forgot that casting one vote is not enough. Our constituency is being ignored even when we are the ones who are lacking health insurance, feeling the sting of unemployment and the bur-

den of debt, and dying in foreign wars. We have lapsed back into an apathetic status quo and refuse to become involved and engaged.

The movement did not end on Nov. 4, 2008. Obama’s message during the campaign was about understanding our individual capacity for change.

Our votes changed the leadership of this country, and voices can continue to change our communities and push for the issues we believe in. Real change doesn’t come from the top, it comes from the bottom. This involves voting in local municipal elections or calling your congressional representative about health care. It is not easy, but who said it was? The president needs partners if he is going to succeed in these difficult times, and it is time for those us who supported him one year ago to stand up again.

Matt Verghese is a graduate student in public policy. He can be reached at verghese@umdbk.com.

College dining: Enjoy the spice of life

L

ast weekend, I got an invite to head up to the University of Connecticut for some alcohol-fueled Halloween craziness, and I decided it would be good for a giggle or two. Besides the spine-twistingly long drive, during which I got pulled over twice on the God-awful New Jersey Turnpike, the trip was an overall success. After a few nights of lifespan-reducing decisions, however, I was aching for some comfort food to soothe my stomach woes.

When I asked my friend where the local food hot spot was, I got this response: “Uh, Subway’s good.”

Subway? Really? I drove six hours for Subway?

Naturally, I wandered off alone and found myself a slamming Mediter-

ranean place (Sara’s Pockets, if anyone is in that part of town) where I went to town on some delicious, greasy lamb kebabs.

Now if this were just a case of my friend being uncultured, I would keep it to myself, but this is a trend ingrained in American youth. I don’t think it’s an overstatement to say the free-burrito line at Chipotle on Halloween, which stretched to the third floor of a South Campus Commons building, was a little ridiculous. Too many of you are content with the same old fast food when there is a veritable army of hole-in-thewall places just minutes away that offer a variety of food that are all kinds of awesome. Call it a pet peeve if you will, but I call it being open-minded.

When my friends come to town,

MIKE

DIMARCO they aren’t going to eat at Subway unless they wander off in the few hours before I wake up in the morning and figure out where I am. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against convenient, reprocessed meat and preservative sandwiches, but there’s just so much more out there. Go out and get yourself a pupusa from Irene’s Pupusas or some oxtail at Jungle Grille. Good Lord, people, most of you have never even sat and enjoyed a

good bowl of pho, which I like to call Vietnamese ecstasy soup.

I was raised Sicilian and basically forced to try everything put in front of me. These days. I realize that is maybe the greatest thing my parents did for me. I am always down to try something new. Although I occasionally come across something that truly pushes me to the brink of yuck, more often than not, I’m glad I tried it.

So, fast-food children of our great nation, do yourselves a favor and go out and explore. Mac ’n’ cheese is a beautiful thing, but so is a little variety, my friends.

Mike DiMarco is a senior English major. He can be reached at dimarco@umdbk.com.

ONYEMOBI DESTA ANYIWO

T

he statement “African history is world history” should be a statement indelibly etched in the consciousness of every human being. Unfortunately, for a number of reasons, this is not the case. One of those reasons is a continual link to institutional racism that prevents the comprehensive teaching of the history of Africa, other non-Eurocentric cultures and their peoples within a great many conventional classrooms, whether they may be on the primary, secondary or tertiary levels. The assault on institutions that espouse the teaching of African history and culture is as strong as it has ever been despite the fact that humankind derives from sub-Saharan Africa. The lessons that can be learned from African- and African Diasporarelated history are virtually endless. For this reason, institutions and individuals who serve as educational vessels disseminating the history and culture of Africa and her Diaspora should be supported.

Black cultural centers and black studies departments nationwide are among the various types of institutions that are systematically being disbanded or converted into alternatively focused departments.

This trend is an affront to all who, more than 40 years ago, worked tirelessly to establish black studies and other cultural departments on college campuses throughout the United States.

This routine is a slap in the face to the long legacy of history, education and culture that has emanated from African-centered cultural centers and black studies departments.

This past week, this university, while advocating for black cultural centers, black studies departments, academic excellence and diversity, callously dismissed Cordell Black from his position as the associate provost for equity and diversity after a decade of service to the university in this capacity. Black’s last day of work as associate provost, unless something is done, will be June 30, 2010. The justification of his exit was done under the disingenuous guise of “budgetary constrains,” as the provost position he occupied is being reduced to half the hours.

Black, originally from Detroit, has been a faculty member at the university for nearly 30 years. Black is a tenured associate professor of 17th century French literature, for which he holds a doctorate from the University of Michigan. However, even more importantly, Black is well respected within many on- and off-campus circles for his tireless dedication to equity and diversity.

The senseless dismissal of Black, if upheld, will have negative ramifications throughout the university, including the Nyumburu Cultural Center. Black oversees the operation of the Nyumburu Cultural Center, Office of Multi-ethnic Student Education (OMSE) and the Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equity. While fulfilling this duty, Black has vigorously advocated on behalf of Nyumburu and its overarching mission. If this university loses Black to this untenable decision, we feel the future of Nyumburu is ambiguous, at best.

Black’s dismissal runs much deeper than a title or career-oriented position. His dismissal is symbolic of the silent but relentless attack on the leadership of black studies departments, black cultural centers and other similar units that support students of color throughout the nation.

This viewpoint is more than just a notification of the current pernicious trends at universities like ours, it is a rallying call for all to stand in solidarity with the wrongful dismissals of people like Black.

We firmly demand that Black’s impending dismissal be completely reversed, and he be reinstated to his position as the associate provost for equity and diversity.

Onyemobi Desta Anyiwo is a senior African-American studies and mechanical engineering major. He can be reached at danyiwo@umd.edu. This column is cosigned by Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Inc-Nu Chapter, Community Roots, Feminism without Borders, Students for Justice in Palestine, NORML Terps and TerPoets.

POLICY: Signed letters, columns and cartoons represent the opinions of the authors. The staff editorial represents the opinion of The Diamondback’s editorial board and is the responsibility of the editor in chief.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2009 | THE DIAMONDBACK

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RAM HA F T FONT S I ME OK R A OMA H A TON V I A L REPAY ARAPE T CHA L E T S COL AS AYE A NG E L S WH I S T L E S W I L DE COO L S E A T ACE DU L L ES T AS I SHAM SOL D I BSEN HEMA T I T E TRUES T T A N N EWE R L I TURGY BED L AMP OVERT ABBA A L ES PANE L L EEK POT S ENTRY ENDS S T E T

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Your love life is likely to prove something of a roller-coaster ride, especially when you are young and unwilling — or unable — to settle down. You will go through more than one phase in your life in which you let your heart lead you where it will, despite any dangers that may result.

Also born on this date are Vivien Leigh, actress; Tatum O’Neal, actress; Roy Rogers, actor; Bryan Adams, singer; Joel McCrea, actor.

To see what is in store for you tomorrow, find your birthday and read the corresponding paragraph. Let your birthday star be your daily guide.

personally and professionally.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Things may prove quite different from what you — and others — expected. You may suspect that someone is keeping something from you.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — You’re ready and willing to lend a helping hand, but you may not know quite where to start. Pay attention to unspoken signals.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) — You may not know how to deliver your message, and you’re receiving some conflicting advice from other parties. Trust yourself.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) — The more relaxed you allow yourself to be, the more in touch you will become — with yourself and the world around you.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) — You have a few difficult decisions to make in the days to come, but you are not expected to put yourself through anything difficult.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Control your temper and you will surely avoid situations that could prove hazardous — both

CANCER (June 21-July 22) — Someone is relying on you, and there is nothing to stand in the way of you helping in any way possible. Prove your loyalty.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) — You may want to talk about your feelings more than others, but if you wait until the time is right, you can bet that someone will listen.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — You’ve been lying low lately, but you’ll have the chance to demonstrate your skills in a way that attracts a lot of attention.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — You may feel as though you’re that close to calling it quits. The truth, of course, is that you don’t really know what’s ailing you.

Copyright 2009 United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2009 | NEWS | THE DIAMONDBACK

BLACK from page 1 Farvardin, where he was informed that as a result of budget cuts he would be replaced at the end of this fiscal year — June 30, 2010. The Office of the Associate Provost for Equity and Diversity, which Black oversees, houses the Nyumburu Cultural Center, the Office of LBGT Equity and the Office of Multi-ethnic Student Education. Farvardin said these departments will not be cut or altered in any way.

“I have three units that report to me and [Farvardin] says, ‘Nyumburu, I can’t touch that because that’s student fees and not state money, and LGBT Office of Equity, that’s much too

DOCTORAL from page 1 map for the university, aims to decrease the number of graduate students overall, but officials said not every program would shrink.

“We are hoping to give each unit a target to subsequently and accordingly enroll and admit students. This is the beginning of a multi-year process,”

political for me to touch, and OMSE because that’s crucial to our drive to [increase] the retainment of black and Latino males,’” Black said of his conversation with the provost last week.

But for many, these concessions are not enough. The announcement, coming a week after a diversity town hall where officials asserted their commitment to diversity, came as a shock.

Student activists are planning a march from Nyumburu to the Main Administration Building at noon today to show their contempt with the administration for its decision and to push for Black’s reinstatement.

“I honestly think the university is going on a drastic, drastic decline,” senior communication major Justin Dailey said. “I defi-

said Cynthia Hale, assistant dean of the graduate school.

“It’s a very thoughtful process.”

GSG officials are skeptical.

“It’s nice to think that the quality would improve and all that, but are the changes going to translate into heavier workloads for teaching assistants?” GSG President Anupama Kothari asked.

Kothari said she was concerned about what the initiative would mean for the graduate student population’s “quality of life.”

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7

nitely think this needs to be addressed beyond College Park because this is an issue that a lot of people are invested in.”

Farvardin, who did not attend last night’s rally, said Black would be replaced by a part-time faculty member who will oversee the various diversity departments, while Black maintains a teaching role at

the university. The provost said the position will be reinstated as a fulltime job when the university’s budget stabilizes.

Though Black will no long serve in an administrative position — a job he has held for 18 years — he is a tenured faculty member, and therefore cannot be fired. Farvardin said Black has the option to

remain a professor of 17th century French literature, if he so chooses.

Despite accusations from students who claimed the administration was using a tightening budget as an excuse to cut from diversity programs, the provost insisted the decision to remove Black’s position was strictly budgetary.

“We have to deal with our $40 million budget drop,” Farvadin said. “Unfortunately, I’ve had a lot of decisions like that to make. It’s very painful. ...But when you’re in these positions you have to make difficult decisions.”

Others, including Black, said the move was personal.

“It’s fundamentally disingenuous because it appears that his aim was to move me out of the office and to bring somebody else in because at no time did he

“I kind of get the feeling that [Provost Nariman Farvardin and graduate school Dean Charles Caramello] are focusing too heavily on efficiency and marketing program output to demand,” said GSG Vice President of Academic Affairs Aaron Tobiason. “And that doesn’t work with a liberal arts university.”

Graduate administrators insist they are gearing the current restructuring toward the interests of graduate students.

“An important aspect of the

Strategic Plan, when it comes to graduate studies, is the student experience along with developing excellence in graduate education,” Hale said. “We are putting in place initiatives and practices to better accommodate students.”

But Caramello’s plans could backfire, Tobiason said.

“He’s been moving incredibly quickly... I hope this rush doesn’t lead to poor consequences in the long run,” Tobiason said.

Although Caramello said not

every doctoral program will shrink, he maintained the importance of increasing program completion rates.

Although about 10 percent fewer students are enrolling in doctoral programs, the university isn’t seeing any significant increase in the quality of incoming students.

Ian Rowe, a second-year chemistry doctoral student, said his department appeared to have too many graduate students.

“Last year they were having

Graduate student Angel Miles speaks against the elimination of Cordell Black’s position. CHARLIE DEBOYACE / THE DIAMONDBACK

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say, ‘I’d like to bring you back in when things improve,’” Black said. “I would’ve appreciated honesty and not the duplicity of the whole situation.”

Last night, more than 300 people packed the cultural center, filling the multipurpose room to capacity and flooding the adjacent lobby. After two hours, during which attendees drafted a document many called “our diversity plan,” they left, ready to fight.

No matter the outcome of today’s protest, Black said he’s not sure if he has a reason to stay.

“I’m not one to bite my tongue and if I think something’s wrong I will say so as forcefully and as coherently as I can, irrespective of who’s in the room,” Black said.

“And so, that’s what I’ve done for 18 years and I have no regrets.”

problems finding teaching assistant positions to support graduate students,” Rowe said. “Also, there were almost not enough labs to put students in for the requirement. And there were students who waited up to a year to get assigned a lab.

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THE DIAMONDBACK | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2009

Diversions

arts. music. living. movies. weekend. online exclusives

(UNTITLED) “For the most part, (Untitled) works in every way the art world it portrays does not.

Although the modern art scene is often disconnected from mainstream aesthetics, (Untitled) looks at it in a stylish, human way.

Director Jonathan Parker’s portrayal of a fictional New York art scene desperate to own the 21st century becomes a subtle, winning satire, despite some shortfalls.”

— Drew Waldo RATING: 3.5 stars out of 5

For full reviews of the movies above, just click the Diversions tab at:

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AVATAR Unless you count his documentaries or the fictional Entourage blockbuster Aquaman, James Cameron has made us wait nearly 12 years for another one of his directorial efforts. The man behind Titanic gave us an extended glimpse at his epic 3-D alien thriller Avatar (coming Dec. 18) with the release of a new trailer. With expectedly stunning visuals and a storyline we can really sink our teeth into, Avatar looks like it just might live up to the hype.

REVIEW | A CHRISTMAS CAROL

BAH HUMBUG!

THE FOURTH KIND “Whenever a film starts with Bmovie linchpin Milla Jovovich (A Perfect Getaway) saying, ‘I’m actress Milla Jovovich,’ warning bells — if not monstrous, blaring bomb sirens — are triggered in the mind of the viewer.

It’s one thing to be subjected to a poorly done sci-fi thriller for 98 minutes, but a meta-fictional version with Jovovich might just prove fatal.”

— Vaman Muppala RATING: 2 stars out of 5

TRAILER WATCH:

Robert Zemeckis’ groundbreaking filmmaking style feels surprisingly tired

BY KYLE LUCAS Staff writer

When Robert Zemeckis (Beowulf) decided to create a version of Charles Dickens’ classic story A Christmas Carol, he had a lot of factors working against him.

First and foremost, it’s incredibly difficult to pull off a successful adaptation of any piece of literature because the tone rarely ever translates well to the big screen. Second, A Christmas Carol is a story most of the Englishspeaking world is at least familiar with — the story is nothing new. Finally, the classic tale is seemingly remade for the big screen in one form or another every few years without fail, and it would almost be impossible to inject new ideas into the film.

It is for those reasons, it seems, that Zemeckis chose to stay fairly close to the original story, saying in a conference call with The Diamondback, “We tackled [the issue of updating the story] head-on. We said we’re going to be extremely true to the underlying material — we’re not going to tinker with it too much.”

Unfortunately, the familiarity with the material is a big problem with the new movie. Add on that the film is presented in 3-D and motion-captured animation, two of the most annoying trends in modern cinema, and gravely misuses Jim Carrey (Yes Man), and Zemeckis’ creation is nothing more than a movie that makes us wish it was July again.

As promised, the story remains exactly the same as the classic Dickens tale, following Ebenezer Scrooge through his night of visitations from the ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christ-

Jim Carrey performed the motion-captured movements and voice for Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. COURTESY MOVIEWEB.COM

mas Yet To Come.

The movie is essentially a one-man show: Carrey takes on not only Scrooge at all points in his life but all of the ghosts as well. It is an ambitious idea no doubt, but the lively and quickwitted Carrey is wasted in his role as a geriatric downer. His true talents aren’t utilized until the movie’s final 15 minutes — after what Pulp Fiction’s Jules Winnfield would refer to as Scrooge’s “moment of clarity.”

His portrayals of the ghosts also leave plenty to be desired. The Ghost of Christmas Past is a creepy candle with an eerie high-pitched voice and Carrey’s face imposed as the flame. It is so off-putting that it’s hard to imagine how this was possibly seen as a good idea during storyboarding. The Ghost of Christmas Present is a jolly, large, seemingly Scottish man whom one can neither like nor dislike, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is the typical hooded skeleton with Carrey as nothing more than the voice.

A bevy of other talents are also in this cast, but no one is given the

chance to live up to their respective potentials. The magnificent Robin Wright Penn (New York, I Love You) has under five minutes of screen time, Colin Firth (Easy Virtue) is brought in as a supporting player with only a handful of scenes, and both Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight) and Cary Elwes (The Alphabet Killer) are almost unrecognizable after their motion-capture transformations.

This brings us to the movie’s motion-captured 3-D format. Although the technology behind motion capture has improved immensely since Zemeckis first used the technique in The Polar Express, it can still come off as a bit creepy seeing the mixture of live action and animation come to life.

Granted, there are many times in the movie when live action would have hampered production, but there are just as many instances where the motion capture looks forced and a little messy.

Then, of course, there is the 3-D. As has been the case with every film released with 3-D since the medium allegedly became popular again, the 3D aspect adds nothing to the movie.

Nothing. Every now and then, a snowflake will float toward the audience, and there are a few scenes where 3-D adds interesting depth to the screen, but it is not necessary. 3-D is, and will continue to be, nothing more than a marketing ploy, and it surely does not further A Christmas Carol in the least.

Zemeckis earns some points for at least attempting some new ideas with the movie. Yes, the motion capture and the 3-D don’t really pan out, but it is something the audience has never seen before in the telling of this story.

The see-through-the-floor approach to Christmas present is also intriguing, but ultimately it still falls back into the muddled, played-out story.

Zemeckis said he made the movie so the audience “can be reintroduced to this fantastic story” and noted he hopes it might inspire moviegoers to pick up the book and read the original story for themselves.

Well, perhaps it’s only because we’ve barely made it past Halloween, but the last thing this movie leaves the audience with is inspiration. A Christmas Carol truly is a fantastic and timeless story, but its movie adaptations are beating a dead horse at this point, and there’s simply not enough new life in this version to make it stand out among the other versions of the story.

Bah humbug. klucas@umdbk.com

MOVIE:A Christmas Carol | VERDICT:

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2009 | DIVERSIONS | THE DIAMONDBACK

9

REVIEW | THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS

BY TREVOR RUBEN For The Diamondback

There are movies about soldiers, and there are movies about hippies. And then there’s The Men Who Stare at Goats, which combines the two archetypal plots to create modern Jedi warriors. And yes, the movie is just as quirky as the title.

We start off with journalist Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor, Angels and Demons), who, experiencing a midlife crisis after being dumped by his wife, decides to do something crazy for once and cover the war in Iraq. It is there that he encounters Lyn Cassady (George Clooney, Burn After Reading), a former member of the nowdefunct New Earth Army and

self-proclaimed Jedi warrior.

The unit, also known as the First Earth Battalion, was a project the U.S. Army created to harness psychic abilities. Cassady was the battalion’s best, and his abilities included the power to locate people around the world and stop a goat’s heart with his mind.

Wilton, after realizing the potential for a story, follows Cassady on his mission in Iraq, where one mishap seems to lead into the next. McGregor narrates throughout the film and is particularly helpful in telling the story of the battalion’s members through flashbacks that resonate in their present-day adventures.

In these flashbacks, Lyn and another soldier named Larry Hooper (Kevin Spacey, 21) com-

plete various missions and exercises under the command of Bill Django (Jeff Bridges, Iron Man).

Just like in the Star Wars series, there are people who are clearly on the dark side and the light side.

Cassady is constantly battling with these forces both within himself and in the world, which makes for a troubled and thoughtful character.

There are even Darth Vader and Yoda-like characters in Hooper and Django, respectively.

From its inspired beginnings to its tragic end, the flashback story of the First Earth Battalion is certainly interesting and, at times, absolutely hilarious.

Having its absurd, over-the-top

humor spread throughout the entire film had the potential to be hokey and repetitive, but every joke seems fresh with veterans like Clooney and Spacey delivering the lines. The comedy is at its best when mixed in with a look at each man’s psyche. While on LSD, Hooper puts his gun in his mouth for a moment, his face showing a horrible look of fear, and then says, “Wow, I’m really hungry,” and runs off.

Cassady and Wilton’s story pales in comparison to the adventures of the First Earth Battalion, as their storyline suffers from a

lack of focus. Simply put, newcomer director Grant Heslov just tried to do too much.

Although McGregor plays well with Clooney’s weirdness, this is not enough to keep their storyline as enticing as watching a bunch of Jedi warriors play with their abilities in the flashbacks.

It’s when these two storylines clash together in the final act — causing the characters’ underlying motivations and emotions to really emerge — that the audience gets a real look at the movie’s point. After rustling through overdone themes like politics and war, The Men Who Stare at Goats finds its heart by showcasing Cassady’s demons

MOVIE: The Men Who Stare at Goats | VERDICT:

and Wilton’s lost boy mentality.

Watching these two work through their inner turmoil is the emotional highlight of the film, as Clooney sells his dark side/light side battle with believable sincerity. You can hear the pain in his voice when he stumbles upon a human experiment and proclaims it “the dark side.”

Anyone coming to see this film already knows it’s going to be funny from its title and ridiculous trailers. And if you are a Star Wars fan, watching this will give you hope in your own ability to use the force. Perhaps one day, we will have psychic abilities too. truben877@gmail.com

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THE DIAMONDBACK | SPORTS | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2009

SENIORS from page 12 Taylor, years here. But that effort hasn’t translated into success, and now a collection of guys likely to be playing their last organized football game have had to watch inexperience and sloppy mistakes drown out any positives thus far.

As the season wears on, Friedgen is being forced to evaluate his team’s future, as well as its present. Known for his undying loyalty to veterans, Friedgen has admitted he may look toward younger players in planning out the final four weeks of the season.

He’s still trying to win every game, but at some point, next year becomes more relevant than this one.

The seniors empathize with their coach. But such a statement, which Friedgen has repeated several times, leaves those players in their final seasons with the Terps sticking out like a sore thumb.

Still, the seniors remain optimistic.

“In this situation, it’s probably the right thing to do,” senior defensive end Deege Galt said. “It kind of sucks for me — I’ll be losing reps. But I get as much enjoyment out of watching my teammates make plays as I do when I’m making plays. So I think as long as everyone’s winning, everyone’s getting their time and everything’s right, I have no problem with it.”

Thus far, Friedgen has said no changes are finalized. And it doesn’t appear likely any of the seniors will feel the effects of the forwardlooking mandate too strongly.

“I don’t think there’s going to be any all-out, ‘Take the seniors out, we’re starting anew,’” senior fullback Cory Jackson said. “Well, unless we pick up another loss, because right now if we win this next game, we’re still in it. But [benching seniors is] a hard thing to do.”

Quarterback Chris Turner came under fire two weeks ago, when, after a poor performance in a loss to Virginia, his role as the Terps’ signal caller was brought into question by a vague statement from Friedgen. It appears Turner will be the man for the rest of this season, though coaches continue to suggest reserve JaMarr Robinson may take more snaps should the team continue to struggle.

After reading Friedgen’s comment online, Turner broached the subject in a text message to offensive coordinator James Franklin the night after the Virginia game, only to earn a vote of confidence. In a season such as this one, it’s tough for a player to feel comfortable at any moment, and the third-year starter later admitted his confidence was low.

“It’s in the back of your mind that when you’re struggling a little bit, they’re going to start making changes,” tight end Tommy Galt said. “As a senior, you kind of want to finish your career in the right way. But you understand and you’ve got to keep working.

And hopefully that respect you’ve earned will kind of allow you to finish the way you want.”

To do that would mean winning out and going to a bowl game or, potentially, the ACC Championship. No member of the senior class has given up hope for that just yet, though several admitted another loss could put a serious

REBOUNDING from page 12 nervousness, he was happy with their performance, calling Tuesday’s game “a good step for them.”

The Terps expected to match up more favorably size-wise this season after bringing in the freshman big men and only losing 6-foot-7 Dave Neal to graduation. But Williams noted the Terps missed Neal’s toughness inside Tuesday. And it’s still unclear how long Gregory might be out. The 6-foot-7 junior forward averaged 5.2 rebounds off the bench during the Terps’ final five games last season — the three ACC Tournament games and two NCAA Tournament games.

The Washington Post reported Gregory said this summer his eligibility for this season was in question because of an academic dishonesty charge, but it is unknown whether that situation is related to last night’s suspension. The team has not commented on Gregory’s future status.

The Terps could’ve used Gregory’s rebounding spark on a night when the overall effort on the boards left Williams unsatisfied. He made it part of a laundry list of areas to improve before the season opener against Charleston Southern on Nov. 13.

“We have to rebound better against anybody that has some size,” Williams said. “That’s going to be a factor. We have the

damper on their spirits.

It’s with that in mind, then, that the players have come out after a bye week this past weekend with renewed energy. Several seniors stressed that it was at this point where they could make their biggest impact as leaders, simply by showing younger players that there is still quite a bit to play for, even if the team does lose another game.

“You’ve got to love to come out and play,” Tommy Galt said.

“Here I am, counting down. Four weeks left in my career, and all I want to do is go out and practice.

That’s the kind of attitude I’ve taken.”

This group of seniors is unique.

Last season, Friedgen fielded the largest class he’s had in his nine years, a group full of players with several years as starters under their belts. A number of those players have since gone onto the NFL, a luxury many of these seniors may not have.

Because of its smaller size, the seniors say they are a more tightly knit group than in years past. Jackson, a fourth-year player, and Taylor are the only members of the class who did not come in together in 2005. By this point, the fifth-year players joke that they are sick of seeing each other.

But the size of the class has also instilled in each member a greater sense of leadership. And many of these players are more limited than some of their predecessors. Former Terp receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey’s early entry last season left this group with no blue-chip NFL prospects.

Jackson, the only four-year starter on the team, is also the only Terp rated as one of the top 20 players at his position for the upcoming NFL Draft by ESPN.com’s Scouts Inc. For a player such as Deege Galt, who had made little impact before earning a starting job this season, the struggles have been particularly difficult.

“This is my one shot. I only get one shot at this thing,” he said.

“And it happened to be this year, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. This is the best chance for me. I think it’s awesome that it’s worked out that I’ve been able to play. Granted, I would like to win more.”

Those sentiments have been echoed by Deege Galt’s classmates. While the previous five years for the program have featured rocky times, including two losing seasons, never before has a Friedgen team struggled like this one.

At times, the seniors come to one another with their frustrations over the latest bad break for the team. “But when there’s 12 people, everybody’s not going to feel that way,” defensive tackle Travis Ivey said. “So you can come back to that circle and get some encouragement so you can go out and do your job.”

Saturday, the team will play at N.C. State. There can be no more losses this season. No one has to remind the Terps’ seniors of that.

“This is all or nothing — put everything on the line,” McCollough said. “I look at it as, maybe, my last four games of my whole career playing football. I want to leave it with a bang, win or loss. I want to know I played my hardest, I did my best.” ajoseph@umdbk.com

people to rebound — we have to just get it done.”

The lackluster performance just highlighted the Terps’ continued lack of front-court depth without Gregory and Goins.

Guard Sean Mosley, who also grabbed six boards, called the rebounding “terrible.”

Starting a three-guard lineup, the Terps will need to control the defensive glass to be effective when the games start to count. Mosley said the team’s guards were getting too worried about starting to break into transition before securing the basketball.

“You’re supposed to have five defensive rebounders every time the ball goes up,” Mosley said. “And we’re not getting that right now.”

That’s part of the reason 6foot-3, 190-pound Indiana (Pa.) guard Julian Sanders was able to accumulate seven of his team’s 17 offensive rebounds, which gave the Crimson Hawks the extra offensive looks necessary to help them hang around until well into the second half.

On a night when the Terps were clearly frustrated with many areas of their game, they realized being beaten on the glass by this season’s Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference favorite doesn’t bode well for a team with aspirations of ACC contention.

“They’re a [Division II] team,” guard Adrian Bowie said. “We should be outrebounding them. There’s no reason why they should outrebound us, especially at home.” edetweiler@umdbk.com

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2009 | SPORTS | THE DIAMONDBACK

11

In first game action, young Terps dominate Hawkins, Rodgers key comfortable victory against Bowie State

BY JONAS SHAFFER Staff writer

There won’t be an easy answer to the offensive quagmire created by the departures of Terrapin women’s basketball stars Marissa Coleman and Kristi Toliver.

Toliver wrapped up her collegiate career in second place in ACC histor y in assists and third in 3-point field goals.

Coleman finished second all-time in scoring and rebounding in Terp histor y. Together, they won an ACC regular season championship, an ACC Tournament Championship and a National Championship.

Needless to say, their career marks sit in a different stratosphere from what any of the players on this season’s team have reached. Still, last night’s glimpse of what may come from some of their replacements in the team’s 90-48 exhibition romp over Bowie State had coach

TICKETS from page 1 conference play begins.

The reversal of policy was strictly a result of student feedback — not anything involving Tuesday’s exhibition, according to Ullmann.

For games with more demand for tickets than supply, the department runs a lottery. Students who have accumulated enough loyalty points to make the top 25 percent are guaranteed a ticket. Students in the remaining 75 percent are cast into a lottery where the chance of receiving a ticket is calculated by point totals.

Students who arrived early to Tuesday’s game voiced concerns about the new policy and offered their own solutions.

Brenda Frese more focused on the team’s future than the players the Terps were missing from years past.

“A key for us was just seeing so many players come out and play with the confidence that they did,” Frese said. “That’s what we’re going to have to be able to have throughout the course of the season.”

As expected, the scoring came from an array of unknown players.

Freshman for ward Tianna Hawkins had six straight points to key an 18-2 run to close out the first half, providing the Terps a 48-21 lead. Hawkins showed off a refined and versatile game highlighted by a soft baseline jumper and a nose for the net inside the paint.

“Obviously, she was ready to play from the tip,” Frese said. “The thing I think about from Tianna’s end is just the versatility. ... I’m just ver y, ver y proud of her effort.”

“I was ner vous, but once I got that aside and just played the game, it all

“Maybe you shouldn’t be able to leave at least until the game starts,” sophomore letters and sciences major Alex Kopp said.

“Obviously there are emergencies, and you need to leave, but there should be some enforcement on this.”

Although the new policy no longer applies, Ullmann said the department is always striving for a better system.

“We take student input very seriously,” Ullmann said.

“There’s no perfect system. Obviously, a perfect system would somehow be able to prevent scanand-leave entirely. But we’re constantly striving to make it as good as possible.”

Staff writer Jeremy Schneider contributed to this report. engelke@umdbk.com

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came,” said Hawkins, who made her first five shots and finished with 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting.

Hawkins wasn’t the only one ahead of the cur ve last night. After an offseason knee surger y to Kim Rodgers left Frese wondering whether her sophomore guard would actually be healthy enough for the start of the season, Rodgers showed she could still get up and down the court.

In only 16 minutes of action, Rodgers poured in 18 points, including four 3-pointers.

“We’ve all had to take on our different roles and everybody’s had to become leaders, not just one person,” Rodgers said. “The whole team has to fill in for each other and make sure we’re all on the same page.”

Even if it was only a glorified scrimmage, there might not have been a player more eager to finally take the floor at Comcast Center than Lori Bjork. The senior guard,

Center Yemi Oyefuwe and the new-look Terps handled visiting Bowie State 9048 in the team’s exhibition opener yesterday. ALLISON AKERS/THE DIAMONDBACK

who sat out last season after transferring from Illinois, certainly wasn’t gun-shy in the opening minutes.

Bjork led the team in shots and 3point attempts at the half and finished with 10 points.

“I was thinking today about how you go through a whole year where

you don’t ever get that anticipation of game day and how much I miss that,” Bjork said. “Just the excitement of finally getting to play under the lights — it’s been a long time coming, so I enjoyed it.” shaf fer@umdbk.com

12

THE DIAMONDBACK | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2009

Sports

Check online for soccer coverage The Terrapin women’s soccer team fell to North Carolina 3-0 yesterday in the team’s first ACC Tournament game since 2005. Go to Diamondbackonline.com to read beat reporter Chris Eckard’s recap.

Rebounding a concern for Terps Without Gregory, team was outrebounded by smaller D-II opponent in Tuesday’s exhibition

BY ERIC DETWEILER Senior staff writer

Quarterback Chris Turner celebrates a touchdown pass in the Terps’ October win against Clemson, one of the few positive moments of his senior season. VINCE SALAMONE/THE DIAMONDBACK

Football seniors try to play out final stretch in difficult season Final 4 games could be last for some

BY ADI JOSEPH Senior staff writer

This isn’t the way any member of the Terrapin football team’s small senior class wanted to end their careers. Not with a team seemingly incapable of pulling everything together, unable to grind out a win as its season fades fast.

“It’s a devastating thing. I take that to heart,” senior safety Jamari McCollough said. “I wouldn’t have ever expected it to be like this. But things go wrong.

Everything can’t be perfect.

Everything can’t be good all the time.”

The 14 seniors — the fewest in coach Ralph Friedgen’s nine-year tenure with the Terps — have amassed a 25-22 record through the last four seasons, making a bowl game each of the last three.

This season’s bowl chances appear slim — the Terps (2-6, 1-3 ACC) will have to win their final four games to become eligible for the postseason.

For those upperclassmen, the season began with an emphasis on leadership and teamwork.

Many have suggested this is the hardest working team they’ve played on in their four, five or six,

see SENIORS, page 10

Forward Jordan Williams tied for the team lead with six rebounds in the Terps’ win Tuesday. With the status of forward Dino Gregory unknown, the 6-foot-10 freshman will be key for the Terps’ frontcourt. JACLYN BOROWSKI/THE DIAMONDBACK

On Saturday, Terrapin men’s basketball guard Greivis Vasquez joked that the downside to forward James Padgett practicing so well was that the freshman might take over the team lead in rebounding from the senior star.

By Tuesday, it wasn’t nearly as funny.

With junior forward Dino Gregory suspended due to an unspecified team rules violation, the suddenly less-imposing Terps were outrebounded in their 75-54 exhibition win against Division II Indiana (Pa.) on Tuesday night. The Crimson Hawks, who don’t have a player taller than 6-foot-9, pulled down 17 offensive boards to edge the Terps in total rebounds, 36-35.

“I will try, but I can’t lead the team in rebounds,” said the 6-foot-5 Vasquez, who tied a team high with six rebounds against the Crimson Hawks. “Our big guys got to take it personal. They’ve got to get every rebound in the paint.”

With Gregory and 6-foot-10 Steve Goins (knee) unavailable, Padgett and fellow freshman forward Jordan Williams, who also pulled down six boards, rotated at the center position. Coach Gary Williams said he gave Padgett the start in his Terp debut because he matched up more favorably with the Crimson Hawks’ quick, athletic lineup. Jin Soo Choi rotated in at the power forward position with Landon Milbourne but struggled to keep up with the Crimson Hawks’ physicality inside.

The 21st-year coach said that once the freshmen shook off their opening game

see REBOUNDING, page 10

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