The University of Maryland’s Independent Student Newspaper
T H U R S DAY, N O V E M B E R 13 , 2 01 4
Purple Line fate uncertain post-election that the state should focus on fixing its “crumbling roads and bridges” before investing in new projects. Since his election on Nov. 4, Hogan has declined to comment on By Jon Banister Purple Line, which would connect @J_Banister this university to Bethesda and New any policy issues. His aides said he is Senior staff writer Carrollton and is slated to begin de- using the transition to discuss issues such as the Purple Line and won’t velopment in 2015. During the second debate, Hogan announce his plans until after he is While this state prepares for a new governor, some are question- said he opposed mass transit projects, sworn in on Jan. 21. Meanwhile, local ing his stance on construction of the including the Purple Line, stating politicians and university officials
Despite years of planning, scheduled construction, governor-elect has said funds better spent on roads
said they will push Hogan to support Purple Line construction. The project is expected to cost about $2.5 billion and is scheduled to open in 2020 after its five-year construction. The rail would have four stops in College Park, including one on Campus Drive near Stamp Student Union. See purple, Page 3
members of the SGA debate legislation at an Oct. 27 meeting. james levin/the diamondback
CUTTING OUT CANCER
SGA voices support for marijuana Officials pass bill applauding legal, regulated, taxed weed
Univ, local barbershops partner for colorectal cancer prevention
By Taylor Swaak @tswaak27 Staff writer Shortly after Washington legalized limited possession and cultivation of marijuana Nov. 4, the SGA pushed forward with legislation of its own. The Student Government Association passed a resolution supporting the legalization, regulation and taxation of marijuana with a 19-4 vote Nov. 5. T wo voters abstained. “We decided to bring it up now especially because of the legalization in D.C. that passed on Election Day,” said Aditya Dilip, a senior government and politics major and member of the Committee on Governmental Affairs, which wrote the resolution. “We figured it was time, and it was something that was interesting and something that needed to be addressed sooner or later.” See sga, Page 2
By Erin Serpico @erin_serpico Senior staff writer Every day Fred Spry goes into work, he sees about 50 different clients for haircuts or shaves, and he’s grown close to many of them. The 37-year-old barber from Chevy Chase has owned The Shop in Hyattsville for 13 years, but he never thought he would also be advocating his customers’ health while doing their hair. He never thought he’d potentially be saving their lives. “[Colorectal cancer] is a silent killer,” Spry said. “A lot of guys, they don’t go see regular doctors, they don’t go to regular checkups, and they feel more comfortable talking to us about everything Fred Spry, owner of a salon and barbershop in Hyattsville called The Shop, is partnering with the Maryland Center for Health Equity in the public health school. He is implementing a program in his shop to spread awareness and encourage patrons to get preventative cancer screenings. rachel george/the diamondback
Facilities Management moves forward with asbestos removal
With Rosetta success, a victory for U researchers
Dining hall, library most recent projects By Jeremy Snow @JeremyM_Snow Senior staff writer
Watch party celebrates comet landing mission By Marissa Horn @MarissaL_Horn Staff writer
Roald Sagdeev, a distinguished physics professor, speaks to the crowd about the Rosetta comet landing mission at the viewing party in the Physical Sciences Complex. james levin/the diamondback
The first-ever spacecraft landed on sun-orbiting-comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko yesterday, ending its 10 years of space travel and starting a new mission with university researchers’ help. Students and faculty members celebrated the landing of the craft, Philae, and its attached robotic probing device, Rosetta, on the comet at 11:03 a.m. after it experienced some complications with the landing gear, said astronomy professor Jessica Sunshine. About 150 viewers donned 3-D glasses to watch the landing live feed in the Physical Sciences Complex while erupting with excitement when the European Space Agency headquarters in Germany confirmed the landing.
University professor Michael A’Hearn, one of the lead investigators for the Rosetta mission, appeared onscreen during the live feed yesterday. He moved to Germany earlier this year to be closer to the headquarters and is not teaching this semester. “This mission has been around for so long and so far in the future, so it’s been like Rosetta’s going to do that,” said Tony Farnham, an astronomy senior research scientist. “Well, it’s here. This is the day we’ve been waiting for to see and actually sit down and play with a comet.” This landing will significantly change and advance scientific knowledge about comets, Farnham said. “I am very excited for tomorrow’s landing event,” Lori Feaga, a university astronomy researcher, said
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Tuesday. “We will learn a lot about the characteristics of the comet based on [the] outcome of the landing.” After the Philae landing, Rosetta will continue to orbit the comet for the next year, though Rosetta would have continued even if the landing did not go as planned, Feaga said. Physics professor Roald Sagdeev p ro v i d e d c o m m e n t a r y a t t h e viewing event, using his past experience as the director of the Soviet space program. “With technology, the recipe was very simple,” Sagdeev said. In 2004, NASA partnered with university researchers to launch Philae in hopes that it would get to comet 67P to study the surface. See comet, Page 3
Facilities Management has removed asbestos from 10 to 12 campus buildings this semester, including South Campus Dining Hall and McKeldin Library, but students should not be worried, officials said. Julius Williams, contract construction supervisor for hazardous and material services, said the efforts are the latest in Facilities Management’s decade-long effort to rid campus buildings of the potentially toxic material. “People should certainly not be concerned about it,” said Jack Baker, Facilities Management operations and maintenance director. “We do projects like this all the time, and it is a very, very safe and very common procedure.” Teams already have removed asbestos from circulation areas of McKeldin from Nov. 7 through last Friday and from the dining hall on Oct. 31, Williams said. Over winter
break, officials will work on four to five more projects at the Chemistry Building, the Benjamin Building and H.J. Patterson Hall, among others, Williams said. The buildings containing asbestos are “completely safe,” Baker said, thanks to the small amount present in the buildings and the form it is in. Asbestos is harmful only when pulverized or in a powder form, when the dangerous chemical fibers can be inhaled and cause serious lung damage. The asbestos on the campus is intact, he said. Five to 10 years ago, Facilities Management removed any traces of asbestos from the ceiling tiles and dorms across the campus, but some remains in the tile floors, pipe installations or mechanical rooms of older buildings, Baker said. “When doing a renovation project, we just take the opportunity to get rid of it, so it never has to be a concern again,” he said. In the 1960s and 1970s, facilities officials frequently used asbestos in building construction, brake pads and fire retardants, before discovering its harmful effect, Baker said. It is no longer used because of the major See asbestos, Page 3
SPORTS
OPINION
FRESHMEN TAKE CENTER STAGE
STAFF EDITORIAL: Assessing voting districts
Turgeon prepares to lean on class of rookies when the Terps open their season tomorrow against Wagner at Xfinity Center P. 8
This state needs to find a solution for gerrymandering P. 4 DIVERSIONS
A PRETTY PENNY (BOARD) Small plastic skateboards are growing in popularity P. 6