Newsroom.........(410) 455 1260 E Advertising........(410) 455 1261 Editor in Chief....(410) 455 1262 ETRIEVER Business fax.......(410) 455 1265 Web site...............trw.umbc.edu H [email protected] T WEEKLY R“The crisis of journalism is a crisis of conviction.” —Tom Rosenstiel Volume ?,38, Number Number ? 14 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 DecemberMonth Day, 2, 2003Year Inside Students Starve for Change in First Year Protest of World Hunger Seminars Diversity Affairs of the 30th wanted to stress that the problem CHARLES J. ELLIS annual Oxfam Hunger Awareness of hunger desperately needs atten- Beneficial Retriever Weekly Staff Writer Banquet. Wilson’s compelling tion and that students can cause News..........page 01 introduction to the program set change,” explained Wilson, RESHMA DESAI The UMBC chapter of the stage for an evening of “additionally, we are providing an Retriever Weekly Staff Writer Get the real deal Oxfam America recently held its demonstration as well as educa- opportunity to actually send a on Wood Food, annual Hunger Awareness tion regarding a pressing matter message to local politicians…” All colleges and universi- and one student Banquet, inspiring a conception of world hunger. Students were The banquet was a culmina- ties aim to retain as many stu- writes a novel in of the pressing issue of global treated to an enlightening experi- tion of the Oxfam Homelessness dents as possible and give them thirty days. famine through a creative dining ence at the Nov. 18 “banquet”, and Hunger Awareness campaign the best possible resources. Part experience for students in atten- which engaged guests in a finan- across the UMBC campus two of UMBC’s efforts to these dance. “Tonight, is a metaphor for cial/social class simulation and weeks ago. Students participated ends is a relatively new pro- how food and resources are dis- enforced a message of urgency to in the campaign by “fasting for gram called First Year Seminars tributed throughout the world…” provide assistance in battling charity” in an event entitled “Fast (FYS). beamed Alicia Wilson, Master of poverty on a global level. “This FYS offers a variety of Ceremony and Director of year we [Oxfam organization] see HUNGER, page 4 courses and give students the Opinion.....page 11 chance to network amongst peers, as well as professors, in Debate on Iraq, an environment that helps contrasting views smooth the transition from high of exploration, school to college. “The semi- and tips for holi- nars are open to any first-time day travel. student, not just freshman…even new transfer students can enroll in the cours- es,” said Jill Randles, from the Office of the Provost. The courses are divided into two categories: Academic Features.....page 20 Seminars and “success semi- Stepping into the nars”. Academic seminars carry Holiday Spirit the same weight as any other amid rhymes and class and follow the same for- do-not-buys. mat. “They are three or four credit classes that require as much effort as any other class- es,” noted Zimmerman. Success seminars, on the other hand, are one credit and focus on aiding the college stu- dent on a broader level, rather than focusing on any particular Sports........page 31 discipline. Such seminars are Men’s Bball wins intended more to familiarize Charles J. Ellis / Retriever Weekly Staff the student with skills such as Battle of Stopping World Hunger One Can at a Time: Sigma Alpha Epsilon collects canned food to be effective studying and time Baltimore again dnoated to those in need. and Swimming is management, said Zimmerman. at George Mason. SCAN@UMBC Addresses Student Also check out: college news........page 2 Opposition To Tuition Hikes world news..........page 3 classifieds.............page 39 RYAN CARR Statewide Development Director, higher education” in Maryland, Retriever Weekly Staff Writer Nate Kennedy, is to give students a explained Daly. He said that one of “strong, unified voice” against the reasons higher education has four-day forecast The recent 9.4% tuition tuition increases and cuts to higher been cut in Annapolis recently is that Tuesday: sunny, low 23, high increase has become a major issue at education in Maryland. Kennedy, “there is no lobbying from stu- 41 public universities across the state. along with SCAN’s President, Tim dents… how is higher education However, while many students are Daly, and two Maryland supposed to be a priority when Wednesday: mostly sunny, low 22, high 39 no doubt opposed to this increase, Congressmen, Senator Phil Jimeno there’s no lobbying?” He also not all of them are sure how to go and Delegate Jimmy Malone, were pointed out that Maryland is dif- Thursday: mostly sunny, low 28, high 43 about fighting it. The newly-formed in attendance at a conference in the ferent from other states in that, Student Citizens’ Action Network Administration building on Friday, while Maryland colleges offer sig- Lakin Jones / Retriever Weekly Staff Friday: showers, low 37, high 47 (SCAN) hopes to change that. Nov 21, to get students involved nificant financial aid to their stu- Students at UMBC have recent- with UMBC’s chapter of SCAN, dents, “there is not enough financial According to Randles, FYS ly organized a chapter of SCAN, a and to give students the facts on the aid to cover financial need.” has been around for two years non-partisan political action com- state of higher education in Some of SCAN’s efforts have now and is successfully expand- mittee based in College Park. Maryland. SCAN’s purpose, according to its “There is a serious crisis for see SCAN page 2 see SUCCESS page 6 Page 2 THE RETRIEVER WEEKLY NEWS Decenber 2, 2003 BehindtheScenes College News Community Director Katie College Uneasy About Walrod: New to UMBC Its Future RYAN DORRILL of what she wanted to do in life, so she went Retriever Weekly Staff Writer to James Madison to get her M.A. in educa- (WASHINGTON POST) The rapidly ris- tion with a focus on college student person- ing student population at the College of Katie Walrod, one of the school’s nel. Southern Maryland, coupled with state fund- several new community directors, says After finishing at JMU she came to ing cuts, have begun to threaten the institu- she really enjoys her job working with UMBC for an interview. While here, she got Ryan Dorrill / Retriever Weekly Staff tion’s continued success, college officials said Patapsco’s residents and RAs. Her job the opportunity to meet a lot of students and is, in many ways, to guide students of decided that this was a place where she could A True Newbie: A stranger here her- during their annual report to the Charles self, Walrod identifies with freshmen. County commissioners last week. all sorts through their new experiences feel at home. She really likes the small school Since 2000, enrollment at the community in college living. She spends a lot of atmosphere because she feels that it helps her wanting a friendly ear to talk to, or some college, which has four locations in Southern time training the RAs and guiding them get to know much of UMBC’s diverse popu- cooking tips, should seek Katie out in her Maryland, has risen 26 percent to 20,134 stu- through their experiences as communi- lation. office in Patapsco first south. dents. It is now the seventh-largest undergrad- ty leaders and also mediates everyone As community director, she’s always uate college in the state and home to 59 per- from the desk staff to the new freshman working on new ways to meet the students cent of Maryland undergraduates from students, with whom she has a lot in and staff and get them involved. When she’s Quick Questions: Charles, Calvert and St. Mary’s counties. common. not working on creating new CAB activities But state budget problems have led to Katie herself is new to the UMBC and programs with the RAs Katie is often 1. What is your favorite board funding cuts at the college, lopping off an esti- experience because she just began working on staff bonding. Over the summer game? mated $1.7 million this fiscal year, to the point working here this year. She sometimes on the first day of training she sprained her eats at the dining hall for lunch but ankle during one of the bonding activities. where the school receives 12 percent less “I have two actually. One is ‘Sequence’, money per student compared with three years usually tries to make her own meals for They all get along great now; since then, they dinner. have always teased her about it. a game where you really have to think. The ago. other is ‘Scene It’, the DVD game. I could “We’re looking at a big problem,” CSM “I’ll cook whatever I can without Katie has a lot of hobbies to keep her giving myself salmonella or burning busy when she’s not training RA’s or helping even beat Eric Hoffman [Potomac’s commu- President Elaine Ryan said in an interview. nity director] at it.” “There’s a general erosion of the college’s anything,” she laughs. Like many of students. She likes to work out at UMBC’s the freshmen, she’s trying to improve gym and go bike riding to stay in shape. infrastructure as a result of the budget cuts. 2. Who is your favorite movie When you’re not replacing computers, or rais- her own cooking so she doesn’t have to She’s been on a 60 mile trail ride in Salisbury, ing teacher salaries, or by just doing general rely as much on oft-bemoaned dining but she hasn’t taken her bike off road to character? budget reductions .