THE ETRIEVER E E KLY "Journalism is not a vast left-wing conspiracy, as some conservatives like to think. It is a bunch of people who tend to agree too much." - R. Ailes Volume XXXV, Number 14 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 December 5, 2000 AIDS Awareness: Homecoming Returns Quilt is to UMBC in Disguise • JADALOKEMAN inside. Others chose masks that Retriever Weekly Staff Writer were arranged on atable to put on Reminder before they entered. The general Midnight Masquerade, mood was busy and familiar. UMBC 's first Homecoming Everyone was excited to be out of Disease dance was held last Friday night - looking good on this occasion. in the UC Ballroom. Men came to Inside, love was in the air. As SARAH ANDREWS an event that extended into the the weather outside turned colder, Retriever Weekly Editorial Staff night wearing masks of stoic many students were studying up expression. Women dressed in on the fine art of nuzzling. A A viewing of a portion of the party gowns and dresses and held sparse amount of chairs with NAMES Project AIDS Memorial frilly and feathery masks attached black and gold balloons tied to Quilt last week reminded the . to handles to hide their faces. The their backs lined the walls. The UMBC community that AIDS students were very sociable and decorations and soft lighting con­ continues to kill, despite the less concerned with anonymity. tributed to a romantic atmosphere availability of drugs to control the No one here needed an invitation which would prove unnecessary. disease. to have fun, nor did they need an The emphasis was on dancing. "People think AIDS is not a additional reason to party. Jeremy Wustner-Brown/Retriever Weekly Staff "I'm real excited because I can problem anymore," said UMBC Dancing Dawgs: The Midnight Masquerade brought out the Around 11:20 p.m., a crowd of get to dance, and it's the first senior Samantha Riley, who is UMBC community for a night of dancing and fun. well-dressed students assembled Homecoming," explained student involved with ANGELS, the in the lobby adjacent to the ball­ Leah Sanford. The jovial mood awareness and activist organiza­ room. Most ~ere couples. Some tion that organized the Quilt posed for pictures before going see DANCE, page 2 viewing and other events as part Food Vendors Vying of AIDS Awareness Week. "People forget that it's still a killer." for UMBC Contract ·Riley said that several people had taken time to walk through the library gallery, where a small Take Suggestions part of the Quilt was displayed on sion revolved around whether Friday. Sophomores Erin ROBERT REDDING Late Night should be served at the Leatherwood and Michael Retriever Weekly Staff Writer Madsen were among those who University Commons as well as stopped by. "It's something I've The eight companies bidding the dining Hall. The consensus always wanted to look at," for the $20 million Food Service was that Late Night at the Leatherwood said. "This tribute is contract took suggestions and Commons would be better for something everyone should take comments from students and fac­ commuters while resident stu­ the time to see. It makes people ulty on what they would like to dents, are more likely to go to Late aware." see next year during a town hall Night at the dining hall. Each quilt panel is unique, and meeting last week. Despite company representa­ has been created by friends or Representatives from Sudexo, tives' desire to only run one Late family members of someone who Charwells, Thompson Hospitality, Night operation, Associate Vice had died of AIDS complications. Wood, Classic Catering and Acorn President of Student Affairs Some panels included hand-writ­ were there as well as three mem­ Debbie Moriarty said "there's a ten prayers and poems, a teddy bers of the Campus Food Service need to have two places for Late bear, a photograph. Committee who hosted the pro­ Night so that commuters don't The entire Quilt is composed gram. feel like they have to go into of more than 43,000 panels, and The new contract, once signed, someone else's house to get a includes over 83,000 names, will begin after the Wood meal." according to information provid- Student Rachel Leavey added, Valery Viner I Retriever Weekly Staff Company's contract expires in Greek Love: Angelic Eric Messener and Briana Ratterman in the July. stunning theatre production of Orpheus. see QUILT, page 3 A central issue of the discus- see FOOD, page 3 Abby Foster and Adam Hopkins cast on deaths door in out, winter is remains unbeaten their votes on the Orpheus, Anna Kaplan is here, and that the women play hard Electoral College while unimpressed by Eileen means it's the versus the Terps, Dave Chen releases Cowin s art humor and most wonderful Kennedy Okafor is angst over apathy, and Stephanie Rawlings falls time of the year: profiled and Pratik Stephanie Rawlings for the new Center the holidays. Shah on the the prefers plastic to pine. Stage production. PAGE2 THE RETRIEVER WEEKLY NEWS December 5, 2000 I ehind I the Scenes Thfts U. Students End Sit-in (U-WIRE) MEDFORD, Mass. - Tufts Over 33 Years, Retiring English Professor Philip Landon Has University President John DiBiaggio sent Watched UMBC Grow and the Orioles Continually Disappoint out a mass e-mail to the Tufts community Wednesday affirming specific sections of SCOTT DAUGHERTY an old student he explained, after he Tufts' nondiscrimination policy, in particular Retriever Weekly Editorial Staff made a comment to his class about the areas covering self-acceptance of identity. movie. In the movie Brad Pitt acknowl­ The statement prompted the 20 students who UMBC opened in the fall of edged he didn't read books, but rather staged a 35-hour sit-in in Bendetson Hall to 1966 on the former farm of Spring Cliff's Notes instead, and in the end, his end their protest and claim victory in their Grove Mental institute. Few academic wife was killed. battle to get the administration to address the building existed at its opening and little Although formally trained in issue of discrimination on campus. new construction was occurring to During the protest, the students, most of 19th Century American Literature, make room for a young Philip Landon whom are members of the group formerly American Film is becoming increasing­ in the English Department. A recent known as Tufts Students Against ly integral to his life. Landon teaches a product of the College Park English Discrimination (TSAD), demanded that the Winter Session class on American Film administration affirm two aspects of the Graduate program, Landon joined and enjoys seeing movies as part of his nondiscrimination policy: self-acceptance of UMBC in its sophomore year of 1967. personal life. one's identity and the applicability of the He taught classes in what is now the Landon also is active in the policy to external organizations operating at Biology building, but was then the UMBC Honors Program in English and Tufts. "Everything" building. teaches Introduction to Honors Project, DiBiaggio met with a team of student "[UMBC] has gotten a lot big­ ENGL 399H, and Senior Honors Project negotiators and released a statement meeting ger," said Landon. The campus consist­ Valery Viner/Retriever Weekly Staff ENGL499H. those conditions. ed entirely of the Biology Building, UMBC his first and only institution of Landon's coming retirement The protestors left the admissions build­ Lecture Hall 1, and a few other building Higher Learning. "I didn't think that much will be spent divided among many dif­ ing that evening and were met by approxi­ remaining from the campus' days as about it," Landon said. "In those days the ferent endeavors he is currently mately 50 students and faculty who greeted Spring Grove State Hospital's farm, jobs were plentiful." involved in. He is a Guest Editor for them with applause. Julie Catalano, the stu­ including Hillcrest. He never left UMBC though and Film and History, a scholarly journal, dent whose complaint of discrimination And after 33 years -at UMBC, has witnessed the school's growth over the and also is an active participant in the against the Tufts Christian Fellowship (TCF) Landon is leaving the school. years. In the early '70s the English Popular Culture Association. The one­ last spring started this col)troversy, was the "I had planned to retire a year time Massachusetts resident also enjoys second student to leave the building. Department had offices in the newly built from this spring, but a number of things dormitories. returning to New England, specifically a As she exited, Catalano shouted "I got came up that made it seem like a good my policy." Although she declined to com­ The back of the door to his current summer home in Maine. idea to leave a year early," said Landon, office on the fourth of the Fine Arts build­ Landon acknowledges that he ment specifically on the TCF, she did say who says he has been a professor long that she was once again proud to be a student ing is covered with newspaper clippings has enjoyed his time at UMBC. "I will enough and is looking forward to at Tufts. about the Baltimore Orioles and the good miss the students here especially." He spending more time with his family. TSAD held a brief press conference after games they have played over the years. believes that future UMBC students will He came to the Baltimore area it relinquished the admissions office, during Landon explains the clippings are a practi­ do fine without his tutelage though.