4 The Retriever Weekly Tuesday, October 4, 2011 Free newspaper stands empty for weeks Statehood for News Palestine?

> from STATEHOOD [2] Student members from Students for Justice in Palestine and the Jewish Student Union paid close attention to this issue. Senior Kira Stoyko, President of Students for Justice in Palestine and Political Science major, has a strong relationship with

summer she spent her time in thisa Palestinian ongoing conflict. refugee This camp past in Lebanon. Andrea Hunt- trw Alyssa Nolte- trw - Newspaper stands located throughout campus could be found empty or “It is good he [Abbas] is dents normally enjoy. carrying papers leftover from the previous semester. opening the issue to the world USA Today and the Baltimore Sun are the free newspaper offerings UMBC stu immediately consigning them to stage,” said Stoyko. “I feel like By Brent Jackson Keeping the papers in circulation the recycling bin. this is the right path to take at Contributing Writer “Keeping the papers in this time. With a long history of While strolling around UMBC allows for more people on campus to circulation allows for more “ people on campus to be exposed campus, one notices many ..it is a bold, things: the herds of students be exposed to the articles contained to the articles contained within!” rushing to class, the smell of food within. -Dylan Cook he said. symbolic move emanating from True Grits or the “ buzz of activity in The Commons. Today, the SGA uses that the Collegiate Readership USA Today and universities What one may fail to notice part of its budget to keep the Program (CRP) is a worthy The CRP is a joint effort of for [Pres.] Abbas free newspapers on campus investment. “Cognizance” of complimentary copies of popular are papers in the newspaper stands around campus labeled throughout the academic year. acrossdaily newspapers the nation around to college offer to make. Collegiate Readership Program. The SGAs budget is comprised real world,” freshman Ehab campuses. Creators of the -Brigid Starkey These stands can be found of revenue from the Student worldAbutaleb affairs said. While is critical some see in an the program believed it critical that ” scattered around UMBC in Activity Fee taken from each understanding of current events college students be consistently places like The Commons, the UMBC student. The Executive as vital for everyday life, others informed of the wide range of violence we need peace sooner dining hall and Sondheim hall, Vice President, Dylan Cook, acts simply enjoy knowing whats current events happening around than later.” but ever since the start of the Fall as a liaison between USA Today going on in the region. the globe. Junior Morgan Russo, semester, they have been empty. and the university to keep the “I read the Baltimore Sun this The CRP began at Penn State in member of the Jewish Student While the program at UMBC program running. morning. I feel so disconnected 1997. Over time, it expanded, and Union and Political Science was initially started and funded In response to queries on from what’s going on in Baltimore major, said “I don’t think I like by the Vice President of Student myUMBC two weeks ago, Cook sometimes,” freshman Susanna free copies of publications around the idea of a two-state solution. reassured students that the Campbell said. in 2007, UMBC began offering I would rather prefer a one- longer had the funds to support program “will be returning to Once the papers return, Cook UMBC currently include the New state solution for the Middle Affairs,it. Former by SGA 2009, President the office Yasmin no the campus within the next few emphasizes that when done Yorkcampus. Times Newspapers, the Baltimore offered Sun at East where everyone can live in weeks.” reading them, students should and USA Today. harmony and peace.” partnership using funds from Many students will be relieved leave the newspapers around While the region is vying for KarimianSGAs treasury. offered to continue the to hear this, as they believe [email protected] peace, some remain skeptical about the bid for statehood. for others to find, rather than “Both sides have failed to show over a long enough time that they have the courage to make a negotiated settlement work,” Notes from the Newsroom said Brigid Starkey, professor of Political Science at UMBC. “So, it is a bold, symbolic move for By Olivia ignacio rates for the city alone. With unemployment work but risk any chance Abbas to make. I am not sure it News Editor But at the same time the looming over us more of a pay raise or promotion gets us to a better place than the Department of Education than ever, people are due to lack of education. failed peace talks. But maybe it The Maryland State delivered this news, paying closer attention Or that person could finish Department of Education will infuse negotiations with they announced that the to the value of education, their entire education, more urgency.” recently reported that dropout rate has also which accounts for the accumulate tens of state public schools saw The scene in the Middle increased. The rate is now higher graduation rate. thousands in debt, struggle East has been dramatically higher graduation rates in at 3.2 percent for Maryland Additionally, community to find a job and take years late June than in any other changing in the past year public schools, up from 2.5 colleges are seeing soaring to break even. with the Arab Spring and now year. Eighty-seven percent percent. These numbers enrollment rates, according This issue isn’t so black of high school students with the Palestinian bid for reflect particularly those of to U.S. News and World and white to me, though. statehood. With an upcoming graduated. This is a half- Baltimore City which also Report. Evidence shows For instance, plenty of percent increase from U.S. Presidential election, saw an increase in high that the poor economy also students (including myself) this matter will prove to be last year and a 2 percent school dropouts. affects the dropout rate as both work and go to school. increase since 2007. increasingly contentious. Past So why the change in many students are leaving With a little elbow grease, presidents have always spoken Liz Bowie for the numbers? Well, both the school to go to work, even plenty of sleepless nights Baltimore Sun attributes about a solution in the Middle graduation and dropout if it means working for and even a few tears, we’ll East but have gotten nowhere. this success in part to rates could be attributed to minimum wage. be saying to ourselves: recent improvements in President Obama has a real the same thing: the current It’s both sad and what recession? chance to make something Baltimore City’s graduation economic climate. We’re frustrating how it seems and retention efforts, happen now and the whole all probably sick of hearing like all of this adds up to world will be watching closely. which were responsible for this, but lets face the facts. make one vicious cycle. A [email protected] an increase in graduation It’s true. person could quit school to [email protected]