November 7, 2012

Men’s soccer advances to ACC semifinal | After 25 years, Missy Meharg builds field hockey dynasty p. 8 The University of Maryland’s Independent Student Newspaper

ISSUE NO. 48

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012

RESULTS*

ELECTION 2012

FOUR MORE YEARS

ELECTORAL VOTES OBAMA

ROMNEY

UNDECIDED

303

206

29

After bitter, most expensive campaign in history, crucial victories in key swing states help incumbent secure second term

CAMPUS VOTING OBAMA

ROMNEY

80% (1,309)

20%

MARYLAND BALLOT QUESTIONS

QUESTION 4 DREAM Act

YES

NO

STATE RESULTS YES

NO

57.3%

42.7% CAMPUS RESULTS

YES

NO

84% (1,282)

16%

QUESTION 6 Same-Sex Marriage

YES

NO

STATE RESULTS YES

NO

51.2%

48.8% CAMPUS RESULTS

YES

NO

73% (1,048)

27%

QUESTION 7

president obama won a second term in office last night. Networks began calling the election in Obama’s favor at about 11 p.m. Romney called Obama at about 12:45 a.m. to concede. photo courtesy of christopher dilts/obama for america

Table Games

YES

NO

STATE RESULTS YES

NO

51.7%

48.3% CAMPUS RESULTS

YES

NO

87% (1,479)

13%

By Alex Kirshner Staff writer President Barack Obama secured a second term in office after winning crucial swing states, but was barely winning the popular vote as of 1:30 a.m.

The margin was thinner — at times, Obama led by just hundreds of votes

in the popular vote — the excitement dimmed and the campaign slogan was different from four years ago, but the end result proved all the same. Although Florida’s results had not been made final at the time of publication, Obama had already surpassed the 270-electoral vote threshold. The clinching votes came from Ohio, which the networks called

shortly after 10 p.m.

After 17 months of campaigning and a total of more than $6 billion spent on this year’s campaigns, Obama’s edges in crucial swing states Ohio, Virginia, Iowa, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin pushed him to a convincing win.

Around the campus, students gathered at voter-watch parties as results

poured in. But the attitudes this year were a far cry from the enthusiasm permeating the university during the 2008 presidential race, when students poured onto McKeldin Mall and Route 1 to celebrate electing the nation’s first black president. While many students still See obama, Page 2

MARYLAND REPRESENTATIVES DISTRICT 1

ANDY HARRIS (R) DISTRICT 2

DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER (D)

DISTRICT 3

JOHN SARBANES (D)

DISTRICT 4

Md. voters first in nation to uphold Table games same-sex marriage referendum narrowly

By Jenny Hottle Staff writer Voters upheld same-sex marriage on the state’s ballot yesterday, making Maryland the first state to do so after 32 others turned it down and eight months after Gov. Martin O’Malley signed marriage equality into law.

More than 51 percent of voters supported the measure to grant gay and lesbian couples the right to marry, upholding the law by a slim margin as of 1:30 a.m. Similar questions appeared on the ballots of Maine and Washington state and Minnesota’s state ballot included a referendum to define marriage as between a man and a woman.

Though Republican lawmakers successfully garnered enough support to place the issue before voters in June, yesterday’s vote culminates a years-long battle to knock down the state’s statutory ban on same-sex marriage. Many See marriage Page 3

STENY HOYER (D) DISTRICT 6

JOHN DELANEY (D)

By Laura Blasey Staff writer

DISTRICT 7

ELIJAH CUMMINGS (D) DISTRICT 8

CHRIS VAN HOLLEN (D) *Results current as of 1 a.m.

INDEX

Undocumented students will be able to pay in-state tuition rates if they meet a set of requirements, after voters upheld the state’s DREAM Act on the state ballot.

After more than a year of petitions, rallies and lobbying, supporters of the

Maryland DREAM Act saw their efforts pay off: the measure passed last night with 57.3 percent of voters in favor of the referendum, as of midnight. After the statute passed the state’s House of Delegates in 2011, opponents quickly mobilized to put the issue before voters on the state ballot. While opponents have argued the legislation rewards those who break the law, advocates maintained the act is a matter of equality for residents and will be a boon to the state’s economy.

To qualify, students must have attended a state high school for at least

NEWS 2 OPINION 4 FEATURES 5 DIVERSIONS 6 CLASSIFIED 6 SPORTS 8

By Jim Bach Senior staff writer

three years, earned 60 community college credits and proven they or their parents have filed state taxes for at least three years. The DREAM Act was the first piece of legislation in 20 years to be successfully put to referendum.

The state’s vote follows the Obama administration’s summer directive, which protects young undocumented immigrants on a national level. It protects immigrants under 30 who were brought to the United States See DREAM, Page 3

See gaming, Page 2

DREAM Act will become state law After long campaign, voters uphold measure on historic state ballot

County can build state’s sixth casino

Voters put their stamp of approval on a bill that will both authorize a sixth casino in the state and expand gaming options to include Las Vegas-style table games.

After an exhaustive political battle in Annapolis, the measure was put to referendum, prompting advertisers to spend more than $90 million campaigning both for and against Question 7. Both sides traded barbs over how expanding gaming will affect the state.

Supporters argued it would create jobs, add needed revenue and pad a dedicated state account for education funding purposes, the Education Trust Fund. Opponents argued expansion would deter patrons from existing locations and remained skeptical it would boost education funds.

“Nobody knows for sure,” said Irwin Morris, a government and politics

DONNA EDWARDS (D)

DISTRICT 5

passes

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THE DIAMONDBACK | NEWS | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012

Voting on campus breaks 2008 record More than 2,200 students cast votes at Stamp Atrium

By Sarah Tincher Staff writer

PRESIDENT OBAMA was elected to a second term yesterday after a 17-month campaign, clinching Ohio to win a majority of the electoral vote. file photo/the diamondback

OBAMA From PAGE 1 celebrated when networks announced Obama would remain in office, it was not the same passion that overtook the campus four years ago.

Tyler Grote, president of the College Democrats at this university, said Obama’s win was the result of a longterm campaign effort and well-organized campaign movement.

“People all across this country have put in countless hours, days, months and years to get [Obama] re-elected,” he said.

“Tonight is the continuation of something that started four years ago, so we’re excited for it.”

In remarks to droves of supporters who gathered at McCormick Place in Chicago, Obama projected optimism that his next term would mark an era of bipartisanship and economic growth.

Obama has said his first task will be to repair the political wounds from the long, bitter campaign by working to improve the economy and continue adding jobs.

After a hostile campaign that cost an estimated total of $6 billion and continuous gridlock between a Republican-controlled House and Democrat-controlled Senate, students said they were left wondering what will happen as the election craze dies down.

James Jalandoni, the Student Government Association’s director of governmental affairs, said he expected compromise and progress as the new Congress and Obama get to work.

“I think that our generation especially is getting sick of the toxic partisanship,” Jalandoni said. “The parties are going to take note of that. It’ll start to culminate in a more bipartisan government.”

Exit polling indicated voters’ top concern at the ballot box was the economy. College students — many of whom will seek jobs when they graduate — were no exception.

“It all starts with the economic wellbeing of our country, and I hope [Obama] makes that his top priority,” said Colin Bennett, a freshman enrolled in letters

and sciences who supported Romney.

The Obama campaign framed the election as a choice between the president’s and Romney’s visions for America and cast Romney as an out-of-touch businessman with economic ideas that would benefit the wealthy but burden the middle class. The incumbent has promised to usher in an “economy built to last” during his second term.

David Karol, an American politics professor, said Obama could continue to meet harsh legislative opposition in his second term,though he has an immediate bargaining advantage. Bush-era tax cuts are set to expire at the end of this year, a development unpopular with many working-class voters, incentivizing re-election-minded congressmen and senators to strike a deal with Obama,who no longer needs to worry about winning elections.

“I think that in the short term Obama has some leverage because the tax cuts are going to expire, so there are strong incentives for Republicans to make a deal with him on fiscal matters,” Karol said.

“But beyond that I don’t think he’s going to have a great deal of legislative success.”

Since Republicans retained their majority in the House, Karol said, legislative obstructionism is likely to remain a factor on Capitol Hill.

Allison Agazzi, president of this university’s chapter of College Republicans, echoed similar sentiments.

“I’m not too worried about many of his policies getting passed through Congress,” she said.

Around College Park, students flocked to televisions, viewing parties and Twitter to watch the night’s results unfold, not only those of the presidential race but also those of this state’s races and ballot initiatives.

“You’re able to talk a lot about politics and get other people’s opinions, which I like, as long as it doesn’t get too heated, and people don’t start yelling and cursing at each other because of their beliefs,” said Kristen Essel, a freshman government and politics major, of watching at one of the campus’s viewing parties.

This state, as expected, voted heavily in Obama’s favor. The president won the state with more than 60 percent of the vote, a result Romney’s campaign ac-

cepted from the start. This state, along with the 39 others not considered battlegrounds, did not receive visits from either candidate in the run-up to yesterday’s election.

Craig Slack, an assistant director at Stamp Student Union, said Maryland’s noncompetitiveness in the presidential race didn’t dampen voters’ enthusiasm there.

“People have had really good energy,” he said during afternoon voting.

The SGA, along with the Terps Vote coalition, ramped up its efforts to get out the vote on the campus this fall.

More than 2,200 students voted in this year’s election, far more than 2008’s 1,566, according to Zach Cohen, SGA governmental affairs director.

Democrats on the campus were overjoyed when the first of the networks called the race in Obama’s favor.

“We kind of saw it coming for a little while, so it wasn’t a big surprise,” Grote said, “but it was still a pretty exciting moment.”

Republicans on the campus, however, were left disappointed and despaired, a microcosm of the divided feelings in the nation.

Agazzi expressed regret over Romney’s defeat and Obama’s triumph.

“I think Romney was a great candidate for the Republican Party and for the people of the United States,” she said, “and I’m really surprised people didn’t end up electing him given the state of our economy.”

Romney conceded defeat in a speech in Boston at about 1 a.m..

As of 12:45, CBS News reported Romney had called Obama to concede.

Some expressed optimism — amid skepticism by others — that the candidates’ shared wishes for compromise would reach fruition over the next four years.

If they do not, Jalandoni said, voters will respond at the polls.

“I really think our generation is starting to understand the power they have in their voice,” he said, “and in their vote.” newsumdbk@gmail.com

113th Congress remains divided

By Jim Bach Senior staff writer Congress didn’t see a shakeup in either the Senate or the House of Representatives, which could signal more of the same political brinkmanship and short-term fixes that characterized the 112th Congress.

This state saw no changes in the U.S. Senate, but longtime Republican incumbent Roscoe Bartlett lost his seat in the 6th Congressional District to businessman John Delaney, a Democrat. Many critics of the state’s congressional redistricting plan last year alleged state Democrats “gerrymandered” the districts to unseat Bartlett and remove one of only two Republicans representing the state on a national level. Maryland has eight representatives.

Incumbents Andy Harris (R), Dutch Ruppersberger (D), John Sarbanes (D),

Donna Edwards (D), Steny Hoyer (D), Elijah Cummings (D) and Chris Van Hollen (D) all secured their seats for another two years.

The legacy of the 112th Congress is one of bitterly divided lawmakers letting decisions run to the wire.

In spring 2011, national lawmakers risked a government shutdown over budget negotiations before coming to an 11th-hour agreement.

The drawn-out debates continued into the summer, when a stalemate over raising the federal debt limit led to a downgrade on the nation’s credit rating. Further failed negotiations also triggered automatic cuts that would deliver devastating, acrossthe-board government spending cuts at the end of the year, known as the fiscal cliff, with higher education funding on the chopping block.

A bill that would keep interest rates on subsidized student loans issued

by the federal government from doubling also bred a partisan standoff. Both parties wanted to fund the $6.7 billion measure, but couldn’t agree on where the money would come from. Republicans wanted to fund the measure by cutting a measure in the Affordable Care Act, Obama’s signature health care legislation.

Democrats wanted to raise taxes on certain corporations.

They eventually agreed on an extension before the July 1 deadline, extending the provision another year. However, this one-year extension means the bitterly divided Congress will have to come to the drawing board again on this issue if it wants to preserve the widely supported higher education subsidy. newsumdbk@gmail.com

“we were on the right side of history for this, and we stood up for the rights of our students, staff and campus community.”

SAMANTHA ZWERLING

More than 2,200 students cast their ballots in Stamp Student Union’s Atrium yesterday, breaking 2008’s on-campus voter turnout record of 1,566 votes.

Members of the Student Government Association and the Terps Vote coalition, who campaigned on the campus for weeks leading up to Election Day, attributed the 48 percent increase in turnout to the efforts of student activists and the recently launched online voter registration system. Many of the 2,321 students who voted at Stamp yesterday — many of them casting a ballot for the first time — said the state referendum questions were a major draw to the polls.

“I’m very, very proud that the SGA was at the forefront of this on campus,” SGA President Samantha Zwerling said in reaction to the passing of Questions 4, 6 and 7. “We were on the right side of history for this, and we stood up for the rights of our students, staff and campus community.”

For many students, the long lines that were a hallmark of state early voting polls were just as daunting yesterday.

“Honestly, I saw this line and I didn’t want to do this,” sophomore computer science major Sundi Myint said in Stamp yesterday. “But I know it’s important, so I stayed.”

However, the lines moved fast, students said. And Elizabeth Virga, a Terps Vote intern, said the high turnout shows that by working together, a coalition of student groups can better inform student voters. “[Encouraging] them to get to the polls really makes an impact on the turnout we can have in an election,” Virga said.

Four years ago, members tried to increase registration by sponsoring a debate watch and an election party, and succeeded in registering about 2,500 students on the campus.

“They were really excited about their numbers in 2008, because it was such an exciting election for students,” Virga said.

But this year, members said they surpassed their goals, registering

GAMING From PAGE 1 professor, of whether the measure would increase education funds.

“One side argues for a rather dramatic increase for revenue in education, new jobs and so forth, and the other side has argued that that’s not going to happen. What happens is open to debate.”

The referendum itself tripped up several voters, such as freshman mechanical engineering major Justin Albrecht, who said the wording of the question was confusing. Albrecht said he ultimately decided to vote against expanding table games.

However, this state’s voters yesterday approved the bill by, as of 1 a.m., about 84,000 votes.

Outspoken opponents, including state Comptroller Peter Franchot, argued money will not be added to the Education Trust Fund. Instead, opponents believe, money will be taken out of the state’s general fund to maintain the same level of education support, meaning there would be no positive net effect for education. The fund helps finance public schools and universities, school construction and capital projects for community colleges and universities. It is not immediately clear whether education will directly benefit from the measure.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen,” Morris said. “There’s a question about how much money will be raised or generated and then there’s a question about how much of that will effectively go toward education.”

He added, “If revenue generated that goes toward education replaces money that would have gone to education otherwise, then that’s not a plus for education, but nobody knows exactly how that will play out.”

As the state grapples with a strained budget, state Sen. Roger Manno (DMontgomery) said new revenue is

SGA President

about 4,000 students this semester.

The online voter registration system made registering easier and more convenient, Virga said, and had a positive impact on turnout.

“I’m really proud of Maryland students coming out,” James Jalandoni, the SGA governmental affairs director.

“Our efforts mean nothing if students don’t care, and I think that students definitely do care.”

Students lining up outside the Atrium yesterday said it was worth taking time out of their day to vote.

“It’s an hour of my time to show who I want to be our leader,” said freshman psychology major Michaela Gallagher.

“It’s important, and it’s our duty.”

Freshman journalism major Jamie Weissman, who voted for the first time yesterday, said discussion of the campaigns and debates over the past weeks has made students more enthusiastic to head to the polls.

“The line is pretty long, but it’s worth waiting, because this only happens once every four years,” she said. “There’s only so many opportunities to have your voice heard — you should take every chance you can get.”

Several students, such as freshman communication major Jazmin Henriquez, said the main reason they voted yesterday was to influence the various ballot questions, such as the referendums on same-sex marriage and the DREAM Act, both of which passed last night.

“It’s nice to see so many students out,” Henriquez said. “One of the main reasons I’m here is to support the LGBT community. They should have the same rights that heterosexual couples have.”

Jalandoni and Virga said there were no major problems with voting on the campus.

“There were some bumps — mostly just some confusion amongst some students,” Jalandoni said. “I think that was anticipated. You’re not going to have complete understanding from every student, considering this is most people’s first time voting.” newsumdbk@gmail.com

hard to come by, and expanded gaming could fill in some of the budget holes.

“The state is still climbing out of a terrible fiscal episode,” he said. “No matter how you look at it, our options for raising revenue in the short-term … are limited.”

He added the bill could be good for the economy, but the moral consideration by some voters weighed against its potential success.

“Just in terms of the raw dollars of this, it makes sense,” he said. “In terms of the morality and personal feelings about it, you’re all over the place.”

State Sen. Douglas J.J. Peters (DPrince George’s) introduced the bill in February. In addition to enabling a sixth casino to be built, it will also expand the five existing gambling locations to include table games; existing state law only allows slot machines.

After lawmakers failed to pass the bill before the end of the state’s legislative session, Gov. Martin O’Malley called for a special session in August to vote on the bill again, where it cruised through the Senate on a 32-14 vote and passed the House by a narrower 71-58 margin.

As the law is written, about 50 percent of the revenue gets funneled into the Education Trust Fund.

However, under the bill’s provision, the state will transfer its ownership of slot machines to the casino operators and reimburse them with the associated costs of maintaining the terminals. This will translate into a tax cut for owners that reduces funds to education by a projected $15 million, according to estimates by the state’s Department of Legislative Services.

However, this would be offset by the revenue generated from table games. Casino operators will pocket 80 percent of the added revenue, and the other 20 percent will go to education, adding nearly $50 million to the fund, according to the DLS. newsumdbk@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012 | NEWS | THE DIAMONDBACK

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Incumbent Hoyer wins two more years in Congress

Rep. Steny Hoyer speaks at a Question 6 rally in Stamp Student Union on Monday afternoon. Hoyer, who represents the 5th Congressional District, secured two more years last night. charlie deboyace/the diamondback

By Jim Bach Senior staff writer For more than 30 years, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) has represented the 5th Congressional District, and after last night’s election, the senior-ranking

Democrat secured two more years on Capitol Hill.

His district includes this university — which is also his alma mater — as well as Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties and parts of Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties.

Last night’s results, in which Hoyer received almost 70 percent of the vote, were no surprise, given that Hoyer has almost always won with comfortable margins since 1981. This year’s campaign against the state’s House of Delegates Minority Leader, Anthony O’Donnell (R-Calvert and St. Mary’s), is just another landslide for the U.S. House Minority Whip.

Now, Hoyer will stay the course and continue throwing support behind this university and its endeavors, such as through funding academic buildings and reaching out to students.

“I will continue that activity,” Hoyer said of his plans. “I’m a graduate of the university, feel strongly about the university, feel it’s one of the major universities in our country.”

With Hoyer as a longtime political mainstay in the Democratic party, some state Republicans said the state’s middle-income residents need a change.

“The issue we have here is the opponent is a lifelong political fixture who

has never had to deal with the realities of small business,” said state Sen. Ed Reilly (R-Anne Arundel) in the days leading up to the election. He threw his support behind O’Donnell.

“As a minority leader in the Maryland House of Delegates, Tony has done a good job of speaking up for small business, for the middle class, for providing alternatives to the out-oftouch Democratic agenda,” Reilly said.

O’Donnell has an ability to reach across the aisle, Reilly said, as evidenced by his leadership role in the Republican caucus where he is working with an overwhelmingly Democratic state legislature.

“I have watched with amazement of the gridlock in Washington, D.C., because there’s no moderates; there’s no middle ground,” Reilly said.

And Reilly said he doesn’t see Hoyer willing to meet in the middle on many issues.

“The current congressman is fully entrenched with liberal, progressive, Democratic ideals, and we need some-

body who is a little more pragmatic,” he said.

The political stalemate in Congress, Reilly said, is the cause of the more pressing issues in the nation, such as the debt crisis.

Despite such criticism, Hoyer said he will work to put the younger generation on a more “fiscally sustainable path, fiscally-balanced path,” which he said was one of his “principal objectives.”

Hoyer said he didn’t feel the opposition was as energized as in 2010, when the conservative tea party movement was in full swing and the Republicans overtook Democratic seats in the House to win control. In 2010, Hoyer retained his seat in a race against Republican challenger Charles Lollar. Lollar won most of southern Maryland, but a landslide in Prince George’s County ultimately sealed Hoyer’s victory.

“This year, I don’t see that kind of activity,” Hoyer said. “I think it has been a pretty low-key race.” newsumdbk@gmail.com

Together, watching history unfold Locations across the campus host students, faculty during results

By Diamondback Staff As election results poured in last night, students gathered in groups small and large across the campus. Some said they were just as eager to hear the results of the various state ballot questions as those of the presidential election, and many expressed excitement over voting in their first election.

8:30 p.m., Colony Ballroom, Stamp Student Union

About 100 people settled into the Stamp Colony Ballroom, eating pizza and Chex Mix while impatiently waiting to hear election results at the Terps Vote election watch party.

When Shane Bryan, the party’s coordinator, issued a poll asking how the attendees voted, not a single student voiced opposition to Question 4, the DREAM Act referendum, or Question 6, the same-sex marriage referendum — arguably the most controversial questions on the ballot.

And while Question 7, the table games bill, sparked debate among attendees, students were overwhelmingly united in their hopes for the presidential election.

“Who here voted for Mitt Romney?”

Bryan asked.

Just one person cheered. Robert Norwich — a state resident who is not a university student, and the only Romney supporter in the room — said he felt a little out of place, but didn’t mind the opposition.

“I think [Romney] has a strong chance if he can win Virginia, which he seems to be pulling off,” Norwich said.

trying not to sweat it too much.”

9:45 p.m., Centreville Hall lounges

Students gathered around a TV set to watch CNN in Centreville Hall, spreading out over the couch and floor, many with laptops open tracking the Electoral College votes. Junior business major Jeremy Hsiao, who arrived at the lounge to watch results at 9:30 p.m., said he supported Obama for the presidency.

If Romney won, he joked, “I think Canada’s not that bad; I’ve been to Vancouver.”

11 p.m.

When Obama was projected to have won the election at about 11 p.m., hugs, screams and tears filled the lounge. More students poured into the room to join in the celebration of those who’d been watching election coverage for hours.

11:30 p.m.

Freshman environmental science and policy major Catherine Baker said she starting watching election results at 7:30 p.m., adding she hadn’t expected the presidential election to be called so early.

“It’s a great relief to know Obama had been re-elected,” she said. “I can’t even believe it. I was so worried and I’m so surprised that it came out this early.”

Baker said the loud and friendly atmosphere of the group gathered in

Centreville Hall provided an outlet for everyone’s anxiety as the results were announced.

“I definitely do think it’s better to watch the election with a big group of people,” she said. “At home I always watched it alone, because I was one of the very few liberal people in a very conservative area. It’s sort of like a release to have like-minded people around me.”

11:45 p.m.

After Obama was technically reelected, many students stayed in the Centreville lounges to watch the remaining electoral votes come in and to see by what margin he won.

Freshman government and politics major Kristen Essel, from Phoenix, Md., said although Washington will likely still be plagued with gridlock for the next four years, she was glad to have the opportunity to discuss the election results with a group as they were announced.

“Because it was so close, my opinions kind of reflect that of the country — I could go either way,” she said. “I am a little surprised Obama won, especially with where I’m from; it’s heavily conservative and anti-Obama.” newsumdbk@gmail.com

9:45 p.m., Anne Arundel Hall

Students in the basement of Anne Arundel Hall said the mood was tense as they waited to see which way the electoral votes would go.

“We got here around 8:45 p.m., and it’s been agonizing to watch — I don’t like seeing that Romney has been in the lead until just now,” said freshman journalism major Claire Gawryck. “I’m

DREAM From PAGE 1 illegally before they were 16 and are either a veteran in good standing or working toward a high school degree from deportation while they continue their education.

The state DREAM Act mirrors the national directive, and supporters on the state level hoped Obama’s order would provide the necessary momentum to pass the state act. With yesterday’s vote, Maryland earned a place in the history books as being “a step ahead of the federal government,” government and politics professor Robert Koulish said.

“It’s going to make Maryland a leader in what’s going to eventually happen nationally anyway,” Koulish added.

Many prominent state figures, including Gov. Martin O’Malley and university President Wallace Loh, have lent vocal support for the legislation. Over the past few months, the campus became a sort of base camp for DREAM Act supporters, playing host

Jason Barton, a freshman mechanical engineering major, watches the election results come in at the Anne Arundel Hall election party, one of several viewing parties on the campus. elliott kim/for the diamondback

to a number of rallies and marches.

“We knew it was going to pass, but I thought it was going to be closer,” state Sen. Roger Manno (D-Montgomery) who co-sponsored the bill, said.

“We’re extremely proud. It was those kids, hundreds and hundreds of kids, who made that bill a reality, who came to Annapolis knocked on doors, told their stories. It’s an extremely proud moment for the state and for the country.”

Officials have debated the possible detriments of the measure, such as the financial burden of providing additional resources to undocumented immigrants. However, the legislation would cost just about $3.5 million a year in state funds by 2016, according to the state’s Department of Legislative Services. In addition, new students attending public universities and community colleges through the DREAM Act would comprise just about 0.1 percent of the total population enrolling at public state schools next fall, according to a University of Maryland, Baltimore County study.

The same study also found each new

graduating class under the act could potentially generate $66 million for the state economy.

“Everyone knows this is the difference for some really hardworking kids between going to college and not going to college,” said Kristin Ford, spokeswoman for Educating Maryland Kids.

Still, 42.7 percent of voters opposed the referendum, as of midnight. Jimmy Williams, a sophomore journalism and finance major, said he was convinced the cost of the DREAM Act would be too great.

“I’m disappointed in the passage of the act, to be honest,” Williams said. “We’ve seen the polls, where tax payers will be subsidizing the students as opposed to bringing in the money from out of state students.”

Williams added that he has an issue with the eligibility requirements of the act, which require students wishing to seek coverage to show only proof that their parents filed income tax, which he points out doesn’t necessarily mean the tax was paid. newsumdbk@gmail.com

Students rally on the campus one last time in support of marriage equality on Monday. Voters upheld same-sex marriage, Question 6 on the state ballot, last night. charlie deboyace/the diamondback

marriage From PAGE 1 speculated Maryland voters would push the law through after several polls showed it had considerable support from residents.

Across the campus, students watching from their dorm rooms, apartments and election parties expressed their relief and joy with the results. Kelly Lowe, a sophomore enrolled in letters and sciences who spent hours each week this semester rallying support for the cause, said it was terrifying to watch the numbers come in and try to determine whether or not the referendum would pass. But seeing her dream realized, Lowe said, was incredibly gratifying.

“It’s fantastic. It’s so exciting that I can actually say that our state supports equal rights for everyone and not just a certain group of people,” Lowe said.“It makes me happy to look at my friends and say I worked for your equal rights.

It makes my heart explode.”

“If it does end up passing, I probably am just going to get all my drag queen friends together, go around campus and just celebrate,” Lowe added while watching results last night. “Take a victory lap.”

Many state officials praised the outcome, one they’d worked for months to achieve.

With this state becoming the first to pass marriage equality in a popular vote, the state shows it embraces equality under the law, said Rep. Ben Barnes (D-Anne Arundel and Prince George’s), who was a primary sponsor for the marriage equality bill.

“With every passing generation, we get closer and closer to that more perfect union that our founders challenged us to be,” Barnes said.

“We should be proud of the state and proud of the people in our state.

I’m elated and joyous for the families that this will impact.”

The “genuinely historic” vote shows the legislature accurately represents public opinion, said Sen. Jim Rosapepe (D-Prince George’s and Anne Arundel). “The legislature made a decision that the people of the state upheld when given the opportunity.”

Gov. Martin O’Malley, Rep. Steny Hoyer and other state officials visited the campus Monday afternoon to rally support for same-sex marriage one last time. To build a stronger state that is “ever more economically dynamic,” O’Malley said, officials must prioritize inclusion.

“We are for all,” O’Malley said.

“That’s what it means to be an American.

Our diversity is our strength, and there’s no state that epitomizes this better than the state of Maryland. … That is allowing everyone to have a fair shot and a fair say — and that means equal pay for women and also marriage equality.”

Across the campus, students watched in groups, many of them after returning from the polls on the campus to cast their ballot for Question 6.

“One of the main reasons I’m here is to support the LGBT community,” said Jazmin Henriquez, a freshman communication major voting at Stamp Student Union. “They should have the same rights that heterosexual couples have.”

Cementing the right to marry for lesbian and gay couples marks a victory for equality and progress in this state, said Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler.

Additionally, the U.S. Supreme Court may take up the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals case that ruled California’s same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional. If the nation’s highest court were to then rule in favor of same-sex marriage, it would trump all decisions of the lower courts. Inevitably, all states will recognize same-sex marriages one way or another, Gansler said.

“There will be marriage equality in every state in the country, whether it’s in the next year or certainly within the next five years,” he said.

Despite the efforts of local officials and student leaders on the campus, about 49 percent of voters retained opposition to same-sex marriage.

Taylor Johnson, a sophomore journalism major, voted in favor of the DREAM Act and President Barack Obama, reflecting her support for college affordability and increased resources for women’s health. However, Johnson said she made the choice not to support same-sex marriage.

“I am voting in this election because I feel it’s very important for me to be able to exercise my right,” she said. “I voted no for Question 6 but that’s just my personal view.”

Junior marketing and psychology major Kevin Hollander watched the election with his family in Baltimore at a Marylanders for Marriage Equality viewing party. Above attendees heads were balloons set to fall should the referendum pass — but with the results still so close, they remained in place.

“I think was really could have pushed it through was the students,” Hollander said. “We activated a lot of students on campus, having a lot of people come speak, seeing a lot of demonstrations, and we were really happy that we were able to get the young people to come out and vote. … We’re hopeful and ready for it to pass. I’m crossing my fingers.” newsumdbk@gmail.com

4

THE DIAMONDBACK | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012

Opinion

EDITORIAL BOARD

I heard about Osama bin Laden’s death over Twitter. I was sitting in my room, procrastinating writing a paper, and it came across my feed. I was shocked, but skeptical. I turned the TV on just as an update ran across the screen that President Obama would be making an announcement. But before this broadcast was made, I began to see news organizations speculate about what the president would be releasing, with many throwing around the idea bin Laden was killed.

Of course it is possibile these news organizations were verifying their information through legitimate informants. But because there was such a commotion about Obama making the official announcement, I highly doubt government officials privy to the information would have been talking.

What more likely happened is journalists, so anxious to be the first to run the story, hinted at the terrorist’s death while it was merely a possible leak. The journalists working that night were undoubtedly sitting at their computers with stories already written, waiting for those fateful words to come out of the president’s mouth so they could hit “publish” and their online story could go live — hopefully before their competitors were able to run it.

The importance of being the first to publish a story in the journalism arena rivals the fascination with posting “first!” as a MySpace or Facebook comment when the social media websites were just entering the public consciousness. It adds nothing to the conversation. Frankly, it makes you look kind of dumb — especially if, as a news source, your information is wrong.

Take the recent onslaught of breaking news stories during Hurricane Sandy. Every news source tried to get information out to people worried about the state of the East Coast.

Among many rumors circulating, the one about the floor of the New York

Editor in Chief

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The media’s flawed race for information MARIA ROMAS

YASMEEN ABUTALEB

Stock Exchange flooding with 3 feet of water stood out. CNN reported it as it came across either Twitter or a chat room linked to the National Weather Service. It blew up across social media from there. People immediately began conjecturing about the kind of damage such an event could do to the economy.

Undoubtedly, had people with electricity heard this news, they would have taken a good look at their stocks and considered pulling their money out right away. From the way journalists at CNN were reporting the incident, you would be crazy not to withdraw anything; they were saying there would be a worldwide effect on people’s wealth.

That is just one of many instances in which news outlets simply put out information for the sake of being the first to it, without verifying where the information came from or the ethics of running it. Maybe I’ve only heard about all of these examples because I have taken so many journalism classes, but the vast number of stories like this is astounding. I can’t think of one news source, from The Washington Post to NBC, that hasn’t encountered problems with running stories without source verification because the information was taken from a social media website.

The time has come to take a step back from the crazed frenzy of trying to beat your opponents to the punch line. The world still needs good journalism, and in the midst of the growing online blogosphere, media outlets need to be sure to keep hold of their values. People still go to legitimate news sources for solid information.

If these outlets betray the confidence readers instill in them, people will no longer trust the material they put out.

Nobody will know what to think. We need to ensure this doesn’t happen.

Leaving people without a viable source of information, especially during times of strife, would be detrimental to the country’s sanity.

STAFF EDITORIAL

Historic resolutions Yesterday, Marylanders helped mark the beginning of a new era in American history.

Voters went to the polls and had a chance to decide on two highly contentious, momentous issues, ones that cut to the center of what our state and our country will look like for decades to come.

And when it was all over, state residents chose inclusion over exclusion, freedom instead of limitation. They decided the government that governs best is one that ensures rights for all. Period.

It wasn’t because they (surprise!) voted for President Obama.

It was because after 32 states in the past several years voted against same-sex marriage on the ballot, this state became the first to uphold it. What’s more, voters also chose to uphold the state’s Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, which allows undocumented students to pay in-state tuition rates if they meet a set of requirements.

Voters clearly showed this is a state ready to move forward, a state that does not discriminate based on whom you choose to love or where you come from.

While both results are certainly worth celebrating, it is Question 6 where our state has changed the narrative — not just in Annapolis, but nationwide. Maryland is the eighth state to legalize same-sex marriage, but the first in which

voters have gone to the polls and decided marriage should be available to everyone.

It wasn’t an easy battle for either measure. The DREAM Act was the first piece of legislation to be successfully petitioned and put to referendum in 20 years, and same-sex marriage closely followed. There have been hard-fought campaigns on both ends, and both sides made viable arguments.

OUR VIEW

State voters made their final decision on Questions 4 and 6 — rightly choosing equality over fear — and ushered in a new era of inclusion.

Those petition efforts illustrated the divide in the state, one that also exists throughout the country when it comes to protecting certain groups of people.

When it comes to same-sex marriage, supporters say it’s a matter of equality, of allowing any two people who love each other and commit to each other to receive marital benefits.

Opponents, however, say same-sex couples are already offered certain protections and benefits, and by allowing them to marry, the law is hindering the traditional definition and sanctity of marriage.

To those who opposed Question 6 on religious grounds, we hold no grudges.

We understand that two of the great pillars of American democracy are freedom of religion and expression.

But just as crucial a facet of our national fabric is equality under the law, something Question 6 provides completely. This is not the last anyone will hear of equality becoming the norm, rather than merely something for some.

Immigration is a more complicated debate, but the DREAM Act provides undocumented students living as state residents and fulfilling the same responsibilities — including attending a state high school and proving they or their parents have filed state taxes for at least three years — with similar opportunities.

This editorial board has continually endorsed both measures. While both sides of the campaigns have cited valid reasons for their stances, we believe both pieces of legislation are imperative to helping the state’s progression, conveying to the rest of the country what America should be working toward.

At the Question 6 rally on Monday in Stamp Student Union, Gov. Martin O’Malley summed up the debate when he said: “Every person should be treated fairly and equally under the law. That’s what it means to be American, right?”

The tide of history is turning in favor of same-sex marriage, protection and equal opportunity for all. Marylanders, with their votes, are helping push that wave to shore.

EDITORIAL CARTOON

Maria Romas is a junior English m a j o r. S h e c a n b e re a c h e d a t opinionumdbk@gmail.com.

GUEST COLUMN

Not lesser, not evil Only one candidate offers a promising future

T

here was a lot of talk about choosing between the “lesser of two evils” this election cycle. In Monday’s Diamondback, the editorial cartoon went as far as depicting the two presidential candidates as devils. When I voted, I did not choose between the lesser of two evils. I chose the candidate who aligned with my values and beliefs — the one who I thought would move this country forward.

I have something to confess. I am a bisexual black male who pays for his own college education with the aid of student loans. This might come as a shock to some of you, but I voted for President Obama yesterday.

Obama has done some pretty great things in his first four years as president. But he has also done some things I found highly disagreeable: He signed the National Defense Authorization Act, deported more undocumented immigrants than any other president, authorized more drone strikes than any other president and made many other awful missteps.

This led me to question whether to give Obama my vote. I seriously considered voting for a third-party candidate and thought it would be morally wrong to vote for a president some might consider a war criminal.

But coming back to my confession, Obama was the right person for me.

He supports my right to marry the person I may fall in love with, whether it be a man or a woman. He passed

legislation that increased the Pell Grant program and capped student loan payments so college graduates can realistically pay back their loans while looking for jobs. He supported the “DREAM” of undocumented youth by signing an executive order granting work permits to “dreamers.” Because of his signature health care legislation, I have guaranteed coverage under my parents’ health insurance until I turn 26. I can go on and on talking about why I support the president.

These reasons do not excuse Obama’s signing of the NDAA, but the alternative is much worse.

America faces an economic catastrophe in the looming fiscal cliff and Mitt Romney’s vision for economic reform is not the answer to save the middle class. Romney’s social policies threaten me personally — he would appoint conservative justices to the Supreme Court who would uphold the Defense of Marriage Act and Citizens United. Romney would not lead this country forward the way Obama can.

I am proud to say I did not choose between the lesser of two evils. I chose the candidate who supports equality for all and who makes me proud to be an American.

Lamar Rogers is a senior government and politics major. He can be reached at ldrogers8@yahoo.com.

AIR YOUR VIEWS Address your letters or guest columns to Maria Romas and Nadav Karasov at opinionumdbk@gmail.com.

All submissions must be signed. Include your full name, year, major and phone number. Please limit letters to 300 words and guest columns to between 500 and 600 words.

JACK CHEN/the diamondback

A pathetic relief from the storm The slow response to Hurricane Sandy’s damage is terrifying

LAUREN MENDELSOHN With the elections now over, it’s time to refocus our attention on how America responds to emergencies.

Though Hurricane Sandy largely spared the Washington metro area, the situation just a few hours north of here was another story entirely.

The most densely populated area of the country, including one of the most important cities in the world, New York City, was in the hurricane’s path. Although there was ample warning of the approaching hurricane and some precautionary measures were taken, residents of New York and New Jersey had no idea just how catastrophic the storm would be — or how long it would take them to recuperate.

My home state of New Jersey, where Sandy made landfall on Oct. 29 with 80 mph winds, was hit the hardest, and the full extent of the damage is still unfolding. In case you haven’t seen the tragic photos all over the news, I’ll give you a summary of the damage.

Shore communities were decimated by flooding and tide surges; houses were literally swept away into the water or other buildings.

(Unlike elevated beach houses where hurricanes are more common,

homes at the New Jersey shore are usually built right on the ground with little thought about bad weather.) The iconic boardwalk in Seaside Heights is in ruins, with pieces of the amusement pier strewn about; the roller coaster is now a piece of metal wreckage lying in the water. Many of the towns along the New Jersey coast are on barrier islands, which suffered extensive flooding during the storm. Some towns, including Seaside and surrounding neighborhoods, are still inaccessible even to evacuees, and residents might not be able to get back to their homes — or what’s left of them — for months. As a result, thousands of people are in makeshift shelters until further notice.

Flooding was a major issue across New Jersey, New York and Connecticut, as the area was inundated with more rain than the largely concrete environment could absorb. The most critical problem, though, came from electrical fires and downed power lines; millions of people were without electricity and means of communication for several days. The entire region came to a dark, screeching halt.

In the days following the hurricane, restoration of power has been slow and sporadic, and residents are rightfully upset. Homes were without heat for days, and people waited in line for hours for gasoline to power generators and cars. As a result, New Jersey implemented an emergency fuel rationing system reminiscent of the 1970s until

further notice. Ironically, there is no shortage of fuel, but there is difficulty in accessing current stores.

My question, essentially, is why the relief effort took so long. Granted, it will take years to fully recover from Sandy, and some places along the Jersey shore will never be the same. However, given the advance warning of the storm and the worldwide importance of the densely populated Northeast, I was disturbed by the chaos at the local level and slow response at the national level.

I think both the states and the federal government have a responsibility to respond to emergencies, and although the relief systems would serve different roles — a strong, centralized relief force for large-scale disasters and statespecific forces to focus on local crises — they should work together to better coordinate relief efforts. Although New Jersey received financial assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency immediately following the storm, there were no physical FEMA relief centers there until Friday; people had been without many basic necessities for several days. As FEMA is stretched thin from being summoned constantly, a more clear-cut definition of a “federal emergency” would help conserve the relief agency’s resources for larger events like Sandy.

L aure n Me nde lsohn is a se nior psychology major. She can be reached at opinionumdbk@gmail.com.

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

6

THE DIAMONDBACK | wednesDAY, november 7, 2012

Diversions singing a different tune FASHION FORWARD

ON THE BLOG

Staff writer Dean Essner argues that your clothing choice may determine who you’re friends with — or at least who you gravitate toward when meeting new people. For more, check out diamondbackonline.com.

FACEOFF | AUTO-TUNE

Is auto-tune a detractor that only serves to give bad singers a boost? Or is it simply a new way to experiment with music that can enhance songs if used correctly?

Auto-Tune was invented more than a decade ago, but it didn’t become popular until around 2008. T-Pain and Kanye West were some of the first adherents to the effect, with fun. and Justin Vernon later jumping on board. photos courtesy of frieze.com, musicforte.com, zimbio.com and stereogum.com

By Kelsey Hughes Staff writer

By Adam Offitzer Staff writer

Pop-rock trio fun. appeared as the musical guest on this week’s episode of Saturday Night Live, performing their recent hit “Some Nights” and further cementing my distaste for the hits accented or overloaded with auto-tune that have dominated the radio in recent history.

There are certainly two distinct uses of the pitch-correcting software popularized by R&B artist T-Pain but actually first used by Cher in her 1998 hit “Believe.” The former, the T-Pain-style usage, is as an actual pitch corrector, allowing those who cannot sing to sound like they’re in tune, but robotically so.

The latter, the Cher kind, is as a stylistic tool, meant to be a creative touch to the song. I’d argue, except in rare cases, neither usage is very appealing.

The more irritating of the two uses is certainly a way to cover up a terrible voice. Ke$ha comes to mind as an artist who would be nothing without auto-tune making her irritatingly whiny speak-singing voice dance in tune around her small vocal range. Auto-tune propelled her to fame without any lyrical depth or singing talent — at least Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and even Britney Spears have the vocal chops. Surely there are others out there who deserve fame for the musical ability they possess without the aid of computers.

Furthermore, there is beauty in the natural variation of a good singing voice.

Perfection is boring, and there is a human feeling to an imperfect vocal recording.

Many musicians have been defined by imperfect vocals, using non-traditionally “good” vocals to create an aesthetic — folk-punk band Against Me!, indie rock band Modest Mouse and folk legend Bob Dylan are all great examples.

Auto-tune as a creative touch is harder to completely denounce. Sure, there are certainly times when it has been used and not been offensive, as in Kanye West’s “Love Lockdown,” where the juxtaposition between the tribal music and the automated vocals is interesting and subtle.

But these examples are few and far between, and as a general rule the program is a detractor and nothing more. In “Some Nights,” vocalist Nate Ruess could create a powerful moment if he belted that note at the end of the bridge, but the auto-tune the band used is a major distraction that kills the energy. It’s even worse when the band performs it live, as the auto-tune derails the song just as it’s reaching its peak.

I encourage all artists who are considering using auto-tune in their performance to reconsider. Nine times out of 10, the song sounds better when it is left as is, minor flaws and all. Let’s leave the robotic voices in the (dystopian) future.

It’s all Kanye’s fault.

Obviously, auto-tune was around well before Mr. West went crazy with it on 808s and Heartbreak, but he elevated its cultural status. West unfortunately inspired plenty of imitators with no talent or singing ability to try and use auto-tune as a form of voice correction. In these instances, auto-tune is a huge failure and an embarrassment (see: Rebecca Black).

Sure, it made his voice sound better. But there is something else West did with auto-tune: He legitimized its use as a potential art form.

Critics lavished praise on West for the three-minute section in the album version of “Runaway” where West just mumbles and warbles away in auto-tune, singing without words or melody but instead with a distorted version of his voice. While I found this part slightly indulgent and silly at first, I do think those in favor of it have a point — West was experimenting with auto-tune as an instrument, just as a jumbled, discordant array of sounds in a Beatles song (“Revolution 9”) could be viewed as experimentation. And, in the full context of “Runaway,” the moment works, making the song more epic overall.

So, when it comes to auto-tune, it’s a power that must be used wisely. And it must not fall into the wrong hands. The misperception about auto-tune is it can make anybody sound like a good singer — it doesn’t (just watch West’s terrible Saturday Night Live performance of “Love Lockdown” to prove this). To sing well with auto-tune, you still need to hit the notes.

This is why it’s okay for good singers to use auto-tune. Justin Vernon, (better known as Bon Iver), has experimented plenty with the tool. He did it on “Woods,” where he layers his vocals on top of one another in a growing wall of sound. Upon hearing “Woods,” West recruited Vernon to help him with My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy — he’s the guy singing on “Monster” and “Lost in the World.”

Vernon is an incredible singer without auto-tune, and he doesn’t use it for most of his music. But he’s experimented with it as a way to make his voice sound unique and different — and in these cases, it works.

And breakout band fun. has certainly experimented with auto-tune on its latest album, Some Nights. The band’s lead singer, Nate Ruess, has an absolutely incredible voice — I’ve seen him perform live multiple times, before “We Are Young” took over the radio. On “Some Nights” and even more blatantly on the album’s last song, “Stars,” Ruess uses auto-tune midway through the song as a change of pace, to play around with his voice in a way he couldn’t otherwise.

The first time I heard this I was furious — why would Ruess use auto-tune if he doesn’t need it? While I’m still not in love with these auto-tuned excursions, I do kind of get it. For a good singer, auto-tune is a way to have some fun in the production studio and give the song a uniquely modern feel. When used the right way, the “evil,” “inauthentic” sounds of auto-tune can be — dare I say it — not that bad.

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2EVEN WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBer 7, 2012 | SPORTS | THE DIAMONDBACK

THE DIAMONDBACK THE DIAMONDBACK | XXXDAY, | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER AUGUST XX, 31, 20127

MEHARG

like this culturally in terms of diversity and tolerance.”

From PAGE 8

LEAVING A LEGACY

the helm, Meharg has led the Terps to 23 NCAA tournaments and seven national titles. She has established a reputation as the sport’s top recruiter, consistently gaining commitments from the most talented prospects in the world — not the country, the world.

And it’s all the product of a simple formula of dedication and hard work.

Meharg watches reels of film every day before and after practice. When she isn’t in College Park, she’s often in Europe, studying and recruiting potential Terps.

“She’s a student of the game,” longtime athletic trainer Sandy Worth said. “[She’s] always trying to learn something new every day that she can bring to the Maryland team.”

FROM ALL-STAR TO COACH Growing up in the field hockey and lacrosse hotbed of southeast Pennsylvania, Meharg did what most athletically inclined girls in her area did: She played both. After excelling as a multisport athlete at the Tatnall School in Wilmington, Del., she received a full scholarship to the University of Delaware.

There, she planned to pursue her dream of attending veterinary school and making a living in animal care.

After growing up on a farm in West Grove, Pa., she decided to enroll at Delaware as a pre-vet major.

But two years into her studies, plans changed. Meharg, who would ultimately earn All-America honors in both field hockey and lacrosse, switched to health and physical education. She wanted to be a coach, to share her knowledge and skills with the next generation.

Not long after graduating in 1985, Meharg moved to College Park to pursue a master’s degree in exercise physiology. Sue Tyler, the Terps’ field hockey and women’s lacrosse coach at the time, offered her a field hockey graduate assistant position.

When Tyler retired after winning the 1987 field hockey national championship, the 25-year-old Meharg landed the head job.

“I was pretty shocked,” Meharg said. “I was pretty young. … It was pretty unique. I’m just glad I was competitive enough for the job.”

Coach Missy Meharg has led the Terps to 23 NCAA tournament appearances and seven national championships in 25 seasons at the helm. charlie deboyace/the diamondback The team was solid during Meharg’s first three years. The Terps clinched two NCAA tournament berths, but failed to win a game in either. In 1991, though, the team recorded a 17-5 record, the second-best performance in program history. And two seasons later, it went on a dominating 21-3 run en route to Meharg’s first national championship.

The Terps missed the postseason the following year. They haven’t been absent from the NCAA tournament since, making 18 straight appearances.

TOP RECRUITER It took her by surprise.

Janessa Pope, then a field hockey player at Harrisburg, Pa.’s Central Dauphin High School, hadn’t even thought about where she would take her talents for college. She was busy enough leading her team to two state tournaments and getting selected to the All-Pennsylvania fi rst team.

But this was much more overwhelming.

“I remember getting the email from Missy and being so excited,” Pope said.

“I kept thinking, ‘One day, maybe I can go to Maryland.’ I never had any family members or friends that had gone to college for a sport, and I wasn’t sure what kind of schools I was looking at.

“Actually, Missy was the first

coach that ever contacted me as far as recruiting.”

Across the Atlantic Ocean, a different situation was playing out in a very similar way. Megan Frazer, a standout player from Derry, Northern Ireland, possessed all the tools of a major college recruit — scoring ability, athleticism and an unrelenting passion for the game. But Frazer took the initiative and emailed Meharg, who boarded a flight and watched her play.

“I met her, and that was the only connection I had to [this university],” Frazer said. “It was just an environment that I wanted to be in; I committed before I even had my official visit or anything. It was something that I always wanted to be a part of.”

Meharg’s program has become a beacon of field hockey success, but she refuses to become complacent. Instead of swooping in at the last moment, she contacts potential student-athletes early to start building relationships.

That grassroots approach has paid dividends. Meharg was ranked No. 5 among all NCAA coaches for recruiting by ESPNU/ESPN The Magazine, ahead of such figures as Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski and Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari.

“Missy has built a very strong program at Maryland because she works

hard,” Virginia field hockey coach Michelle Madison said. “She’s an incredible recruiter and has been very successful finding international talent.”

But turning the Terps into a national power wasn’t an easy task.

“When we were getting through the whole Len Bias thing in the late ’80s … it took a long time to move past,” Meharg said of the former Terp basketball star’s death. “That was trying, because it took 10, 12 years for us to get out of people not trusting that we could admit the right type of people. Certainly in recruiting, we weren’t competing with who we are competing with now.”

Things slowly started to change, however, as the university became increasingly competitive. Once a school that “most in-state students could get into,” according to Meharg, it turned into a thriving research institution with stringent admissions standards. And Meharg should know.

Her adopted son, Genya, is a sophomore at this university.

“It’s been a really big thing for us in recruiting. It’s phenomenal to be able to recruit the very best students who also play field hockey,” Meharg said. “We can recruit with Princeton, Stanford, Duke and Wake and be very comfortable doing so. And at the same time, you’re not going to find anything

NOTEBOOK

Meharg’s mark on the sport has become increasingly apparent in recent years. Once a student assistant in her 20s, she is now competing against coaches who were her former players. One of them, Rutgers coach Meredith Long, transferred to the program in 2003 after her freshman year. And while a thyroid disease forced her to miss her senior season, Long still gleaned plenty under Meharg’s tutelage.

“I spent a lot of time on the sideline and really got to see the game in a different way. That’s when I really got interested in coaching, and it got the idea into my head,” Long said. “I was part of such a rich and exciting field hockey culture here. … coming from a program like that, that’s what I’m looking for at Rutgers — getting really great people who love the sport and want to compete at the highest level.”

Former Terps field hockey star Katie O’Donnell might be on the exact same path. After winning two national championships and losing just four games over her final three seasons with the Terps, she has come back to the team in hopes of being a head coach in the near future.

And who better to learn from than the best?

“She’s probably the most inspirational person in my career,” O’Donnell said. “She has a really good way of communicating with the players — making you feel like you’re in control while offering her best opinion.

Whether you take it or not is up to you. … But why would you not take her advice? She knows what she’s doing.”

Heading into her 23rd NCAA Tournament this weekend, Meharg isn’t worried about how far the Terps will go. She’s just urging her players to follow the same motto she does — work hard and stay present – on the field and in life.

And given her track record, there’s no reason to doubt her. It’s worked for her thus far, after all.

“The harder you work, the more likely you’ll earn luck, and you won’t have any regrets,” she said. “It’s a waste of time to think about what’s down the road. I just stay present on the here and now, and work as hard as I can.” sportsdbk@gmail.com

HOKIES From PAGE 8

From PAGE 8

strengthen the ACL. The ACL is in a position where there is nothing you can do,” Edsall said. “We’re always researching ways to try to do things so you can prevent, as much as you can, injuries.

And we’re always on top of the curve in terms of fi nding out what people are doing. But some years you are a little bit luckier than others. And that’s really what it’s all about.”

in the tournament, they’re going to be a grind the whole game, and it was good to get a result.”

Entering the matchup on a two-game winless streak after an Oct. 27 draw with Clemson and Thursday’s loss at Wake Forest, the Terps resembled the squad that was ranked No. 1 nationally for most of the year in the game’s fi rst half.

Stertzer got the Terps on the board with a penalty kick in the 11th minute. Midfielder Mikias Eticha was tackled from behind in the box, and Stertzer beat Virginia Tech goalkeeper Kyle Renfro to the left side of the net.

While the Terps were able to break Renfro early, the junior held fast for the rest of the half and recorded four saves. The Hokies’ offensive attempts were few and far between, as they took only two first-half shots, both of which goalkeeper Keith Cardona saved.

“Hats off to Virginia Tech and hats off to their goalkeeper,” coach Sasho Cirovski said. “He had a career night tonight. He probably stopped a t l e a s t t h re e s u re go a l s single-handedly.”

Renfro kept the Hokies (7-103) in the game, recording nine saves against the Terps (15-1-2), who took 22 shots and put 11 on goal. The assault was nonstop, as Mullins took nine shots and placed seven on goal. Mullins’ 1 2t h goa l a nd si x t h ga me winner came off a corner kick from defender Mikey Ambrose.

“There’s been a couple times this year where we have conceded goals to either tie it back up or to go down,” Mullins said.

“I thought all year, we’ve responded pretty well as far as when we give up a goal. We responded either five or 10 minutes right after that and got the goal back.”

HARTSFIELD TO L.A Not long after Edsall saw the results of Hartsfield’s MRI, he left Gossett Team House and began walking up the hill toward Stamp Student Union. On his way up, he saw the senior linebacker walking toward him. And when they passed each other, the coach couldn’t help but try to lighten the mood a little bit.

“I said, ‘Man, you’re walking like you have an ACL problem,’” Edsall said. “He laughed. From a spirit standpoint, he is disappointed, but he is handling it the best way he can.”

It’s a tough way to end what was a stellar Terps career. Hartsfield leads the team with 78 tackles this season and ranks No. 15 in program history with 338 tackles.

“I feel terrible for Demetrius,” defensive end A.J. Francis said. “We’ve been here working together since George [W.] Bush was president. And now, seeing his last year end like that is tough.”

L.A Goree will be tasked with replacing Hartsfield on the field. The sophomore has played in five games this season, totaling nine tackles and a forced fumble.

“L . A i s a g uy who i s physic a l,” Edsall said. “He will come downhill and attack you.”

Hartsfield will likely stay involved with the Terps, and he can help Goree develop into his role on defense. Edsall, though, wants Hartsfield to simply do whatever it takes to extend his playing career.

“Demetrius is a guy who is very evenkeeled. He is not a guy who shows a ton of emotion, so he was not sitting there feeling sorry for himself,” Edsall said.

“He understands that he needs to move on and focus on having surgery and

Quarterback Shawn Petty completed nine of 18 passes for 115 yards and two scores Saturday. charlie deboyace/the diamondback working hard to get himself another opportunity to play football down the road.”

SUPPORT SYSTEM Most signal callers spend their week working under a head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Shawn Petty doesn’t have just three coaches, though. He has seven.

“All the injured quarterbacks have been making sure I get everything down and I know about everything that needs to be known for the week,” Petty said. “They help me with certain things, like terminologies on the field or certain reads I’m supposed to be making, and they’re helping me mentally by telling me to stay calm.”

Brown, Hills, Rowe and Devin Burns all have more experience in the Terps’ offense than Petty does, so the freshman will likely continue to lean on them for help when the team plays at No. 10 Clemson. He completed nine of 18 passes for 115 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in his fi rst career start Saturday against the Yellow Jackets.

“Coming out in the fi rst game, I was kind of timid, slow,” Petty said. “The

game is a lot faster than it was in high school, and you have to make decisions a lot quicker.”

Making improvements in an environment as hostile as Memorial Stadium’s “Death Valley” could prove difficult, but Francis said Petty has the perfect demeanor to handle the pressure.

“He’s like cool as a cucumber,” Francis said. “I don’t think he understands the [gravity] of what he’s doing. I don’t think it’s come to him that, you know, you’re playing quarterback at a BCS school. I think he’s just like, ‘Ah, well, I guess I got to play quarterback this week.’ That’s just the kind of guy he is.” sportsdbk@gmail.com

CORRECTION

Due to a reporting error, Tuesday’s articles, “What’s to blame for the Terps’ five ACL injuries? Nothing but bad luck,” and “Linebacker Hartsfield tears ACL; fifth player this season to suffer knee injury,” incorrectly stated the number of Terrapins football players who have suffered season-ending ACL injuries. Four Terps are out for the season with torn ACLs.

Defender Taylor Kemp returned to the starting lineup for the first time since Oct. 5 for the Terps last night as well. The senior captain appeared against Wake Forest after defender London Woodberry’s red card and played all 90 minutes aga i nst the Hok ies. Kemp resumed nearly all his normal roles, taking corner kicks and creating an attacking presence from the backline. The Hokies were held to six shots, just four of which were on goal.

“It was great,” Cardona said.

“When he came in against Wake, it made me kind of nervous because I didn’t even know he was cleared to play at the time.

That was a big deal. He’s in form and he’s doing well.”

The do-or-die nature of the contest showed. Virginia Tech was issued four yellow cards, and a red card was issued to Hokies defender Drew Ranahan i n t h e 5 7 t h m i n u te a f te r drawing his second yellow.

But Cardona simply chalked it up to the intensity level of the match, something the Terps will likely experience again when they step on to the field for the ACC tournament semifinals in a rematch with Clemson.

“It was the ACC tournament, so everything has got to be turned on,” Cardona said.

“That could have potentially been their last game. Thankfully, it was because we won.

It was a great game. That’s one of those games where everyone’s tuned in for the whole time because we needed to be.”

TERPS NOTE : In the newest edition of the NSCAA top-25 poll, the Terps were ranked No. 2 behind Akron. The Terps had held the top spot since the Sept.

18 edition of the poll. … The Terps will take on Clemson, which defeated Boston College in penalty kicks, Friday at 8 p.m. North Carolina and Virginia also advanced. sportsdbk@gmail.com

TWEET OF THE DAY A.J. Francis @The_Franchyze Terps football defensive end

“I’m gonna do more before 9am tomorrow than all the republicans on my TL talkin bout democrats are lazy and don’t work... #PleaseSit ”

Sports

“The sad thing about this election is that no matter who wins, half of the country will be disappointed. ”

PAGE 8

TWEET OF THE DAY Chloe Pavlech @Cpav15 Terps women’s basketball guard

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012

MEN’S SOCCER

Goals from Stertzer, Mullins lead Terps past Virginia Tech Team defeats Hokies, 2-1, in ACC quarterfinals

By Daniel Gallen Senior staff writer Throughout its near-perfect regular season, the Terrapins men’s soccer tea m was accustomed to jumping out to quick starts early in the first or second half.

The Terps have regularly been in control from start to finish.

Only on rare occasions, such as Oct. 9 against Rutgers, would the opposition get out to a faster start.

About halfway through last night’s ACC tournament quarterfi nal match in College Park, though, Virginia Tech managed to match the Terps. With the home team leading, 1-0, two minutes into the second half, Virginia Tech drew a foul in the Terps’ box. Hokies forward Dav id Clem en s net te d t he ensuing penalty kick and the game was suddenly deadlocked.

But the No. 1-seed Terps responded. Behind forward Patrick

Mullins’ header in the 52nd minute, they notched a 2-1 win over the No. 9-seed Hokies in front of 798 at Ludwig Field. The win secured the Terps a berth in the ACC tournament semifinals Friday evening at Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown.

“Every game is a championship game for both teams,” midfielder John Stertzer said.

“These ACC games, especially See HOKIES, Page 7

Forward Patrick Mullins (right) celebrates his eventual game-winning goal in the Terps’ victory last night. charlie deboyace/the diamondback

FIELD HOCKEY

Standing above the rest

su hong/the diamondback

In 25 years at helm, Missy Meharg takes Terps from team on rise to unquestioned dynasty

By Nicholas Munson Staff writer The offers were numerous.

They came from Iowa and Northwestern, UMass and Princeton. Each school wanted to establish a dynastic field hockey program, and Missy Meharg was the key.

But there was one problem. The Terrapins

athletic department wasn’t willing to let her go without a fight.

“I’ve had [Maryland] athletic directors that have said they would pay me a bonus for not going,” said Meharg, whose Terps are unseeded in the upcoming NCAA Tournament and will face Lafayette in the fi rst round Saturday.

Still, the Terrapins field hockey coach trekked to each school. She listened to their pitches and

FOOTBALL | NOTEBOOK

glanced at their benefits packages. But each time she pondered a change, she couldn’t imagine herself patrolling the sidelines for another program. She couldn’t justify leaving the only college team she has coached.

“The way this university has completely turned its face around,” she said, “it just became a place that I knew I would probably never leave.”

When she took over the head coaching

position in 1988, the field hockey program was building a national reputation. Meharg helped guide the Terps to their first-ever national title as an assistant coach the previous year, and she was intent on developing an unquestioned dynasty.

She wouldn’t disappoint. In her 25 years at See MEHARG, Page 7

Edsall: ‘Nothing that you can do to strengthen the ACL’ Goree takes over for Hartsfield; Petty gets help from injured QBs

By Josh Vitale Senior staff writer

Coach Randy Edsall said there’s no underlying reason why four Terps, including quarterbacks C.J. Brown, Perry Hills and Caleb Rowe, will miss the rest of the season with torn ACLs. charlie deboyace/the diamondback

It’s no secret the Terrapins football team has struggled to stay healthy this season. Entering Saturday’s loss to Georgia Tech, the Terps had already lost seven players to season-ending injuries, many of them at key positions.

Monday seemed to be the breaking point. When the Terps announced top linebacker Demetrius Hartsfield would be the fourth player to miss the rest of the season with an ACL tear, fans flooded the Internet with criticism.

They blamed everything from the

team’s training staff to the new turf field — anything they could think of to explain the rash of sidelined players.

But Randy Edsall believes those criticisms are unwarranted. Despite the uproar, the second-year coach says this year isn’t too different from any other.

“I think the biggest misconception is it has happened in one position. I think that’s the problem,” Edsall said yesterday. “It is unfortunate, but I think a lot of it has been just because we had three quarterbacks that have ACLs, and it’s unheard of to lose not only three but four quarterbacks in a year, so I think it has just brought a bit more light.”

He’s not wrong. Though four torn ACLs in one season seems unheard of, the numbers over the previous five seasons have been similar. According to the team, five Terps tore their ACLs in both 2007 and 2008, two in 2009, four in 2010 and three in 2011.

The only noticeable difference is 75 percent of those injuries this season have come under center. Quarterbacks C.J. Brown, Perry Hills and Caleb Rowe all suffered the same injury, magnifying the damage.

“There is nothing that you can do to See NOTEBOOK, Page 7