The University of Maryland’s Independent Student Newspaper
T H U R S DAY, M A R C H 2 6 , 2 015
U officials respond to email with action plan Viral offensive email author will not return to campus this semester By Talia Richman and Joe Zimmermann @TaliRichman, @JoeMacZim Senior staff writers
to provide us with a product that we will derive a recipe from,” said Tumlin, who has held a variety of positions at the university, such as production manager, catering chef and manager chef. At the three-year-old market’s spring opening yesterday, patrons watched Tumlin prepare a spring salad. He discussed how to handle the food and bring out the flavors as he sliced and diced. Junior Laura Dally stayed for the demo’s entirety to pick up a few pointers. “I live in an apartment and I am learning to cook
The former Kappa Sigma member who sent the now-viral offensive email in January 2014 will not be returning to the campus this semester “by mutual consent between the student involved, his family and the University,” according to an email Vice President for Student Affairs Linda Clement sent last night. Clement, along with university President Wallace Loh, Chief Diversity Officer Kumea Shorter-Gooden and Assistant President and Chief of Staff Michele Eastman, met with student group leaders earlier in the day to discuss how to heal from the incident. The student’s email, which surfaced online two weeks ago, used racist and sexist language, including the phrase “f--- consent.” “The focus of our discussion was how to move beyond the email, how our community, working together, can cultivate and maintain a healthy culture of respect, diversity, and equity,” Clement wrote. Clement’s email includes a list of measures already in the works, including the creation of a multicultural
See food, Page 3
See email, Page 2
KEVIN FRYC, president of this university’s chapter of Kappa Sigma, makes a statement during last night’s Greek life forum. sung-min kim/the diamondback
200 turn out for Greek life open forum on diversity Students call for culture change after offensive fraternity email leaks By Grace Toohey @grace_2e Senior staff writer After reading the offensive email a former Kappa Sigma fraternity member sent in January 2014, Mattie Roesler, a new member of Alpha Chi Omega, said she is scared. “I’m scared to go to parties. I’m scared to be drugged. I’m just scared,” said Roesler, a freshman economics major, at a Greek community forum last night. “Older sisters warn us and tell us to pair up. Our pledge mom warns us not to take drinks out of this cup. … I don’t want to be scared.” More than 200 members of this university’s Greek Life organizations listened and shared at the open forum, addressing concerns, fears, regrets and plans to move forward from the leaked email. T he em a i l, wh ich app ea red online two weeks ago, used racial slu rs, sex ist la ng uage a nd the phrase “f--- consent.” “There’s stuff we need to do to make freshmen like me want to stay in this and want to invite other people into it and make it a safe community,” Roesler said. Some members of this university’s K appa Sig m a f ratern ity chapter attended and spoke out at the forum, including chapter President Kevin Fryc, who apologized on behalf of his organization for the incident that caused many to criticize the entirety of Greek life. “Yes, it’s unfair, but we’re put in a unique position where we’re under a spotlight right now,” said Fryc, a ju n ior accou nti ng a nd finance major. “A lot of people are looking at us and we can go one way: we can crumble and fall and be known for our faults or we can unite together and really put an end [to these problems].” S e n ior Sh a n non Cl a sh , t he former president of this university’s chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha, a historically black sorority, agreed she would like to create a united front among Greek life organizations. But she doesn’t see it as that way currently — as a black woman, Clash said she is uncomfortable. See greek, Page 2
LARRY TUMLIN, new farmers market manager, prepares a spring salad with greens from Terp Farm as part of a cooking demo. stephanie natoli/the diamondback
COOKING UP A NEW BEGINNING Univ farmers market opens anew after management change By Joe Atmonavage @fus_dbk Staff writer Larry Tumlin has been cooking and prepping food behind the scenes at this university for 23 years, but now he’ll be doing it in front of an audience. Tumlin is the new manager of this university’s farmers market, and as part of an expansion of the market’s offerings, he will be putting on a cooking demonstration every Wednesday at noon to show off produce from vendors and Terp Farm. “We have a spotlight on them, and we ask them
Univ to revise policies after disability discrimination case By Ellie Silverman @esilverman11 Senior staff writer This university entered into a n ag reement w ith the U.S. Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights on Monday to resolve a disability discrimination complaint and revise current disability procedures,
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The agreement with the Education Department requires the university to improve its handling of academic adjustments for students with disabilities and adjust its grievance procedures by Oct. 1 to include information such as notice of where to file a complaint; parties’ right to appeal the complaint findings; and “adequate, reliable, and impartial” investigations of complaints.
The student who filed the complaint has dyslexia, a working memory deficiency and ADHD, according to legal documents from Michael Rosofsky, the attorney for the complainant. The student’s accommodations requ i red a n academ ic adjustment to allow time-and-a-half for See DISABILITY, Page 3
LGBT Equity Center creates academic group for students Lavender Honor Society praises LGBT leadership By Jess Nocera @jessmnocera Staff writer For Alexander Novarro, it has been an ongoing struggle to merge being part of the LGBT community with his academic and professional life. But with the creation of the Lavender Leadership Honor Society this semester, he will now have an outlet to do so. The honor society, an initiative of the university’s LGBT Equity Center, will create a community space for those who want to lead in LGBT inclusion, said center Associate Director Nick Sakurai. Sakurai was a key staff member in the formation of the honor society after he said he noticed a gap in inclusion communication
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according to a notification letter. The complaint alleged that a university professor “retaliated” against a student with an approved disabilities accommodation form and failed to accommodate the student, and that this university did not have sufficient procedures to address disability discrimination complaints — all of which violate the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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among 17 LGBT organizations on the campus. “A lot of people aren’t aware of the LGBT inclusion work that is happening on campus, and this creates more [of a] place where they can,” Sakurai said. “It is as much as creating a network as well as recognizing people for their accomplishments.” Leaders from all of the groups will be able to come together for more collaboration and recognition of each other in the society, he said. The group will provide a space for people with similar passions, rather than forming an exclusive club, according to the Equity Center’s newsletter. Novarro, a second-year biology doctoral candidate and a founding member of the society, said he hopes the honor society builds “a community on campus, more resources
nick sakurai, LGBT Equity Center associate director, runs a training session on LGBT inclusion in May 2014. Sakurai is helping to create a safe space for LGBT students with an honor society. file photo/the diamondback and greater supporter systems in the LGBT community.” Novarro was previously the co-facilitator of Trans U and is the current president of this university’s chapter of OUT! in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. He said he hopes to use the skills he devel-
ops in the society and translate it to OUT! Earlier in this semester, he attended the Lavender Leadership Retreat along with other students from this university to learn leadership skills See society, Page 3
SPORTS IMPROVING DOWN LOW
OPINION
The Terps women’s basketball team is looking for enhanced play from centers Brionna Jones and Malina Howard in Sweet 16 matchup with No. 4-seed Duke P. 8
Professors need thorough training on accommodations P. 4
STAFF EDITORIAL: Students with disabilities
DIVERSIONS
A JR. WITH AN OLD SOUL Tobias Jesso Jr. delights crowd at Washington show P. 6