Towson’s campus and community news source
TheTowerlight.com
October 11, 2016
R U O T E D
How the changes to Towson’s campus are affecting students this semester pg.7
Photo By Cody Boteler, Photo Illustration by Jordan Stephenson /The Towerlight
2
October 11 , 2016
Advertising
Social
October 4, 2016
Week of 10/11 - 10/15
WEEKLY
Editor-in-Chief Cody Boteler Senior Editor Sam Shelton
CALENDAR
News Editor Sarah Rowan Arts & Life Editor Assit. Arts Editors Taylor Deville Kristin Helf Sports Editor Jordan Cope
OCT
Staff Writers Lauren Cosca Nick Mason Sydney Douglass Desmond Boyle Alaina Tepper
11
Bailey Hendricks Theresa Schempp Mary-Ellen Davis Jessica Ricks Sarah Van Wie Amanda Carrol
PollenSpecialzation in Mid-Atlantic Bees Smith 359, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Hear from Sam Droege how most plantings for pollinators do little for native bee conservation.
Nicole Shakhnazarova
Senior Staff Writer Nilo Exar Photo Editor Chris Simms Assist. Photo Editor Alex Best
OCT
13
Staff Photographers Cody Boteler Mark Dragon Sam Shelton
Rise Up: One Woman’s Story of Success
Proofreaders Kayla Baines
OCT
15
Alex Best Tyisha Henderson Stephanie Ranque Sarah Rowan Alaina Tepper
12
Hear from co-authors Brenden Kiely and Jason Reynolds about their novel All American Boys.
University Union, Potomac 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Hear Congresswomen Donna Edwards speak on overcoming the odds to become a congresswomen in a predominantly white male political system.
Stephanie Ranque Video Producer Stacey Coles
All American Boys WV Ballrooms, 6:30 p.m.
OCT
Noche Latina: Noche De Los Muertos
Flashback Friday Films Univeristy Union 313, 6:00 p.m. Come and watch films from the past with fellow Towson students focusing on race, gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.
OCT
14
WV Commons 7:00-1:00 p.m. A free event hosted by the Latino American Students Orginizatoin featuring food, dancing and entertainment.
General Manager Mike Raymond
TOWSON
Art Director Jordan Stephenson
TRENDING
Webmaster Lola Akinleye Circulation Staff Shawn Halerz Nilo Exar Abubakary Kaba Alicia DePasquale
Rumors of clowns at Towson
8000 York Road University Union Room 309 Towson, MD 21252 (410) 704-5153 editor@thetowerlight.com thetowerlight.com The Towerlight print edition is published by students of Towson University on Tuesdays. The Towerlight is owned by nonprofit Baltimore Student Media Inc., BaltimoreStudentMedia.com. The Towerlight’s advertising deadlines are firm: Wednesday noon for space; Friday noon for art. Cllassifieds appear onlline and in print and are self-service at TheTowerlight.com/classifieds. We encourage letters to the editor and online feedback. Commentaries, letters to the editor, editorial cartoons and other editorials express the opinions of their authors and not necessarily the views of the newspaper. The Towerlight does not discriminate based on age, color, condition of handicap, marital status, national origin, race, religion, gender or sexual orientation. ©2016 by The Towerlight, 8000 York Rd, Towson, MD 21252. All rights reserved.
Please Recycle!
the clowns have got to towson so I’m just going to die now goodbye world tell my fam I love em @jfoxxy21
These clowns gotta go. There can only be one masked fiend on Towson’s campus. And that’s...ME @TowsonHorse
I don’t think the clowns would want to come to Towson. within 20 minutes of wreaking havoc their calves would be on fire w all these hills
@scarzard
CLOWNS @ TOWSON??? NOO THANK YOU
@faithhfully
3
4
Opinion
October 11 , 2016
What else is there to say? CODY BOTELER Editor-in-Chief @codyboteler
My heart broke when I watched the presidential debate Sunday night. There were a few things that got to me, and I won’t waste any time getting to them. Thing one—it took about a third of the total debate time for either candidate to begin seriously discussing a policy issue. Instead, the entire national (and international) audience was subjected to bickering about past transgressions. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad Anderson Cooper pressed Donald Trump on sexual assault. I’m glad Hillary Clinton is being held accountable for things. But I’m not at all happy that we’re having these discussions during presidential debates, when candidates should be discussing policy. Thing two—Trump said that if he were in charge, Hillary Clinton would be in jail. I don’t know if anyone’s ever
explained it to Trump, but it’s a fundamental tenet of democracy that when you win an election, you don’t throw your opponents in jail. That’s the talk of despots and dictators. Thing three—we’re still, still not taking climate change seriously as an issue. I’m going to keep saying it: The only existential threat to humanity that we have any control over is global climate change. Yes, there are other threats. Nuclear war could kill millions if not billions of people, but I sincerely believe that humanity is better than that. We’re too selfish to destroy ourselves. A giant rock in space could smash Earth to bits, but we can’t do anything about that. A changing climate will alter the planet dramatically. Weather patterns will change. And, if you think we have a refugee problem now, just wait until entire countries are underwater. We’ll have to rethink the way we grow food, the way we handle mass populations moving and the way we generate energy. If we don’t start acting right now
to mitigate further damage from climate change and start preparing for the changes that are already happening and coming our way, our society faces collapse—or at least violent transformation. Thank God for you, Kenneth Bone, for at least tangentially bringing up energy and the environment. Shame on you, Donald Trump, for perpetuating the myth of “clean coal.” Coal Country, I love you. I have fought for you and will fight for you in the future. But we’ve got to stop burning coal. We’ve got to stop burning things for energy. It’s suffocating our planet. I don’t know what else there is I can say about this election. It’s like I’ve run out of things to think and feel. I’m more ashamed by what’s happened this cycle than I thought I could be as an American voter. I hope that the 2018 midterms and the 2020 presidential elections bring back some sense of civility. Some sense of decorum. And some sense of pride in being a citizen of the United States.
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
As Halloween approaches, Towerlight News Editor Sarah Rowan finds somebody to dance with. Have a photo you want to submit? Email senior@thetowerlight.com with your name, the photo and a brief description.
I am not just someone’s daughter Trump, “Access Hollywood’ and my rights as a human being
I usually don’t have a difficult time coming up with things to write about. I’ve got an opinion on absolutely everything, and that makes writing an opinion column a little bit easier. However, this week I was facing some serious writer’s block. The few times that I did come up with subject matter, my creativity would coincidentally have this “thing” she had to go to and would peace out on me. The end of the week was approaching, and I had no idea what I wanted to write about. But then, just as I was losing all hope,
a dim, kind of dusty, orange light came out of the darkness. Let’s talk about Donald Trump. We all know by now that the Donald is pretty damn terrible to women. From his comments about Hillary Clinton, to his comments about Megyn Kelly, to his comments about former Miss Universe Alicia Machado, to his comments about…you get the point. Well folks, I think it’s safe to say Donny has finally done himself in. I mean, he really just took the cake this time. The cake being one that has “You are a Horrible Man!” written on it in stale, green icing. Footage from 2005 of Donald Trump and Billy Bush was dug up and spread online and on-air.
It begins with Donald telling the story of a time he tried to f**k a married woman and was upset when she didn’t respond positively to his advances, probably because she was, you know, married. Then there are, unsurprisingly, disrespectful comments about women’s breasts and physical appearances. Trump then pops a couple Tic Tacs and says, “I’m automatically attracted to beautiful. I just start kissing them… I don’t even wait” as in, “I don’t even wait for consent.” Further, according to Trump, if you’re a “star” and you’re around women, “you can do anything; grab ‘em by the p***y.” That statement is so aggressive and disturbing that my stomach
turned when I heard the audio. Trump is saying he does not pay any regard to consent, and Billy Bush thinks that’s hilarious. Grabbing women and kissing women without consent is a form of sexual violence. That is the behavior and the language of a predator. I would say that, luckily, this is causing people to finally turn away from Trump, but it isn’t lucky. We never should have let him get this far in the first place. And while I’m happy to see other political figures speaking out against him, I’m not super happy with their language, either. It shouldn’t be, “As a grandfather/father/husband/brother I find this wrong.” It should be, “As a human being
I find this wrong.” Women’s rights and lives shouldn’t only matter when someone you know is being affected. You don’t have to be a father or a grandfather to find sexual violence and the language surrounding it horrific. We need a president who will stand up against sexual violence, not perpetuate it. That should be a given. Donald Trump is a hateful, entitled, angry man who never should have been given the amount of power he has. Please, if you haven’t already, register to vote online by Oct. 18 and in person by Nov. 3. Then actually vote in this election. Your vote and your voice matter, and it’s time to speak up.
Opinion
October 11, 2016
5
Hillary takes tied debate Greek Life has come pretty far MATT TEITELBAUM Columnist
Sunday night’s debate was an unprecedented show of genuine animosity between two candidates for political office. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton aren’t merely political opponents, they’re mortal enemies. It all started with the handshake that wasn’t, and it only went downhill from there. Save for a brief moment in which Trump and Clinton were asked by an audience member to say one nice thing about each other, the lack of civility displayed during the one hour and thirty minute forum served as a microcosm for the election as a whole. In short, Clinton was overly rehearsed and lingered too long on her answers, but Trump was god awful to all but his most entrenched supporter. At times, Trump appeared to be on the verge of total collapse. In the midst of a truly massive scandal that
threatens to implode his campaign and possibly the Republican Party in the form of recently uncovered, lewd comments Trump made about women in 2005, Trump sank lower than ever before. He said he would jail Hillary Clinton via a special prosecutorial team if elected. He attacked moderators Anderson Cooper and Martha Raddatz, saying the debate was a “one on three” affair, implying that the moderators actively worked against him despite the fact that he has interrupted his opponent a record number of times in his two debate performances. Most notably, Trump went all out with an attack that alleged Bill Clinton was a serial abuser of women and that Clinton by extension, was his enabler in such alleged transgressions. To all but the most die-hard of Trump’s base of supporters, he appears to be a man with nothing
to lose. His campaign is “collapsing” Clinton said during the debate, in a rare ad lib from of typically well-rehearsed former diplomat. If Sunday was any evidence, she couldn’t have been more right. Even by the most generous standards, Trump merely tied in this debate and that simply won’t do after the events of last weekend. Having suffered the disgusted reactions of nearly every political entity in the US, including senior leaders of his own party to his past comments about women, his position in polls has plummeted while the Republican Party threatens to shatter under the weight of Trump’s collapse. In the coming days, the question isn’t who will be elected president in 2016. It’s whether the Republican Party can survive what is likely to be the worst showing for either party in a presidential election in the 21st century.
TAP INTO WHAT’S HAPPENING ON CAMPUS AND BEYOND. Download The Buzz: Towson University and keep tabs on national headlines, local news and events around campus.
But we still have a lot of work to do
our involvement with other organizations, but it seems that this is rarely acted on. Greek Life is not just Panhellenic and Interfraternity I love Greek Life, and I think Council! There is also the National Towson’s Greek community in parPanhellenic Council, or NPHC, and ticular is amazing. In this semester professional fraternities, and they alone, many chapters have already are all doing a lot of cool things at raised incredible amounts of money Towson. It would be so great if all for their respective philanthropies, the councils made it a priority to recruited great new members and have had some great events here on be more connected. We can all bencampus. I truly believe that Greek efit from attending one another’s Life is making excellent events, meeting new progress to dissolve people and being more negative stereotypes. inclusive. I honestly think From what I have wit3. It’s time to nessed from my own abandon outdated that Greek Life involvement, fraternitraditions: members have ties and sororities alike I’ve already talked good intentions, are returning to the posabout this in previous itive roots of their orgacolumns, but hazing but i also think nizations and focusing needs to go. It’s that there are some on what is important: simple. End of story. friendship, philanthro- problems that need Additionally, some of py, scholarship. the other activities that to be fixed. However, I can’t were started before our turn a blind eye to remaining issues time are outdated. For example, my that I’ve noticed. I honestly think inner feminist has an issue with frathat Greek Life members have good ternities holding pageant-type compeintentions, but I also think there titions to raise money for philanthroare still some problems that need pies. I am all about raising money for to be fixed. charity, but I think there are far better 1. Support for other organizaways to do it. I personally find such tions within your council: events shallow and objectifying, but It’s normal to have some compethat’s just me. There are some other tition between organizations! We events that I also find questionable, often compete against one anothbut I’ll leave it at that for now. I er in philanthropic challenges and just think we should all evaluate our other types of events, but it’s so traditions and decide if they are truly important to remember that we’re making a positive impact. all involved in Greek Life for sim4. Thinking about how we repilar reasons! We need to support resent ourselves: our fellow sororities and fraterniWhen you go Greek, you’re symties more and quit trash-talking. bolically wearing your letters and We all have a lot in common, and representing your organization at we might be missing out on some all times. That said, we should all amazing connections and friendbe constantly striving to exemplify ships by separating ourselves. our organizations’ values. 2. Support for organizations I say all of this with love and outside of your council: respect, because I care about Greek Everyone always talks about the life and what it stands for. need for diversity and expanding Go get ‘em, Tigers.
“
6
October 11 , 2016
Advertising
Get daily Towerlight updates in your inbox!
Monday thru Thursday: We’ll Keep You Posted on Breaking News and TU’s Top Stories
TheTowerlight.com/subscribe
News
October 11, 2016
7
Unpacking the plan Administrators recognize inconveniences caused by campus improvement projects
Over the past week, the Towerlight talked with several administrators about how Towson’s facility changes are affecting students’ day-to-day lives. We also sent out a survey to students online. The results of the survey are not meant to be comprehensive, but were gathered from the students who responded in time. Director of Facilities Planning Kris Phillips understands that the construction projects on campus are not always convenient to students, but said that there is a thoughtful process that goes into all construction planning. The guiding principles of facilities planning are capacity, community and connection, according to Philips, and the main concern with every project is the impact it will have on students. “We really think hard about how we make these connections and about the long-term plan,” Phillips said. Forty percent of survey respondents said that campus feels more crowded this semester than in previous semesters, with respondents reporting heavy pedestrian traffic around the CFA building and within West Village. “From West Village, there’s more traffic coming in since there are more buildings over there,” sophomore Benjamin Soulignavong said. “Across, going toward the CFA there’s a lot of traffic, and the buses come late because all the students are walking across and no cars are getting past.” The majority of respondents also reported that the heaviest pedestrian traffic is at the Union. Constructed in 1972 for a student population of about 11,000, the Union is slated to undergo extensive renovation in the coming years in order to provide more space for dining, retail and student organizations. According to Phillips, facilities on campus that were built in the 1970s and 1980s are coming to the end of their useful life and need to be renovated soon. Seventy-five percent of survey
respondents said that current construction projects have inconvenienced their day-to-day travel on campus, largely in areas surrounding the West Village and Glen bridges, which are closed or partially blocked. “As a disabled student, the closing of the Glen Bridge is a HUGE (sic) problem,” one respondent said. “I am able to get around relatively easier with the bridge, however now that it is closed, I have to rely on the shuttles to take me everywhere besides the Union.” Phillips said that there is a thoughtful plan in progress and that facilities tries to minimize student impact as much as possible during construction projects. “Towson is a healthy university,” Phillips said. “One of the signs of being healthy is that we’re constantly doing renovation and construction.” Parking and Transportation Director of Parking and Transportation Services Pam Mooney said that the only substantial change to parking policy this semester was restricting resident freshmen from having vehicles on campus. “You always have some people that aren’t happy about it,” Mooney said. “We do have exception processes for people who have to work or who have medical needs. We have to accommodate the commuters, the residents, the visitors, the events, everything else that goes on.” The 2015 master plan, an executive summary of Towson’s long-term visions compiled by various departments on campus, reports that the parking demand rose to 6,900 spaces since 2009, with 7,766 spaces available on campus. It also reports an average of more than 750 on-campus parking spaces available daily during peak demand, which tends to be on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Despite this, 84 percent of survey respondents answered that there is inadequate parking for students. “We have plenty of parking on campus, just like we have had for the past four or five years once we built the West Village Garage,” Mooney said. “We have 600 plus empty spaces on our heaviest days, just not where peo-
ple want them. They’re up at the Towson Center and the stadium area.” The demand for parking is highest at the beginning of the semester, but as the semester continues, students tend to learn parking patterns and stop going to class as frequently, according to Mooney. The master plan references the addition of two new garages: one in South Campus on Lot 26 near SECU Arena and the other west of the Administration building. These additions would increase the total number of parking spaces on campus to about 9,490 over the next fifteen years. Housing & Dining According to Director of Housing and Residence Life Ron Butler, there is a definite need for more on-campus student housing, as over 85 percent of first-year students express interest in living on campus. Butler said he hopes that the recently-completed Carroll and Marshall halls are affecting students in a positive way. The two halls added 700 new beds to campus this semester through apartment-style, 2- or 4-person suites. The master plan calls for a new residence hall on the land where the Enrollment Services building is currently located, but because of the office
space utilized by that location, the construction is “not going to happen anytime soon,” according to Butler. Assistant Director of Housing and Residence Life Charlie Briddell said that the master plan can be a “moving target,” and that while renovation plans moving forward have been discussed, they are not definitive at this point. According to Briddell, there is also a plan for a major phased renovation of the Glen Complex in the next four to six years, while the 2015 master plan reports a plan to develop South Campus for residence life and dining with an addition of 1,000-2,000 new beds. However, Butler said that sometimes the master plan can be aspirational. “It’s hard to say that every element of the master plan is going to happen,” Butler said. The Towerlight’s survey found that 71 percent of respondents think that construction at locations like Cook Library’s Starbucks, Newell Dining Hall and the Den has affected dining elsewhere on campus. “I am an EMF major and Newell is right by my classes,” a respondent said. “Also I am in the Hillel, and the Hillel
lounge in Newell is closed due to it.” Survey respondents also reported longer lines and larger crowds at dining halls and la carte locations, which are mostly affected once dining halls close in the evening. “Lines have increased dramatically at Paws and Roadside, especially after the dining halls close,” a respondent said. Students reported concerns that with Towson’s increased enrollment, there are not enough dining services available to meet campus demand. With the renovation of Residence Tower combined with the addition of Carroll and Marshall, the university has had a net gain of 200 resident students this year. Associate Vice President of Auxiliary Services Dan Slattery said that although Towson’s overall enrollment is up slightly, it is not enough to affect demand. “Peak hours are just that, a time when both congestion and service would naturally be adversely affected,” Slattery said in an email. “Given the capacity of [Glen and West Village Commons], they should easily be able to accommodate the extra numbers, but at peak dinner hour might experience slightly longer lines.”
Cody Boteler/ The Towerlight Students eat at Susquehanna Food Court during peak lunch hours. Students have voiced concerns that increased campus enrollment has caused longer lines, larger crowds and fewer available dining options.
8
News
October 11 , 2016
MD Delegate talks accountability in higher education Maryland Delegate Kathy Szeliga, a Republican running for the state’s open senate seat, came to campus last week at the request of communication professor Richard Vatz, who often brings high-profile local politicians to campus. “I’m proud to be an alumni,” Szeliga said in an interview. “There’s a lot of Marylanders that go to Towson, so a lot of voters are here.” As she spoke to the class, she spent some time discussing the current political climate and focusing on her campaign, which she’s tried to keep positive. Vatz teaches rhetoric, and Szeliga, who stood at the front of one of the ballrooms in West Village, engaged the audience as they discussed a handful of political ads. Afterward, she took some questions from the audience—though, perhaps surprisingly, none about Donald Trump. Friday, in a radio debate with Democratic candidate for senate Chris Van Hollen, Szeliga reiterated her support of Donald Trump in the general election. “Just like Congressman Van Hollen is supporting his nominee, I’m supporting my nominee,” Szeliga said during the debate. Later that evening, after the
debate had aired, news of the leaked “Access Hollywood” Trump tapes broke. Dozens of Republicans have since denounced the candidate and rescinded their support of him. Gov. Larry Hogan, who has endorsed Szeliga, has said that he is not supporting the Republican nominee for president. Last year, Vatz arranged for Hogan to come speak on campus. As of early Monday morning, Szeliga has not publicly said anything about her stance on Trump post-“Access Hollywood” leak. While not one of her major platform planks, Szeliga was able to discuss some of the perils facing higher education with The Towerlight. “I think we need to bring some accountability,” Szeliga said in an interview. “I mean, nobody talks about the cost. When I went here, the cost was a fraction of what it is today.” She said she wanted to look at the way that degrees are connected to the workforce. “When you get a degree in this, what is the job that you’re going to be prepared for?” she asked. “I’m worried about students graduating without knowing that information.” And, as she took questions from students after her presentation, some students grappled with the fear of not being able to find a job after graduation.
Cody Boteler/ The Towerlight Maryland Delegate Kathy Szeliga speaks to professor Richard Vatz’s rhetoric class Oct. 4 in West Village. “There are a lot of jobs that are available,” Szeliga said. “I hope that Towson University is telling you what they are.” She said there are millions of available jobs in the country—many that are in the trades, like electrical or plumbing work. She said she’d like to see high schools begin teaching trade work again. One of the main issues listed on Szeliga’s campaign website is
protecting Maryland agriculture— something especially important on the Eastern Shore. “Agriculture is such an important, important part of our economy, and it’s important we protect our food supply,” Szeliga said in an interview. Asked how she’d balance protecting the Chesapeake Bay—another critically important part of the Maryland economy—with preserving state agriculture, however, she
defaulted to defending agriculture, saying, “Having a safe food supply and a reliable food supply is so important, we have got to protect agriculture. I don’t want to be eating food from other countries when we have so much valuable land here.” Szeliga, the minority whip in the House of Delegates, and Van Hollen, a member of congress since 2003, are scheduled to appear in a televised debate Oct. 26 on WJZ.
TU NAACP plans football sit-in SGA inaugurates Freshman Council The Towson University chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People encouraged spectators at Towson’s Oct. 8 home game against Stony Brook University to remain seated for the national anthem “as a symbol for peaceful protest to recent injustices,” according to a flyer that circulated online. “The experiences of ethnic minorities, particularly AfricanAmericans and Hispanic-Americans, is not reflected in the phrase, ‘the land of the free,’” Towson NAACP president Destini Collins said. “Today, that lack of inclusion is still relevant. We hope that students will
reflect on the national anthem, a moment of patriotism, with a different perspective.” This sit-in was a response to recent backlash against San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick for his refusal to stand during the National Anthem before football games to protest racial oppression and inequality in the United States.. “I think it’s become so blatantly obvious that athletes and people in general have to react,” Kaepernick said, according to ESPN. “It’s not something that, with social media, there’s so many instances where it’s instantly to and you see these things every day, day after day and that’s hard.” For a number of people, this brings them not only hope, but a sense that their concerns are being heard – for them, Kaepernick is their voice. “As members of a community, we each have an individual responsibility to protect the rights and liberties
of one another,” Collins said. “As an organization, our purpose is to educate, empower and engage our campus about issues concerning social justice and cultural competency.” A group of faculty and students discussed the Kaepernick controversy during a New York Times Talk Oct. 7, hosted by the Office of Civic Engagement and Leadership. Sports Management associate professor Ryan King-White explained that singing the national anthem during sporting events gained momentum around the time of the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, when Adolf Hitler made a deal with the International Olympic Committee to play countries’ national anthems when they won a gold medal. The conversation progressed into a discussion of what our national anthem means. -To read the rest of this article online, visit thetowerlight.com.
JORDAN COPE Sports Editor @jordancope26
After an establishment process that began in last year, the Towson Student Government Association recently inaugurated its first Freshman Council, a body created to follow and implement the wants and needs of the freshman class. “I think a big part of joining for me was that it’s exciting that it’s the first year of it,” council member McKenna Bondura said. “I think there are a lot of opportunities to do new things. I was in SGA my senior year of high school and I saw how much of an impact we had on my school and I thought it was a great opportunity to try at Towson.” The council includes 20 freshman appointed by SGA Vice President James Mileo, who wrote an agenda
for the council and will be tasked with keeping the new organization on its feet. Freshman Council members had to submit an application and go through an interview process conducted by Mileo prior to being accepted. “It’s exciting that we are the first ones and the first executive board of this entire thing,” Bondura said. “So we are just really excited to see what we can get done this year.” The council will be responsible for holding weekly meetings, sponsoring events geared toward freshmen and proposing new initiatives, like a new green movement on campus. “One of our other council members talks about banning the bottles,” Freshman Council member Rachel Veslany said. -To read the rest of this article online, visit thetowerlight.com.
t .
d n
o h y
t f o e
r g d w
” l
e
News
Oct.1: At Prettyman Hall, a non-affiliate was arrested for burglary on campus. The report was cleared by arrest. Sept. 30: In Douglass House, Baltimore County Police investigated a possible rape and determined the incident to be unfounded. Sept. 28: At Cook Library, an unknown person damaged a computer screen. Sept. 27: At Towson Center, a late report of an assault on an employee that happened in the spring was taken after the suspect came back to campus. Sept. 26: At Carroll Hall, a resident student sent unwanted/ threatening electronic pictures/videos to another resident student. Sept. 24: At Towson Run, four resident students were referred to OSCCE for Alcohol Violation. Sept. 23: At Tower B, a resident student was cited for a CDS violation. Sept. 23: At the 7800 Building, a commuter student had his property taken after leaving it unattended. Sept. 16: At West Village Garage, a staff member had several magnets taken from her vehicle. Sept. 15: At West Village Commons, a resident student was assaulted by an unknown person. Sept. 14: At Cross Campus Drive, two non-affiliates were seen assaulting each other. Sept. 14: At the University Union, an unknown person used a stolen credit card to purchase books from the bookstore. Sept. 14: At Marshall Hall, further investigation revealed that a broken window broke due to a defect. Sept. 13: At Burdick Hall, a juvenile non-affiliate was charged with destruction of property. Sept. 13: At the Liberal Arts Building, a resident student and a juvenile were charged with destruction of property. Sept. 12: At Tower D, one resident student was cited for a CDS violation and three others were referred to OSCCE. Sept. 12: At Cross Campus Drive, a resident student was arrested for numerous destruction of properties on campus. The Towerlight’s “Police Blotter” is a representative sample of crimes occurring on and off campus. The blotter is not intended to be all inclusive. For a list of all crime reports, visit www.towson.edu/police.
October 11, 2016
9
12
News
October 11 , 2016
TU sponsors Relationship Violence Awareness Month During an Oct. 7 tabling event, wellness peer educators from the Health Center placed 6,677 purple flags on the Cook Library beach to represent the number of students at Towson that will be affected by relationship violence during their time in college. “I feel like many students don’t know the signs, so that’s the first thing we’re trying to do,” Wellness Peer Educator Charnell Mercer said. “We really want to inform students... I think it’s important because the statistics say one in three women will be abused – mentally, physically – that’s all kinds of abuse.” Wellness peer educators from the health center held various events for Relationship Violence Awareness Month during the week of Oct. 3-7 to inform students on relationship violence and prevention. Peer educators had stations explaining Title IX, information on bystander awareness and safety planning.
Other stations included writing “love letters” to someone who had experienced something bad in a relationship, and writing down red flags of an unhealthy relationship on red flags made of red construction paper. Two of the red flags said “partner isolates you from your family and friends,” and “blames you for their mental health issues.” The wellness peer educators also took the contact information of those who wanted to get more information about their drive for House of Ruth. House of Ruth is a nonprofit organization that provides comprehensive services to the victims of intimate partner violence and their children, according to their website. As a part of the health center’s “X-Out Relationship Violence” campaign, the wellness peer educators also sponsored a mile long “Love Walk” on Oct. 3 to help raise awareness about relationship violence. In addition, they also helped to promote the “I Love Female Orgasm” event sponsored by the University Residence Government that educated students on sexual health.
Chris Simms/ The Towerlight Over 6,000 purple flags line the beach to represent students who will be affected by sexual violence. Sexual Violence Prevention Educator Kailah Carden encourages students to utilize Towson’s resources as they need them. “We have the Office of Institutional Equity that can provide resources and accommoda-
tions to students as they need,” Carden said. “You can contact them directly at towson.edu/xoutsexualviolence.” Students can also report sexual violence through that website. If caught in a situation regarding
relationship violence, students can call the Counseling Center at 410704-2512 or visit at 8000 York Road. If someone’s safety is in immediate danger or may need emergency medical help, students should call campus police or 911.
Arts
October 11, 2016
Joyce Manor’s “Cody” tries to relate KRISTIN HELF Assistant Arts & Life Editor @kristinelise_
Joyce Manor has been one of my favorite bands since I was an angsty senior in high school and heard “Constant Headache” for the first time. I didn’t think the song’s lyrics were written from the point of view of a dog, like many fans have speculated (and which Joyce Manor has, sadly, denied), but I really liked it anyway, and they’re one of the few bands I still follow now, as a slightly-less-angsty senior in college. Joyce Manor released its fourth studio album, “Cody,” on Oct. 7, and I was ecstatic because it was, as a whole, so much better than I’d expected it to be. The band released the single “Fake I.D.” way before the rest of the album, and I initially liked it because it was catchy and the music video reminds me of going to shows in Baltimore and feeling disdainful at all the people there who are cooler than me -- that’s not the point of the video, just what I took from it. But “Fake I.D.” was my initial impression of the album, and the
lyrics were super disappointing, because the narrator is disappointed in the post-coitus conversation he has with this girl. “The sex is good, but then she’s all, What do you think about Kanye West? / I think he’s great, I think he’s the best / Yeah, I think he’s better than John Steinbeck / And I think he’s better than Phil Hartman.” No offense, Barry Johnson (Joyce Manor’s vocalist/guitarist/ prime songwriter), but I’m a relatively not-stupid English major and I would much rather listen to Kanye than read Steinbeck. I’m optimistic that the pop punk/punk/emo genre is becoming more aware of women in these spaces that have been historically, overwhelmingly male, and that stereotypically male “rock” genres will become more welcoming to minorities as the rest of America does. Relegating a woman you had sex with to nothing more than some girl with bad taste, just because she likes mainstream rap and doesn’t necessarily appreciate classic literature by old white dudes, is kind of a dumb thing to write a song about. And, in a subtle way, it promotes the stereotype that
women can’t appreciate specific forms of art. Despite my feelings about “Fake I.D.,” I really enjoy “Cody” and might even favor it to all of Joyce Manor’s previous albums (I even like it more than “Yeezus”—and I’m a woman!). Critics’ opinions differ. When you search “Cody” online, the first two reviews that appear are from The A.V. Club, called “The young punks of Joyce Manor struggle to grow up,” and Spin, which says “Joyce Manor’s vital pop-punk enters adulthood on ‘Cody.’” Such contradictory reviews reflect that the band has matured in terms of music, though maybe not so much in terms of content (see: “Do You Really Want To Not Get Better?”and “This Song Is A Mess But So Am I”). But that’s okay. There’s a wider gap between now and the band’s formation in 2008 compared to now and when I started listening to them in 2012, but I’m still struggling to be an emotionally stable grown-up, too. Sometimes things are hard. But if Joyce Manor continues to write music that mostly doesn’t alienate their mostly-female fanbase, I think we’ll continue to understand.
Latina and Spanish-speaking immigrant women who went into labor at Los Angeles County USC Medical Center and needed emergency cesarean section procedures in order to save their babies. In the middle the hospital’s chaotic environment, the doctors tricked these women into signing an agreement to be sterilized. Many of these victims were in their early 20s. Some did not even find out they were sterilized until years later.They would hold up big syringe needles and said it would relieve the mother’s labor pains -- if she would just sign the agreement. The contract the mothers signed was written in English, and the women were unable to read English or did not have time to ask for a translator. In 1978, ten women sued the doctors, the state and the U.S. government for unwanted sterilization,
citing coercion and their right to reproduce. The judge sided with the defendants over the women. “I thought it was very eye-opening,” sophomore Nicole Francese said. “I had no idea this happened. I hadn’t learned it in school. It is obviously a big issue, so it is just surprising to me.” When the mothers expressed skepticism about the agreement, doctors told them that their baby was going to die if they didn’t hurry. In some cases, the doctors grabbed their hand and forced them to sign the agreement. “Being Hispanic and knowing that my mother or grandmother could have possibly went through something similar because they need a translator is tough to believe,” senior Chris Espinal said. “These women didn’t have a choice or had any idea of what was going on. It’s unbelievable.”
Film screening sparks conversation SARAH VAN WIE Staff Writer
The documentary “No Más Bebés,” which translates to “No More Babies,” tells the stories of immigrant women who were sterilized without their consent during the 1960s and 70s. The Center for Student Diversity hosted a screening of the film and moderated a panel discussion on issues connected to it Wednesday in the West Village Ballrooms. “We like to have conversations on campus about everyone’s differences, and have students become more aware of what affects others,” Associate Director of Student Diversity and Development Mahnoor Ahmed said. “We wanted to connect this conversation to the population.” “No Más Bebés” focuses on poor
13
Eid holiday banquet sees record turnout
Courtesy of Saud Madkhali Some attendees of the Eid Banquet on Thursday Oct. 6 pose for pictures.
prayer of the day, Maghrib and an introduction by MSA advisor Sanaullah Kirmani, who explained that Eid celebrates the happiness that The Towson University Muslim follows pilgrimage to Mecca. Student Association debuted “Love Keynote speaker Brother Jose Your Islam,” a short film about stuAcevedo of the Islamic Society of dents learning to be comfortable Baltimore spoke of becoming free with who they are, and celebrated of peer pressure, politics and desire. Muslim identity Thursday, Oct. 6, “In order to truly be free, you have as part of its annual to be a slave,”he said Eid Al-Adh’ha holiday in reference to submitOften times we banquet. ting oneself to God’s “The video was a might have to hide will. “What are we fun time. It was great willing to give up in who we are or making jokes but order to bring about our religion, but enlightening those truth, justice, mercy on Islam and what throughout my time and compassion?” it means to be an Helping Hand at Towson when I American Muslim,” for Relief and fully showed myself Development repreMSA member Aisha Marfani said. “Often as a proud Muslim. sentatives Naveed times we might have Ahmed and Haseeb AISHA MARFANI to hide who we are Khan sold shirts and Member, MSA or our religion, but bracelets to benethroughout my time at Towson when fit places like Palestine, Syria, Haiti I fully showed myself as a proud and Nepal. “Something as simple as Muslim, I was just as accepted.” getting a bracelet can help others,” Eid Al-Adh’ha commemorates Ahmed said. Ibraham’s (Abraham’s) willingness to University of Maryland Baltimore sacrifice his only son to God. It also County student Amina Haq performed marks the end of the annual pilgrima spoken word poem called “Deafness mage to Mecca, which all Muslims are of the Soul,” which told the story of required to make at least once in their Syrian children during war. lives, called the Hajj. Towson alum Adam Butt read Fellow MSA member Merim an excerpt from the Quran entitled Karailo said that the humor in the “Surah An-Nahl,” which translates film made its ideas more accessible. to “The Bees.” “It was fun and exciting and Between speakers, guests were a great experience,” Karailo said. invited to participate in raffles, “The comedy made people feel betArabic calligraphy, henna and eat ter. When people are laughing with from a large buffet. the video, they’re more involved.” “The banquet was fun. I love Approximately 350 people attended dressing up, meeting old friends the banquet, held in the Chesapeake and new and eating food. It’s a great time,” Marfani said. Ballrooms. It began with the fourth NICK MASON Staff Writer @tenobia
“
14
Arts
October 11 , 2016
Human Library “opens” at Cook KRISTIN HELF Assistant Arts & Life Editor @kristinelise_
On Oct. 9, the fifth floor of Cook Library became a different kind of library: one where patrons could check out and talk to“human books” about their experiences with stigma and discrimination. Laksamee Putnam and Sarah Gilchrist, both research and instruction librarians at Cook Library, attended a Human Library event at Johns Hopkins University and decided they wanted to bring it to Towson. “The core of why we need to have these conversations [is] because there’s a lot of stigma or shame attached to certain identities and so we don’t talk about it, because we’re ashamed of sharing that part of ourselves,” Gilchrist said. “It is a little scary to put that part of yourself out there, but then once you’ve done it and you start to see how people respond, it gets a little easier, and that might make it easier to practice talking about those parts of yourself after that experience.” The concept of the Human Library was created in 2000 by Danish youth organization Stop the Violence. Its goal is outlined in the “Reader Rules” that are given to each library visitor: “The books represent groups
in our community that are frequently subjected to stigma based on disability, religion, ethnicity, occupation, social status, or sexual conviction.” The books come from different backgrounds but all share the same motivation, to answer questions and bring about an understanding of the prejudices they face. Library visitors chose from a number of titles like “queer feminist,” “bougie black boy, well-spoken” and “relinquished child for adoption.” They were introduced to their human book and led to a table where they could speak to their book for 30 minutes or longer, if the book agreed to an “extended loan.” Of the 20-25 human book volunteers on Sunday, only about four were non-students. “We really wanted it to reflect the student population, but also some of the outside community as well,” Gilchrist said. One of the non-student volunteers was Jason Weixelbaum, a historical consultant and PhD candidate at American University, whose human book he had titled “Jewish Scholar of Nazi Germany in the Age of Trump.” Weixelbaum says he faces discrimination as a Jewish person, which he believes has worsened with the rise of “Trumpism.” Most of the hate he receives comes from social media,
Speaker examines LGBTQ+, Latino identity ALAINA TEPPER Staff Writer @kristinelise_
University of Massachusetts Amherst professor Julio Capó, a former journalist and author of the book “Welcome to Fairyland,” spoke about the intersection of queer and Latino politics in Miami during the Cold War era Wednesday as part of a lecture series held in conjunction with LGBT History Month. Delivered as part of the Herbert Andrews Lecture on New Directions in History, which honors the memory of a former Towson professor who died in August, Capó’s lecture focused on a “history traditionally outside the margins.” “I’m Latino and I’m queer,” Capó said during his talk. Andrews’ son Tim sent a message to be read before the lecture commemorating his father’s life. Capó began his lecture by con-
necting the topic to the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando earlier this year. By discussing queer and Latinx politics, he hopes to further the conversation about the shooting. “I don’t think we can understand the Pulse massacre without talking about the displacement of Puerto Ricans,” Capó said. His lecture covered historical events that are often ignored in traditional history classes, including the anti-LGBTQ+ “Save Our Children” coalition and the Mariel boatlift, the mass emigration of Cubans to the United States in 1980. He discussed how the different groups affected overlap and showed how Cold War politics affect our current political scene. “The United States does not exist in a vacuum,” Capó said. “There are a lot of global implications and a lot of global influences that we need to understand any moment in history.”
where he’s been sent pictures of gas chambers, including “one of Trump’s face in an S.S. uniform, pressing a button with Bernie Sanders in a gas chamber.” During one conversation on Sunday, he received a tweet with the hashtag “WhiteGenocide.” “Once Donald Trump entered the scene, something changed,” Weixelbaum said. “Suddenly a lot of people who were normally in shadowed corners of the Internet felt emboldened… I face a lot of harassment. A lot of people get it worse than me, way worse. To me, this was something new. Before Trump, maybe once in awhile, but now it’s definitely something new. These guys got emboldened.” Weixelbaum was willing to talk politics with Democrat and Republican library patrons alike and hoped that those who checked him out would learn more about information literacy and the misinformation that stems from unreliable sources. Putnam admitted that she’s sometimes unsure of whether she’ll learn anything interesting by speaking with a specific person, but, “When I end up talking to them, I find out that I have plenty to learn about that aspect of that person’s personality.” “I think ‘relinquished child for adoption’ -- I’d really like to talk
William Strang-Moya/ The Towerlight
Human book Jason Weixelbaum opens up about the harassment he receives as a Jewish scholar of Nazi Germany in the age of Trump. about that, because I feel like that’s something I have a lot of stigma in myself, as a female, and I would want to talk to someone about that and open my eyes to that whole experience,” Putnam said. “I think, relevant to campus and the cultural climate of what’s been going on recently, “bougie black boy, well-spoken” was also one that I thought sounded really interesting. Just to get that perspective from a student on campus would be really great.” To library intern Mary Rose Pedron, the Human Library event presents an opportunity for students to learn more about themselves and
others, and to better themselves as people. “In the grand scheme of things, we want to try to be a progressive library and give the most opportunities to our students, so the opportunity of sharing their stories is a great opportunity,” Pedron said. “Not only for getting a better understanding of diversity and what people are going through, but just being a better person and learning more about other people.” Cook Library will host another Human Library event on Tuesday, Oct. 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Union’s Potomac Lounge.
Debut writer causes a stir MCKENNA GRAHAM Columnist
Book: “The Mothers” Author: Brit Bennett Genre: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Contemporary Rating: Five stars Warnings for book: sexual themes, rape mention Brit Bennett’s debut novel is the most beautiful book I’ve read all year. I read it in a single day, totally absorbed by the writing and wrapped up in the characters. It’s a pretty character-driven novel—the plot is simple and concise and revolves around the characters rather than events. Bennett has crafted a community out of the tropes of southern black churches that defies literary
criticism. It makes you fully aware of
the color of your skin and forget what it means, all at once. The Mothers are the older women of the Upper Room, the community church around which the story is centered, and the book takes on an interesting perspective. Bennett changes between using the collective voice of the Mothers, who become omniscient when speaking, and the third-person narratives of Nadia Turner, Luke Sheppard and Aubrey Evans, arguably the main characters. The story follows the lives of these three from the summer before Nadia leaves for college to their early thirties, entangling them tirelessly together. Nadia and Aubrey become good friends one summer, bonding over the shared absence of a mother in their lives, as Nadia’s mother com-
mitted suicide a few months prior and Aubrey moved out of her house to escape a terrible situation. Nadia and Luke found each other slightly earlier and entered into a lighthearted relationship that ended with a pain that seems irreconcilable. Luke and Aubrey meet through one of the Upper Room’s programs. Indeed, all three of them are tied to the church, even if they don’t want to be, and it is the church that brings them together, in one way or another. The book begins with the Mother’s opening, which sets the tone for the entire novel: this is a story about black America and abortion and living in a community that prides itself on its values of God, virtue and togetherness. --Read the rest of this column online at www.thetowerlight.com
Arts
Lessons in orgasms and inclusivity
s
, e e Chris Simms / The Towerlight - Sex educators Rachel Dart and Marshall Miller present students with information about the female orgasm. n d Attendees were asked what they’ve tics to combat peoples’ preconceived TAYLOR DEVILLE , heard about the female orgasm. notions about sex. For instance, the Assistant Arts & Life Editor d Answers like “it doesn’t exist” and average amount of time a woman @artvandelady ” “squirting is peeing” caused audineeds to achieve orgasm is about r Stephens Hall Theatre was packed ence laughter before Dart and Miller “20 minutes of direct stimulation”, ,Wednesday night as students gathaddressed the myths (spoiler alert: and only 30 percent of women have eered to discuss sex, masturbation female orgasms are 100% real and orgasms from intercourse alone. no, squirting is not peeing). Unsurprisingly, lesbians report and the elusive female orgasm Dart and Miller also discussed that they achieve orgasm and are during “I Love Female Orgasm,” the double standards of (heteronorsexually satisfied significantly more organized by Center for Student mative) female vs. male sexuality in than women in a heterosexual relaAffairs and University Residence the media by showing the way media tionship (Men, get it together). Government (URG). focuses on male pleasure often at the “I learned a lot of stuff to tell The program was presented by expense of a woman’s reputation—a my boyfriend,” freshman Samantha Rachel Dart and Marshall Miller, sex practice known as slutshaming. Castaneda said with a laugh. educators who have been touring “Call me a slut all you want, I’ll In the spirit of inclusivity, Dart college campuses for about a decade. be in the back of this car with my and Miller discussed achieving “Usually presenters will ask you boyfriend having an orgasm,” Dart orgasm after gender reassignment to ‘silence your phones,’” Dart said to audience cheers. surgery, and how to refer to a transbegan. “We’re sex educators, so Another double standard that was gender partner’s genitalia (by simply we’re gonna ask that you put them addressed was male vs. female masasking them what to call it). on vibrate.” turbation. Audience members said Another prevailing message of Dart and Miller began the discusthat they had heard women don’t the night was body positivity about sion by using pictures of vegetables masturbate or women who do maswomen’s genitals. Doctors have seen that resemble genitalia to explain turbate are “bad people.” Dart and an alarming increasing in teenage the “spectrum of gender” and what it Miller, of course, put these thoughts girls asking for labiaplasty, a surgical means to identify as female and male. to rest, and offered tips and toys to procedure that involves trimming of Throughout the program, Dart and women who are unfamiliar with masthe labia (source: http://well.blogs. Miller addressed heteronormativity turbation (apparently, the vibrating nytimes.com/2016/04/25/increaseand made a point to be inclusive of Nimbus 2000 broomstick from Mattel in-teenage-genital-surgery-promptsall genders and sexualities. could be a girl’s best friend). guidelines-for-doctors/). This inseMiller addressed the lack of com“I learned that masturbation is a curity stems from a false idea of prehensive sex education programs lot more normal than people make what a vulva should look like, when in high school, describing what drivit out to be,” freshman Colleen the reality is that vulvas come in ing school would be like if it was Adams said. “I had talked to a coudifferent shapes and sizes and are taught like sex ed: “You need to know ple people about it before, but I've all normal. that driving is very, very dangerous. never really done it, so just to see This is the first year that the You could die. So don’t drive. And the community being open about program was presented for a second if you absolutely insist on driving talking about a subject like that night on Oct. 6. If you missed “I anyway, please wear your seatbelt.” was really cool.” Love Female Orgasm,” don’t worry-The focus of the event was (you guessed it): the female orgasm. The speakers laid out some statisthey’ll come again next fall.
October 11, 2016
Advertising
15
Towerlight TheTowerlight.com/classifieds
CLASSIFIEDS help wanted
hw-childcare
DOCTOR’S OFFICE Assist doctor with patient care in busy Lutherville practice. Perfect for pre-Physician Assistant or pre-nursing student. Hours needed are Monday afternoons, Tuesdays AM or PM and Thursdays AM or PM daytime hours. Contact tereserobinson@gmail. com or 410 812-7863.
ARE YOU ORGANIZED? Mom of older girls and cat needs help with childcare and some errands. $14/hr + gas $. This is a year-round position, so looking for local person. We are near Beltway exit 22, Pikesville. Call 410-336-9515 and leave a message Thanks!
INTERNSHIPADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS Our company has been steadily growing in Towson for the past 29 years. We have a department within our company that is a data entry level position that consists of: •Logging in legal court papers from the District Court, Circuit Court and Federal Courts level •Memorandums to be meticulously written and forwarded to our clients/law firms •Internet investigative research, contact with the defendants/ witnesses and written reports on non-served cases For more information, please contact us. David Kopel 410-823-4444 ext 118 David@legalpapers.net
services PREGNANT? Free confidential pregnancy testing & caring counseling help: 1-800-712HELP ww.optionline.org Text “HELPLINE” to 313131.
housing 902 DARTMOUTH ROAD 4 BR House for rent near TU. Garage & off-street parking. Pet friendly. Family room/living room Washer/ dryer $1,700 + Utilities Kyra: 410-532-2395 404 LYMAN AVE Duplex 3 BR (two story apartment) Living room/ dining room Outdoor deck Off street parking. 1 bath Washer/ dryer/ dish washer. Back yard $1,200 + Utilities Kyra: 410-532-2395
Women Earn $7,500 Be an
Egg Donor
For an Infertile Couple Healthy-Mature Non-Smoker Age 20-29 Average Weight 2 week Part-Time Commitment Confidentiality At All Times
www.familybuild.com
410-296-5126
Towson, Maryland
16October October 2016 16 11 ,11, 2016
Puzzles Puzzles
Crossword Sudoku
? ?
Turn to page 18 for answers to today’s
8-13-16
● Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 through 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating.
● The numbers within the heavily
outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners.
● Freebies: Fill in single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner.
Please support independent student journalism @ TU
KenKen® is a registered trademark of Nextoy, LLC. ©2016 KenKen Puzzle LLC. All rights reserved. Dist. by Universal Uclick for UFS. www.kenken.com
Puzzles
?
We bring you The Towerlight every Tuesday for free. But we ask for your support as we continue our mission of giving the next generation of student journalists their first real-world experience in reporting, editing, photography, and design.
To make a donation, please go to TheTowerlight.com/youcanhelp/ Or mail a check to Baltimore Student Media, 8000 York Rd., Towson, MD 21252. We are a non-profit corporation, so your donation is tax-deductible. And we will gladly provide a receipt. Thank you for your support!
Sports
October 11, 2016
17
Towson stumbles on road
File photo by Jordan Cope/ The Towerlight
Towson awaits its match versus Virginia Commonwealth at SECU Arena earlier this season. Towson went on to earn a 3-1 victory thanks to an 18 kill performance from Lewis. KATRINA LE Staff Writer
Towson fell on the road to Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) rivals Northeastern and Hofstra over the weekend, but defeated Elon at home last Monday. "There is a lot of parity in the CAA this year so on any given night, if you don't play your best, then you can get beat,”Head Coach Don Metil said. “If we don't have ball control in a small gym environment, then the Huskies are going to press us." Saturday, Towson (15-5, 3-3 CAA) fell to Northeastern (15-5, 5-1 CAA) 3-2 in Boston. The Tigers battled closely with the Huskies in the first set with seven ties and three lead changes. The Tigers found themselves down 10-7, but managed to execute an 8-2 run to take a 15-12 advantage. Roles quickly reversed as the Huskies went on a 7-2 run to take a 19-17 lead. However, a kill by senior middle blocker Candace Steadman helped the Tigers to tie the score 22-22. Later in the set, two blocks and a Tiger attack error helped the Huskies win the first set of the evening 25-22. Junior outside hitter Payton Windell delivered a kill in the second set to give the Tigers a 10-6 lead. The Tigers later went on a 5-1 run to extend their
lead to 20-16. The Tigers ultimately claimed the second set 25-19 after an attack error by the Huskies to tie the match 1-1. Towson opened up the third set with a 7-3 lead. Senior middle blocker Lindsay Flaherty pushed the Towson advantage to 14-7 with back to back kills. Later in the set, Towson took a 19-8 lead thanks to a pair of service aces. Towson earned a 25-13 win and a 2-1 lead in the match. In the fourth set, the Huskies came out with a 12-6 lead and later extended it to 16-9 after a kill from freshman outside hitter Brigitte Burcescu. The Huskies won the set 25-17 to tie the match at 2-2. The fifth set opened with an 8-3 lead in favor of the Huskies, but the Tigers managed to come back within one point at 8-7. After a 3-0 run by the Huskies, freshman middle blocker Amy Underdown delivered a kill to give the Huskies a 15-10 set win and 3-2 win over the Tigers. With 12 kills, 14 digs and two service aces from senior outside hitter Jessica Lewis and 34 assists and 13 digs from freshman setter Marrisa Wonders, the two became the first Tigers since 2006 to record seven consecutive double-doubles. "I don't mind the pressure,” Lewis
said. “I'm actually used to it. It’s second nature for me to be put in that role. I know what the team expects of me, and I know that I have to bring it every game." In Thursday night's match against Hofstra, Towson managed to take a 14-11 lead after a kill from sophomore outside hitter Carola Biver. Biver later contributed two straight kills to extend the Tiger lead to 23-19.
A kill by Steadman closed out the first set with a 25-23 win over the Pride. In the second set, the two teams fought through 11 ties, but a kill by Hofstra sophomore middle blocker Michela Rucli gave Hofstra a 25-23 set win. In the third set, the Pride took a 16-7 lead. Another kill by Rucli made the score 21-12 and, despite the Tigers scoring five of the next eight
points, the Pride finished the set with a 25-17 win. A 10-7 lead by the Pride in the fourth set was nearly erased as the Tigers managed to score four of the next six points to bring the score within one point at 12-11. The Pride then used an 8-4 run to take a 20-15 lead. -To read the rest of this article, visit thetowerlight.com.
File photo by Jordan Cope/ The Towerlight
Redshirt sophomore Anna Holehouse awaits a serve against Virginia Commonwealth at SECU Arena.
18
Sports
October 11 , 2016
standing with colin
tu falls to psu
NFL quarterback has the right to protest Shrum stresses room to improve DESMOND BOYLE Staff Writer
Over the last two months, the backlash toward Colin Kaepernick’s national anthem protest has been fierce, but unfortunately misguided and hypocritical. Many suggest that Kaepernick is disrespecting the flag by choosing to kneel during the national anthem, but in fact he is proving the greatest principle that our flag represents, the right to unabridged free speech. While some suggest otherwise, the United States is the best country in the world because we give people the right to say anything, other than speech that intentionally incites violence or chaos. So, when critics like ESPN analyst Mike Ditka say, “If they don't like the country, they don't like our flag, get the hell out, that's what I think,” they are being completely ignorant. Ditka’s statement is more than
just ignorant, it is inherently un-American. The logic of, “you disagree with me so you should leave this country,” goes against the core beliefs that are embedded in our Constitution. Patriotism is so much more than pledging allegiance to the flag or getting emotional during the national anthem, it is about respecting the fact that our country is uniquely great because we protect speech that may be reprehensible. A n o t h e r aspect of the opposition to Kaepernick that was hypocritical was the response by the San Francisco Police Department, who threatened to not work security at the San Francisco 49ers games. The SFPD has the right to disagree with what Kaepernick has done during the national anthem, but threatening to not protect him because of his speech does in fact prove Kaepernick’s point that there is systemic racism in our society. Go to any Ku Klux Klan rally around the country and along with the disgusting racist hate speech there is one other thing you will
see: police presence to ensure that violence does not break out. Why is it okay to say that police protect the most reprehensible speech under the guise of, “Well I have to protect their speech even though it’s racist,” then threaten refuse to protect the minority who speaks out? The saddest part about Kaepernick’s protest is that it has failed to create the meaningful dialogue about racial inequality in this country. In the last presidential debate, no one brought up that, despite the fact that white and black people use drugs at roughly the same rate, black people are eight times more likely to get arrested for drug offences. Critics like Ditka say, “I don't see all the atrocities going on in this country that people say are going on… Now, if they want to look for them, then you can find problems with anything.” It is easy to say that there is no problem as long as it does not affect you, but that is why Kaepernick chose to speak up and raise awareness to a clear problem. But unfortunately, the dialogue has not been about how to end senseless killings of unarmed African-Americans, but rather how unpatriotic someone is for conducting a peaceful protest once a week.
KARUGA KOINANGE Staff Writer
Towson men’s and women’s swimming and diving both fell in a season-opening dual meet at Penn State on Oct. 6. Despite the loss, Head Coach Jake Shrum was proud of the way his young lineup handled their first competitive meet. “It was a solid meet,” Shrum said. “We had a lot of freshmen who were experiencing a college dual meet for the first time and it was against world-class competition. They handled themselves wonderfully.” Shrum was especially impressed with both teams’ support. “Even though we were losing most events, there was no let down in our energy on the side of the pool or by the student-athletes who were racing, which is what I was most proud of,” Shrum said. Sophomore Jack Saunderson spearheaded a strong Towson effort, winning the 100-yard (1:50.25) and 200-yard (49.47) butterfly events. “At the time he swam it, Jack Saunderson’s 200 fly time was the second fastest in the county,” Shrum said. Sophomore Stefan Keller also had a strong showing, winning the 400-
yard individual medley with a time of 4:08.71. The Tigers captured an event victory in the 200-yard freestyle relay led by junior Nick Essing, Saunderson, freshman Hunter Wright and sophomore Will Dougherty, who finished with a combined time of 1:27.04. On the women’s side junior Corrie Morton won the 400-yard individual medley with a time of 4:35.37. Towson won the 200-yard freestyle relay as junior Jacy Icard, junior Caitlin Manthe, freshman Annemarie Schnoor and senior Melissa Toy combined for a time of 1:38.10. Despite some positive signs from both teams, Shrum stressed that there is room for improvement. “From an improvement standpoint, I know it gave me some ideas on how we can better improve in how we are training,” Shrum said. “So I’m really excited to start putting those things in place.” The Tigers will host Georgetown University in their home opener on Saturday, Oct. 15. The diving will begin at 10 a.m. at Burdick Pool followed by swimming events at 1 p.m. “Georgetown has come on very strong over the past couple of years,” Shrum said. “We are going to need to be totally focused on each race to come away with victories.”
Solutions contain the numbers 1 through 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating.
● The numbers within the heavily
Courtesy of abcnews.com
San Fransisco 49ers backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick takes a knee during the national anthem.
8-15-16
outlined boxes, called cages, mu combine using the given operati (in any order) to produce the tar numbers in the top-left corners.
● Freebies: Fill in single-box cages
the number in the top-left corner
KenKen® is a registered trademark of
for Puzzles on page 16
● Each row and each column must
Sports
October 11, 2016
u Andre Dessenberg
Football
Senior wide receiver Andre Dessenberg had seven receptions for 70 yards and one TD in Towson’s 27-20 loss to Colonial Athletic Association rival Stony Brook Saturday at Johnny Unitas Stadium.
19
20
Sports
October 11 , 2016
tigers edged by Seawolves Joe Noyes/ The Towerlight
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Eillis Knudson throws a touchdown pass to senior tight end Tanner Valley. Valley registered one touchdown in the loss to Stony Brook (above). The Tigers take the field against CAA rival Stony Brook Saturday at Johnny Unitas Stadium. Despite a 10-point lead at halftime, the Tigers fell to the Seawolves 27-20 (below).
JORDAN COPE Sports Editor @jordancope26
Despite going into halftime with a 10-point lead, Towson dropped its third straight Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) game Saturday at Johnny Unitas Stadium against Stony Brook. “Our ball games always seem to be kind of interesting,” Head Coach Rob Ambrose said. “We just keep trading it back and forth. One day, the home team is going to learn how to win a game. I am proud of my guys, there is no quit in them.” The Tigers (1-4, 0-3 CAA) fell behind the Stony Brook Seawolves (3-2, 2-0 CAA) 7-0 late in the first quarter when redshirt junior running back Stacey Bedell rushed for a three-yard touchdown. Towson responded on its ensuing drive to tie the game 7-7 when redshirt sophomore quarterback Ellis Knudson hit senior wide receiver Andre Dessenberg in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown. “When it was working, it was the offensive line to the quarterback,
to all the receivers to the running backs blocking and everything,” Dessenberg said. In the second quarter, Towson took a 10-7 advantage and its first lead of the game when freshman kicker Aidan O’Neil put a 23-yard field goal through the uprights. Towson’s scoring drive was sparked by a 24-yard pass from Knudson to redshirt sophomore wide receiver Sam Gallahan, which put the team in field goal range. The Tigers extended their lead to 17-7 before the end of the half, after an eight-play drive that was capped off with a two-yard touchdown pass from Knudson to senior tight end Tanner Valley. In the second half, Stony Brook cut Towson’s lead to 17-14 on an eight-play, 91-yard drive that was capped off with a 12-yard touchdown run from sophomore quarterback Joe Carbone. Just 22 seconds into the fourth quarter, the Seawolves took their second lead of the game with a touchdown run from sophomore running back Jordan Gowins. Following Stony Brook’s scoring drive, Towson had the opportunity
to tie the game 20-20 after driving into field goal range. However, a failed quarterback sneak on fourth down gave Stony Brook the ball back. After a defensive stand from the Tigers, Knudson threw his second interception of the game, giving the Seawolves the ball at the Tigers’ 25 yard line. The Seawolves took advantage of the Tigers’ mistake
and went ahead 27-17 on a 23-yard touchdown run from Bedell. “Young guys make mistakes,” Ambrose said. “There is no substitute for experience. If Ellis had a chance to get one of those two back, he would have done it differently. Turnovers against good football teams make big differences. We just need to keep getting better.” Towson made it a one-score game
on its next drive, when O’Neil knocked home his second field goal with 3:44 left in the game. The Tigers caught their break on the ensuing kickoff when Seawolves junior wide receiver Sherman Alston Jr. fumbled the ball, and Tigers defensive back Keon Paye recovered. -To read the rest of this story, visit thetowerlight.com.