The Towerlight (January 30, 2018)

Towson’s campus and community news source

T

O

W BEST

BEST

SHUTTLE

ROUTE

BEST

ON-CAMPUS EATS

BEST PLACE TO PARK

TheTowerlight.com

S

BEST

January 30, 2018

N

O 2018 BEST PLACE

TO PRINT

ʻS

BEST

BEST

RESIDENCE

HAPPY HOUR

HALL

MENU

STUDY SPOT

Illustration by Victoria Nicholson /The Towerlight

2

January 30, 2018

Advertising

Social

January 30, 2018

JAN. - FEB. Editor-in-Chief Marcus Dieterle Senior Editor Jordan Cope News Editor Bailey Hendricks Asst. News Editor Mary-Ellen Davis Arts & Life Editor McKenna Graham Asst. Arts & Life Editor Kerry Ingram Sports Editor Karuga Koinange Asst. Sports Editors Michael Mills Billy Owens Senior Staff Writer Sarah Rowan

30

RECYCLEMANIA KICK OFF PLEDGE

31

Lauren Cosca Amanda Carroll Mary-Ellen Davis Jessica Ricks

Sarah Van Wie Sophia Bates Rohan Mattu Photo Editor Asst. Photo Editor Mark Dragon Brendan Felch

1

10 a.m. - 1p.m., University Union, Chesapeake Room

Joseph Hockey Simon Enagonio Joseph Noyes Brittany Whitham

Proofreaders Kayla Baines Alex Best Sarah Rowan General Manager Mike Raymond Art Director Victoria Nicholson

Find jobs, volunteer opportunities, off-campus housing, entertainment and more.

Representatives from local businesses and organizatiosn will be present to meet TU students.

TOWSON 360

Staff Photographers Jordan Cope

David Fisher Brendan Felch

Celebrate the expansion of Burdick Hall! President Kim BURDICK HALL Schatzel will be in attendance, and free refreshments will be EXPANSION GRAND OPENING included!

CELEBRATION

Noon, Burdick Hall

Senior Staff Photographer Alex Best

RecycleMania begins on Feb. 5. Take the pledge to reduce, reuse and recycle!

11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., University Union, Second Floor Lobby

Jesse L. Baird Natalie Bland

Jill Gattens Keri Luise

WEEKLY

30-3 CALENDAR.

Staff Writers Desmond Boyle

Kevin McGuire Muhammad Waheed

3

2

Can you make the most 3 point shots? Come out to see if you can be crowned champion. No Intramural Sports Pass required.

3 POINT SHOT CONTEST

4 p.m. - 7 p.m., Burdick Gym 1

EMPTY BOWLS CONTENST

The Department of Art and Design is hosting a series of bowl making workshops where participants will learn how to make a hand-made bowl.

1 p.m., Center For The Arts, CA 3012.

Circulation Staff Shawn Halerz

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!

TOWSON

TRENDING. @ MsMBates18 Preparing for my full-time student teaching rotations; taking and passing the praxis! #whatbreak #Classof2018

@ userismissing Why I feel like Towson literally the last school to come back from winter break? Oh wait, cause we are

MORE EVENTS CAN BE FOUND AT

EVENTS.TOWSON.EDU

Webmaster

Dom Capparuccini Elssa Kenfack

3

#

WINTER BREAK

@oh__naana

It’s winter break... why is Towson still handing out parking tickets

@MirandaSRivera love that Towson has a long winter break but idk how many more days I can sit around the house binge watching Netflix in my pajamas

4

Opinion

January 30, 2018

Issues on both The dangers of climate change We must take initiative to make a difference sides of the coin MARCUS DIETERLE Editor-in-Chief @marcusdieterle

Hey, Towson! After a bit of a hiatus and a change of hands to yours truly (after receiving the blessing of former editor-in-chief and this column’s founder Cody Boteler), Climate Corner is back in business.

For the first edition of this reboot, we’re diving straight into the threat that climate change poses to the United States’ national security and, really, global security. Earlier this month, over 100 members of the House of Representatives signed a letter to President Donald Trump in which they expressed their concern with the president’s omission of climate change among threats to the United States from his first National Security Strategy report.

In December 2017, the Trump administration released the president’s National Security Strategy in which the words “climate change” did not appear once. This breaks from President Barack Obama’s last National Security Strategy report in 2015 in which Obama outlined the United States’ efforts to combat climate change as part of national security policy. Instead, Trump’s report emphasized the pursuit of economic and military growth.

The havoc that climate change could wreak on national security is twofold. First, environmental issues can weaken our own nation, making us more susceptible to external threats. Second, climate change can destabilize other countries and increase the potential for unrest abroad. These issues will be felt first by marginalized communities and our most vulnerable populations, so it’s important that we don’t gloss over climate change as a real and dan-

“

gerous threat. Here are three ways that climate change will/already is negatively impacting the security of the United States.

Displacement, destruction and death due to flooding: Hurricanes typically form in warm tropical oceans.

Warm ocean water evaporates and water vapor carries that heat upwards and towards the eye of the developing hurricane. On the water’s surface, air rushes in to fill the space left by the water vapor, creating a spiral motion.

After passing through the eye, water vapor flows outwards to form clouds which also begin to spiral until they travel fast enough to create a hurricane. 2017 saw a series of torrential hurricanes that devastated communities in Puerto Rico and along the Gulf Coast. Fleeing natural disasters is expensive. Displaced people must be able to gather their loved ones and belongings, transport themselves to a safe location, and pay for hotel costs or other living situations if they are unable to stay with friends or family.

And all that is dependent on people actually having to leave in the first place. From Harvey to Maria, we saw hurricanes ravage communities, particularly low-income people, people of color and disabled people who often did not have the resources to leave their homes. With sea levels rising and oceans getting hotter due to global warming, we can expect to see more extreme climate events – both in size and severity.

Educational inequity: Extreme temperature changes can hit especially hard against schools without proper heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Without those systems, schools often have just two options: force students to sit in sweltering classrooms for seven hours a day or close the school and send students home, neither of which is conducive to learning. When such an

issue becomes chronic, the students within those schools are put at a grave disadvantage to their peers at other schools. An educated population is the basis for any strong citizenry. If Trump is concerned with growing the United States’ economy, he might look first to the environmental issues that are holding back talented students from lifelong success.

Decreased biodiversity: There are 950 plant species and 1457 animal species on the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s lists of endangered species.

Among those is Towson’s very own mascot, the tiger! As humans destroy habitats and ecosystems through practices such as deforestation, overconsumption and pollution, the planet is becoming less biologically diverse.

This isn’t just about the potential loss of the plants and animals themselves – though that should be cause to worry on its own – but it’s also about the loss of hundreds of species who make humans lives easier and better just by existing. For instance, the rusty patched bumble bee was moved to the endangered species list one year ago. This particular bee species is a significant pollinator throughout North America. The rusty patched bumble bee visits at least 65 plant genera including cranberries, plums, apples, alfalfa and onions. There are species like this all across the world, species whose absence could have a dramatic effect on our environment, our agriculture, our economy and our basic way of life should they become extinct.

Climate change may not be nuclear weaponry or potential foreign electoral meddling, but it is a real and serious issue. To downplay it isn’t just naive; it’s dangerous. We have to deal with the roots of climate change before it’s too late. We have to deal with it ourselves.

To downplay [climate change] isn’t just naive; it’s dangerous. We have to deal with the roots of climate change before it’s too late.

MARCUS DIETERLE Editor-in-Chief

”

DNC Deputy Chair’s tweet sparks controversy

DYLAN BRENNAN Columnist

More than a full year into his presidency, I can certainly say that Donald Trump isn’t going down as our best president in history.

He acts like he still hasn’t won, holding rallies and interviews complaining about the election and Hillary Clinton.

All the while, there are disasters and crises our nation has had to deal with, and he can’t seem to find the time for them with his golfing schedule.

Yet, I can’t see myself voting for a Democratic candidate. Why? Because the other side of the coin is still as scummy as the other, just in a different way. I have no love or loyalty for the GOP, as I’m aware of all their sins from false information to policies that I inherently cannot agree with. But at least enough people know of their problems.

So many of the things done by Democrats are either unheard or paid no mind because they’re “the good guys.” But, just because one side has problems doesn’t mean that the other is better in every way.

One of the most recent examples is inexcusable. Over winter break, I was dumbfounded at what the DNC Deputy Chair had tweeted (which he has not removed, I may add) on Jan. 3. A picture of him smiling while holding a book titled “Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook.” His tweet: “At @MoonPalaceBooks and I just found the book that strike fear in the heart of @realDonaldTrump.” This is is not only grammatically frightening, but

frightening by itself. Antifa -- for those of you who are unaware -- is a far-left, some would say alt-left group of individuals who sometimes engage in violence and looting to further their extreme political ideals. This is an instance of terrorism, and thankfully the Department of Homeland Security – which still is staffed by Obama-era men and women – agrees.

I could go on about the shutdown or the petty squabbles of a few Hollywood elites, but this one really shook me and barely anyone has talked about it. If someone so high up in the Democratic Party is willing to smile while holding domestic terrorist propaganda, I’m worried for the future of American politics.

Say what you will about Donald Trump: whether he took too long to condemn the Ku Klux Klan -- or if he equated them to anti-racist protesters -- he never once held up a hooded cowl or burning cross with that trademark smirk on his face.

Anyone in the Democratic Party, please call out Antifa for what it is: a domestic terror organization that has no place in America. They claim to be on a crusade against Nazis and racists -- yet they have never clearly defined who and what that actually is. They were and continue to be my most talked about topic, mainly because they seem to often recruit at a college age. Please stop the madness and let us return to peaceful discourse, or this fighting fire-with-fire will burn our country to the ground!

Opinion

January 30, 2018

5

Cheers to the spring semester, and 2018 JORDAN COPE Senior Editor @jordancope26

Hey there, Towson! Welcome back! I hope that you all had an amazing winter break, and are ready to tackle the upcoming spring semester!

I know I speak for our entire editorial board and staff when I say: We are so incredibly excited to be back and bringing you news from campus, and the Towson communi-

ty. I can promise you that we will do our very best to report the news in an ethically upstanding way, and to strive for 100 percent accuracy. However, we are human and sometimes make mistakes. So if you ever see an error in our reporting, please reach out to us so that we can correct it as soon as possible. In today’s political climate, the freedom and accuracy of our press is more important than it has ever been before.

With that being said, this will be our seniors’ last, first production day.

It’s an incredibly weird feeling for me.

Since my freshman year, I’ve been part of The Towerlight family, and it is a sad feeling that my time here is coming to an end so fast.

Driving into the office this morning, I flashed back to my first semester of college when I was just a contributing writer on the sports staff. The sports editor at the time -- Matt Hamilton -- was an incredible mentor to me, and I wouldn’t be in the position that I am today without his guidance and support.

I also wouldn’t be where I am today without former editor-in-chief Cody

Boteler, and former senior editor Sam Shelton. Under their leadership, I learned how much hard work and internal drive it takes to be a journalist.

I’d also like to thank two professors who had a tremendous influence on me. Elia Powers and Ron Snyder were always there for me to bug when I had a question about reporting. Not only that, they brought out the best in me as a student-journalist with their incredible knowledge and wisdom.

Finally, I would like to thank my family for all of their love and support

along the way, especially my beautiful mother. She once told me that I would be running the paper one day, and although I didn’t quite make it to that steppingstone, I got further than I ever thought I would.

To everyone else who was there for me -- you know who you are -- and I can’t thank you enough.

So to all my seniors, not just at The Towerlight, but at Towson University: Here’s to a great last semester, and to our future endeavors.

Cheers!

6

Advertising

January 30, 2018

The Division for Student Affairs offers the

Student LIFE Line

SHOW student ID for HOrrendous deals!

164o E. Joppa Rd. Towson, MD 21286 Home of FREE lighters and FREE screens

This telephone line assists students with any question they may have about the University. LIFE Line is staffed and ready to assist callers Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

After these hours, a voice mail message can be left and will be responded to on the next business day.

You can also contact us with your questions via e-mail at studentaffairs@towson.edu.

(5433) 410-704-LIFE (54 33) E-mail: studentaffairs@towson.edu

Best selection of glasspipes,Water pipes and Rigs. Detox, papers, grinders, Kratom, Juuls,

Beav’s Mom and Staff are here to help with all your smoking needs. We remain in loving memory of Beav.

Hours: Mon.-Saturday 11am- 9pm Sunday 11am- 8pm

41o-337-7733 @beavssmokeshop beavs_smokeshop FB, instagram,

Snapchat, Twitter

News

January 30, 2018

7

Bigger Burdick now open UStore launches textbook valet KERI LUISE Staff Writer

Marcus Dieterle/ The Towerlight

Burdick Hall will open its doors Jan. 27. The newly-renovated gym, with an addition of 94,000 square feet, will include a cycling studio, an American Ninja Warrior-style obstacle course and new cardio machines.

MARCUS DIETERLE Editor-in-Chief @marcusdieterle

After undergoing construction since 2015, Burdick Hall will open the doors to its $34 million, new facilities on Jan. 27.

Director of Campus Recreation Grady Sheffield said that during the Burdick expansion, the designers wanted to emphasize Burdick’s lively and welcoming atmosphere.

“When we were designing this, we wanted to create a sense of energy and excitement,” Sheffield said.

“That’s why you see the open floor plans. That’s why you see a lot of glass and windows, so that when you’re on the outside, especially at night, you’re going to see all this activity in here and you’re going to want to be in here.”

Sheffield said Towson decided to expand Burdick as a commitment to student health and wellness after realizing that the existing facilities were unable to keep up with the University’s growing student population.

“The enhanced growth that the University felt in a short period of time just caused the resources that we had to not meet the demand,” Sheffield said.

Students were able to access Burdick through the building’s University Avenue entrance during the renovations, but exercise space was limited.

According to Sheffield, the existing Burdick was approximately 110,000 square feet. The Burdick expansion added 94,000 square feet for a total of just over 200,000 square feet.

Included in that new space was the addition of 22,000 square feet of dedicated fitness floor space – a 16,000 square foot increase from the existing facility’s 6,000 square feet of

fitness floor space. Burdick is now on par with Campus Recreation’s standard for having approximately 1,000 square feet per 1,000 students, Sheffield said.

Burdick has been under construction for most of senior Miyah Overton’s time at Towson, and she’s just excited for the building to be fully open.

“At least I get to use it before I graduate,” said Overton, who is majoring in health science.

Overton said the Burdick renovations deterred her from using the gym more. Instead, she and her friends started working out in common areas in Marshall Hall.

Overton isn’t sure whether she and her friends will move their small group fitness sessions to Burdick, but she said she is excited to join a yoga class and use the new equipment at Burdick.

The fitness center includes plate-loaded equipment, like power racks, squat racks, and benches for weight lifting, as well as adaptable workout machines for people who use a wheelchair.

Burdick’s upper level features a functional training area where people can do high intensity interval training, perform body weight exercises, and use non-traditional equipment such as medicine balls, kettlebells, sandbags, plyometric boxes, ropes, sleds and tires -- ranging in weight from 88 pounds to 228 pounds.

When first formulating the Burdick expansion, Sheffield said the designers wanted to incorporate a track that would snake through the building. Due to budgetary restrictions, however, they had to cut that feature out of the plans.

In place of the track, the designers built an American Ninja Warrior-style obstacle course, a sprint hill and stadium stairs. The sprint hill is at a 20 percent grade and covers about 70

yards, according to Sheffield.

“I could see using [the Ninja Warrior-style obstacle course] for an activity or if an on-campus organization had an event using them,” said graduate student Samantha Prager.

“I don’t know if it’s my cup of tea, just on a Saturday afternoon or something, but definitely using the gym facilities altogether is pretty cool.”

Burdick’s course, which was built by Adventure Solutions, isn’t a complete replica of what you’ve seen on television – you won’t see the Warped Wall, for instance. But gym-goers can expect to see several Ninja Warrior features like the angled steps and horizontal climbing beams, as well as other obstacles like a Swiss cheese board.

For now, the course is just a training piece, but Sheffield said he hopes to eventually have special events like a “Jungle Warrior Day” competition.

The functional training area also includes non-motorized treadmills and bicycles, and total resistance exercise suspension training, or TRX, where people can use their bodyweight as a form of resistance.

The Burdick expansion also brings five new group fitness studios.

Previously, Campus Recreation had been operating group fitness studios in the existing Burdick’s Gymnasium 3 and Mezzanine and in a small studio in West Village.

The group fitness classes are taught by trained student instructors.

In preparation for the Burdick expansion, Campus Recreation hired over 100 new student employees, bringing their total to approximately 340 student employees.

- To read the rest of this article online, visit thetowerlight.com.

- Mary-Ellen Davis contributed to this story.

Towson’s University Store has a new textbook valet service for students in order to maximize limited sales floor space and increase textbook sales. “[UStore Valet] is a new way to select your books,” said Katie Simmons-Barth, the UStore’s marketing and retail sales supervisor.

“You no longer have to search for your titles and authors. You just bring in your book list, give it to a textbook valet and the valet will pull your books for you. The valet will then go over what they have selected for you, and assist you with any questions that you may have. You then take your textbooks up to the front of the store and purchase them.

Print, valet pulls, purchase…done. It is that easy.”

The UStore is finding ways to alleviate students’ stress about finding their books, making it easier for students to find their course materials.

“This system will allow for a more personalized and focused experience,” Simmons-Barth said. “A lot of times students will come into the store, get confused and leave without asking for help or getting what they need. This leads to potentially purchasing the wrong materials, or being behind in their course work, and we don’t want that for our students.

With Textbook Valet, we are automatically going to be helping each customer and getting them everything they are required to use for their course.”

The service began in December, and according to Technical Systems Coordinator Ray Monczewski, “it will continue until another method comes along to improve our process.”

“The service is available to all just by entering the University Store,” Monczewski said. “From the Course Materials Desk, all customers will be serviced by the Textbook Valet.”

There will be no additional charge for the valet service. Students will only be paying for the course materials they plan on purchasing.

“This actually may, and should, save students money in the long run,” said Stacy Elofir, the UStore’s director. “Think about getting the right book the first time. Being able to ask your valet if the rental option is the best pricing choice, reviewing the price compare tool before you purchase and again make the best decision for you the first time.”

Sophomore Jack Rudman believes that “the access to this service could be beneficial to students if executed correctly,” and “for some, it could be easier to have someone else find all the books for them.”

“I think students will definitely save time using this service because the UStore has a lot of the textbooks needed for classes,” Rudman said.

According to Monczewski, aside from assisting the customer’s needs and offering the service they expect, the main goal of the valet service is to “prepare our store and staff to utilize limited floor space.”

The UStore is in the process of slowly downsizing in preparation for a remodel of the University Union in the next year or so. The valet service is the store’s way of still providing convenient service to students during the changes.

“The University Store will be temporarily moved upstairs to the Potomac Ballroom,” Elofir said.

“This will be significantly less space for at least a year, and we have to think of creative ways to still offer all of our student services in a much smaller space.”

According to Simmons-Barth, the new look has already begun for the course materials in the store.

There is “new signage and an entire new theme happening in our textbook area,” Simmons-Barth said.

The University Store has many options for their customers to ensure that students have the right materials and even the right resources for all purchases.

“We have the Textbook Advance program that defers the payment on book purchase to later in the semester,” Simmons-Barth said. “We also have Direct Access which offers online materials directly to students who opt in for the courses that are registered under Direct Access.

These materials contain study manuals, additional content and the ability to interact with your course materials in a way that has never been done before. We also textbook price compare and price match textbooks.”

Elofir indicated that customer service is a main priority at the UStore.

“We evaluate our business practices regularly and try to make improvements based on need and customer feedback,” Elofir said.

“Our goal is to offer amazing customer service to the Towson University community through unique products, competitive pricing, and streamlined services.”

8

News

January 30, 2018

County Council to vote on resolution Reviewing the redevelopment of historic mansion

SAPE campaign educates on stalking SOPHIA BATES Staff Writer @sbrookebates

Marcus Dieterle/ The Towerlight

The Baltimore County Council is reviewing a resolution to redevelop Towson’s historic Bosley Mansion, formerly the Presbyterian Home of Maryland, of Georgia Court, into 45 condominiums.

MARY-ELLEN DAVIS Assistant News Editor @Mel_Davis_1998

The Baltimore County Council is reviewing a resolution for the redevelopment of Bosley Mansion.

The resolution was introduced by Councilman David Marks during the council’s Jan. 16 meeting.

Developers Marty Azola and Delbert Adams of Bosley Estates LLC are looking to convert the mansion into 45 condominiums. The resolution would approve a review for the project.

According to Marks, approval is necessary for the redevelopment to continue, as original zoning of the mansion would only allow for developers to put 28 condominiums on the property instead of the proposed 45.

“All the resolution does is begin the review of the project,” Marks said. “It’s a Planned Unit Development, which means you have to provide special council approval for a project that’s denser than the zoning allows.”

If the council votes to approve the resolution, which Marks believes it will, the resolution will continue through the formal review process. “[The formal review process is] handled by the executive branch of the government,” Marks said. “It usually takes about a year, at which point the developer has to get building permits, then they can start construction.”

According to Kate Knott, vice president of Southland Hills Improvement Association, Bosley Mansion is not yet owned by Bosley Estates, LLC, and will be under the Presbyterian Home of Maryland until the end of the PUD process.

“They probably won’t settle until

the end of December this year,” Knott said. “Somewhere along those lines there is an enormous process that they have to go through even if the resolution is passed. They have to submit their plans, they have to have a community input meeting, it has to go before an administrative law judge. If you look up the PUD process on the county website, you’ll see it’s just a very involved process.”

According to Adams, there will be a lot of interior and exterior renovations that will need to be done to the mansion in order to get it ready to be condos, as it was once an assisted-living center.

“I think what we’ll do is, we’ll repurpose the existing building through an adaptive repurpose building process,” Adams said. “We’ll remove much of the interior and section off areas for living areas and so that’s basically what we’ll do.

But we would also add additions, or bump-outs, to the existing mansion to increase some square footage for the living spaces as well” Adams said he and Azola came up with the idea for the condominiums because they wanted to fill a niche market.

“We have done some research and we believe there is an untapped market for people who are looking to downsize and move into a home that has very upscale amenities,” Adams said. “And we don’t believe that there’s another product on the market that really addresses kind of what this product will be unless you wanted to move to downtown Baltimore. So if you are living in the county and would like to stay in the county or you live in the city and you want to move out of the city.”

Both Knott and Marks are pleased with the work the developers are

doing, citing their credentials and the way the developers are working with the community to make sure the neighbors of the mansion are happy with the project.

“The development team has strong historic preservation credentials…. If this particular development does not advance, the likelihood is that the mansion would sit there and rot away for a number of years,” Marks said.

“The other option is, this is not a protected historical landmark, so a future developer could bulldoze the historic mansion. That’s why we think this is the best option right now.”

Jack Spaulding, who has lived near Bosley mansion for almost 20 years, is optimistic about the potential conversion of the property into condominiums.

“I think most of the neighbors wish it could stay as it is,” Spaulding said. “But I think the current proposal from Marty Azola’s team is the best opportunity to preserve the grounds and spirit of what was the Presbyterian Home of Maryland, but give it new life.”

Knott says this project will add value to property in the neighborhood, and most people are on board with the resolution.

“You’re never going to get 100 percent of people that are necessarily going to be on board, but the vast majority of people are on board,” Knott said. “Realize that this will be a benefit to the neighborhood, to our property values, and it’s going to kind of be the most realistic option for the use of this property. Change is hard and nobody likes change, but the fact is that property is going to get redeveloped somehow and to be able to have the collaboration and input with the developers makes a huge difference.”

January is National Stalking Awareness Month, and Sexual Violence Prevention Educator Kailah Carden is working alongside Towson’s Sexual Assault Peer Educators to use a social media campaign for awareness on the issue of stalking as a form of sexual violence within the Towson community.

The campaign involves the peer educators posting one fact about stalking every day in January, which includes information about prevalence of the issue, what stalking is, resources for those affected by stalking and simple things students can do to protect themselves, specifically with online safety, according to Carden.

“I think ‘stalking’ is a word that we might throw around, and use casually, or even humorously, like saying ‘Oh I stalked you on social media,’ or something like that,” Carden said. “But I think it is very important for students to be aware that stalking is one of the prohibited behaviors in the Towson University sexual misconduct policy.”

Freshman Bradley Stansbury recognizes the work of the campaign as vital because of what stalking may lead to.

“It’s incredibly important to be aware of the actions that stalkers do that can lead to other, more detrimental things, like sexual assault,” Stansbury said. “I have friends that have been stalked, and it’s an issue that isn’t addressed often. If students know how to recognize and address stalking, then I think Towson’s campus would be even more safe and friendly than it already is.”

Carden addressed the issue of being stalked by someone within the community.

“It’s also something that could interfere with someone’s ability to perform as a student at Towson, and especially if it’s happening by someone else in the Towson community, which could make them uncomfortable attending classes or being comfortable where they live, or being unsure when they will see this person,” Carden said. “So that’s kind of the emotional distress portion of what it really means.”

Freshman Emily Briggs noted that resources for victims are important due to the emotional effects of being harassed.

“Ultimately, nothing is more terrifying than feeling like you’re unable to go somewhere because you are

afraid that you will run into someone you don’t want to see.”

But, stalking is more than just an in-person issue, with social media being a heavy influence. Carden noted that preventing location tagging on social media platforms is one of the biggest precautions students can take to protect themselves and their friends.

“Even if you aren’t experiencing an unsafe situation with stalking, just think about how it may impact other people,” Carden said. “For example, if I take a picture of my peer educators, I always make sure I have permission to post it and ensure the location isn’t available, in case one of those students may be experiencing an unhealthy relationship or stalking, because that’s a way someone may be able to find their location and harass them. Just thinking about things [like] geotagging, location sharing and even if it isn’t a concern for you, think about how it could impact someone else.”

Freshman Franklin Biggs noted that social media, such as Instagram, can blind people to how stalking impacts other people.

“I had a friend who use to make girls uncomfortable, and when I confronted him with the problem he saw no wrong in his doing,” Biggs said.

“I’ve had many female friends saying he stalks them on social media, and my advice to them was just to block him and any other unknown user who requested to follow them.”

One of the most important results of this campaign is awareness on the resources provided for those impacted by stalking, according to Carden.

The Office of Inclusion and Institutional Equity is where students can to delve into the legal aspects of stalking, such as investigations or hearings on cases. If a student is seeking further legal action, the Sexual Assault Legal Institute, run out of the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault provides free legal advice to those who want to go further into the issue, according to Carden.

Carden also noted that the Counseling Center has a partnership with TurnAround, a local domestic violence center which also offers a 24-hour hotline and professional advocates in counseling.

“Stalking is prohibited in our policy, which means that we have resources for people who have experienced it, so they still have access to their education,” Carden said.

Advertising

January 30, 2018

9

10 January 30, 2018

News

Council gives $43M to Towson Row MARCUS DIETERLE Editor-in-Chief @marcusdieterle

The Baltimore County Council voted 4-3 along party lines Monday night to give nearly $43 million in financial assistance to the developers of the Towson Row project.

Democrats Cathy Bevins, Julian Jones, Tom Quirk and Vicki Almond voted in favor of the deal, while Republicans David Marks, Todd Crandell and Wade Kach voted against the deal.

“Where there’s a vacant retail property, crime and blight are not far behind,” Almond said. “Here we have an opportunity to energize new economic development in Baltimore County and capitalize on $350 million of private investment.”

The 1.2 million square foot, $350 million Towson Row project will be located north of Towson University, and will be bounded by York Road, Towsontown Boulevard, Washington Avenue and West Chesapeake Avenue.

Co-developers Caves Valley Partners and Greenberg Gibbons are

leading the project.

The mixed-use development will include retail space, offices, 300 student housing units, 250 luxury highrise apartments and a hotel, according to Greenberg Gibbons.

William Anderson, executive director of the county’s economic and workforce development department, said that as TU prepares to convert the University-owned Marriott Conference Hotel to student housing in 2018, the construction of a new hotel as part of Towson Row is even more important now.

Caves Valley Partners completed demolition on the Towson Row site in fall 2015, but construction halted after the developer discovered a giant rock under the surface. Greenberg Gibbons joined the project as a co-developer in May 2017.

Economist Anirban Basu, who the county hired to produce a report on the Towson Row deal, acknowledged residents’ “angst,” but said this deal is an opportunity for revitalization in Towson.

“We’re literally stuck between a rock and what appears to be a hard place,” said Basu, who is the chairman and CEO of Sage Policy Group.

“But I have to say, it would be hard to turn this away.”

According to a study by Sage Policy Group, the Towson Row project will create 2,000 permanent retail jobs and 3,500 temporary construction jobs.

“One good job equals a person with opportunity, self-worth,” Jones said. “They take care of their family, they feed their family, they send their kids to school, they buy things in the community, and they are less likely to somehow be driven into a life of crime or despair.”

However, some county residents were not pleased with the council’s vote.

During the meeting, several attendees waved signs reading “Yay! Advance Us Too!” to urge the council to finance their projects as well.

Scott Pappas said the council rushed their vote on the deal.

“Why did it have to be rammed through the way that it was literally a week or so before Christmas holiday without only ten working days to review it?” Pappas said. “Answer that question. Why couldn’t we table it?”

- To read the rest of this article online, visit thetowerlight.com.

Finally, a smart bikeshare.

ASL lab to relocate MARY-ELLEN DAVIS Staff Writer

The College of Health Professions is planning to relocate the American Sign Language lab in Linthicum Hall to give other health profession majors a new lab for simulation classes.

Diana Emanuel, the chairperson for the Department of Audiology, Speech-Language Pathology and Deaf Studies, said the College of Health Professions conducted a study on how the ASL lab was used.

According to Emanuel, the study found that for its size, the lab was underutilized. The College determined the space was not being used efficiently, and they decided to turn it into a space for simulation classes.

“We were looking for a space to support the interprofessional simulation classes, so these are various health professions majors,” Emanuel said.

Emanuel said simulations include beds and mannequins, and therefore require a large space.

However, Emanuel believes there was some confusion, as a petition to keep the lab open began to circulate.

The petition stated that the lab would close for good next semester, preventing “a Deaf community from existing at TU.” Emanuel said the lab is not closing.

Although the department has not yet identified a new, permanent location for the lab, Emanuel said it does have a temporary space for the spring in a computer lab in Linthicum.

The petition described the lab as “a place [for students] to expand their language, study, and as a Deaf/ ASL friendly place to do homework.

This is our safe space at the school to communicate without barriers or judgement from non-ASL signers.”

Speech-pathology and Deaf studies major Joseph Nicol felt the announcement of the lab relocation was very sudden.

“We kind of just got pushed to the side was how it sounded to me,” Nicol said.

Nicol said he doesn’t think there would be as much opposition if a permanent location for the new lab were secured. nursing program said ‘we need this lab, we need to expand, and so we’re taking this lab.’”

- To read the rest of this article online, visit thetowerlight.com.

TU

at

1

FIND

2

SCAN

3

PARK

Open the Spin app to find bikes near you

Scan the QR code on the front or back of the bike to unlock

Park and pull the lever down to lock the bike after your ride

Bikes in Many Campus Locations Discounts for TU Students, Faculty & Staff

Download the Spin app from App Store or Google Play and make sure you use your towson.edu email to get the discount.

www.spin.pm Managed by Parking & Transportation Services

Advertising

January 30, 2018

USTORE VALET LET US DO THE WORK Ustore Valet is a new way of selecting your textbooks. Now, instead of walking the aisles searching for those titles, we gather your books for you and you simply pay for them. It is as easy as that.

HOW IT WORKS

First you will need to print your book list.

You can do this at home or in the store. *Tip* if you do this at home it saves time in the store.

TIPS FOR USING VALET

• Print your book list at home • Have your book list ready to hand to the Valet

TIPS FOR DIY

The Ustore Valet uses your book list to pull your • Access your textbook list through peoplesoft books. The Valet will go over what they have chosen with you to make sure you • Order your textbooks online for home delivery approve the product to be purchased.

• Order your textbooks online choose The last step is taking your books to pick up in store. a register and purchasing them.

11

14 January 30, 2018

Towson’s Best

Towson’s Best Your fellow Towerlight readers voted in our online survey for the best of the best in a variety of Towson-related categories. Find out who took the gold in each specialty area in this year’s Towson’s Best. Compiled by Jordan Cope, Mary-Ellen Davis, Marcus Dieterle, Bailey Hendricks, Kerry Ingram and Karuga Koinange. Photos by Towerlight staff members.

Best place to live off campus: Towson Place Apartments If you’re looking to move off-campus, look no further than the Towson Place Apartments. Located right across the street from The Towers, these apartments are conveniently located so that you can still walk to all your classes instead of worrying about whether you’ll be able to get your favorite parking space each day. With 24-hour emergency maintenance services, controlled building access and the ability to pay your rent online from the comfort of your couch, you’ll feel right at home in one of their pre-furnished f l o o r plans, ranging from studio apartments all the way to three bedrooms.

Best residence hall: The Glen Complex/“The Towers” A short walk from the academic buildings, the Glen Complex, or “The Towers” as they’ve become known, is the perfect place for on campus living. With the suite-style rooms, common areas and study rooms, there are plenty of opportunities to make new friends. If meeting people isn’t your speed, the rooms are also perfect to hide away in while you binge watch that show on Netflix you haven’t started. To top it off, Tower D is home to the Global Village residence community. If you’re part of this learning experience, you’ll have the opportunity to live on an integrated

floor of domestic and international students, and you may just walk away with a new best friend.

Best place to park: Union Garage The Union is centrally located to most of the academic buildings on campus, so it’s no surprise that it was voted the best place to park on campus. It’s only about a five minute walk to the Liberal Arts building, and about a 15 minute walk to the library. Parking at the Union Garage is popular because there’s so many things y o u c a n do in t h e Union: p i c k up some sushi from Kappa Sushi, pick up a package at the Post Office and rent your textbook from the UStore all in one building. The only drawback? Because this is a popular place to park, you should get up early for your classes to find a parking spot.

Best shuttle route: Gold Route With stops all around campus, the Gold Route is the route of choice for every student when they don’t feel like walking to class.

Shuttles run every 30 minutes starting at 6 a.m., with the last run at 1:30 a.m. The best part?

This route has weekend hours starting after 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, making catching a weekend dinner with your friends across campus easy.

Best bathroom: College of Liberal Arts When you gotta go, you gotta go.

When nature calls on campus, you want to be at the College of Liberal Arts building. Equipped with plenty of stalls -- and urinals for men -- the CLA bathrooms rarely have a line, so you can make it to your next class in plenty of time! What’s most impressive about these bathrooms, however, is just how clean they are. The chances are slim that you’ll walk into a CLA stall and find a log floating inside one of the toilets. That’s the last image you’ll want to see in your head before going to class, especially if you ate lunch at the Glen!

Best study spot: Cook Library As much as we don’t want hours of studying to be on our minds at the very start of the semester, it’s college. It’s going to happen. The best place to spend endless hours looking over notes and memorizing formulas? Towson University’s Albert S. Cook Library. Whether you’re in need of access to one of the 300-plus computers available, a 24/7 study space to complete work in, or just a venti Frappuccino from Starbucks, Cook Library will have you covered. It even hosts an online catalog full of electronic resources for all your academic needs. In the event that you need additional help with your studies, the library also offers individualized assistance in both the form of person-to-person contact and virtual help via messaging, email or phone. With nearly 500,000 books and an abundance of resources, Cook Library is the best location for a good study-session.

Best administrator: Deb Moriarty With someone who cares about Towson’s students as much as she

does – seriously, it’s practically in her job description – it’s no surprise that Deb Moriarty was voted best administrator. As the Vice President for Student Affairs, Moriarty oversees the Division of Student Affairs’ 15 departments.

Moriarty works to ensure that students engage in successful, inclusive, fun, healthy and safe experiences here at Towson University.

Got an idea on how to enhance the student development, who are you going to call? Deb Moriarty, of course!

Best way to improve TU: Fewer/quick er construction projects

We know that in order to maintain the awesome campus that is Towson University, construction must get done. However, does anyone like having to find alternative routes in order to get to class on time? No. Towson has frequently been under construction in different parts of campus for several years – in 2015, West Village w a s making additions to housing; in 2016, Starbucks was being renovated (cue all the grumpy college students who couldn’t get their fix of their favorite caffeinated beverages with ease); in 2017, Burdick was still undergoing construction; in 2018, construction is in the works for the new science building near Stephen’s Hall, cutting off the regular walking route from the Glen Garage to the main campus. Despite our school pride, the

majority of Towson students agree that having to deal with fewer of these obstacles, or at least not dealing with them for an extended period of time, would make TU a much better place.

Best reason to come to TU: Quality education/range of options for majors With more than 60 majors, 50 minors and many other programs to choose from at Towson University, you’d be hard-pressed not to find a good fit for you. Towson was ranked 10th among public universities in the northern region in The U.S. News & World Report 2018 America’s Best Colleges guide.

Students can get the close attention they need to achieve collegiate success with Towson’s 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

Best place to work out: Burdick Hall Need a convenient spot to release that pent-up stress a n d frustration?

Look n o further t h a n the newly renovated Burdick Hall.

Burdick is open 100 hours per-week during the academic year, and is sure to have something for everyone! If you’re looking to get a good workout in, or just play some basketball with your friends, Burdick is the place for you. As part of Burdick’s recent upgrades, the gym now has a sprint hill, studios for group fitness activities, a Ninja Warrior-style course named

January 30, 2018

Towson’s Best

“The Jungle,” and several other additions. This spring, forget the expensive gym membership fees, and take advantage of all Burdick Hall has to offer.

Best academic class: COMM 131

“IMMA LET YOU FINISH, BUT COMM 131 IS ONE OF THE BEST CLASSES OF ALL TIME.” Kanye West may not be the best example when it comes to public speaking: however, COMM 131, a class on the fundamentals of speech communication, is. No matter your major, knowing how to present yourself and communicate well in front of a group is important, and this class makes sure to push you outside of your comfort zone while still being fun and entertaining.

Out of all of the classes at Towson, COMM 131 is the one that anyone can walk away from having learned skills that they will definitely use post-college.

Best professor: Jenny Atwater If you’re a journalism student, then you already know this star of the mass communication department. And if you aren’t, well, you don’t know what you’re missing.

Before becoming a professor at Towson, Jenny Atwater worked as a broadcast reporter all across the country from Boise, Idaho, to Des Moines, Iowa, to right here in Baltimore. Now that she’s here at TU, she’s bestowing her years of media experience on her classes of student journalists. Atwater is continuously encouraging her students to go after the best – not the easiest – stories, to learn the rules of journalism so they can break them later on…and yeah, to listen to the Serial podcast already. Seriously.

Best student group: Black Student Union Towson’s Black Student Union gives black students and their allies a platform to express and

celebrate their identities. BSU provides a gathering opportunity for people who identify as members of or allies to the black community, and stands as a strong voice for minorities of all kinds on campus. The group partners with a wide variety of faculty and community representatives t o ensure t h a t t h e campus is welcoming, inclusive and safe for everyone. The group’s office is conveniently situated on the second floor of the University Union, right across the hall from the SGA office. BSU holds meetings throughout the semester where members discuss topics ranging from self-love to self-defense.

Best upcoming construction project: Union expansion The Union is home to many events, student group offices and retail stores. However, the building is a little outdated. The Union was voted as the best upcoming construction project because so many students use the building -- whether it be to vist the BSU, SGA or CSD offices, pick up some Chick-fil-a in between classes, go to an event, or stock up on some extra pencils for class in the UStore.

With Towson’s growing campus, it only makes sense that the Union’s expansion is one of the most anticipated construction projects on campus -- especially since it was only made for 9,000 students when it was built.

Best place to print: Cook Library With six different WEPA printing stations in the library and with its central location to most academic buildings, you should have your paper printed just in time for class.

Cook Library has a WEPA station on the 1st, 2 n d , and 5th f loors.

A n d the 3rd f loor has 3 stations!

By using a credit card or retail points on your OneCard, your paper will be printed on the spot for just a few cents -- whether you need it in black and white, or in color.

Best place to buy textbooks: University Store

We’ve all been through textbook struggles. Whether it be getting the wrong edition, missing online access codes or even ordering the right books, but receiving them two weeks too late. The UStore is the one place Towson students feel they can rely on in order to receive the books they need on time, while also getting a good deal. Located in the University Union, the UStore also offers price matching, buybacks and a textbook valet system to help you get the books you need in as little time as possible. Getting textbooks from the UStore means getting the resources you need with as little stress as possible.

Best on-campus eats: Au Bon Pain “Au Bon Pain” might be French for “The Good Bread,” but it’s uni-

versal for all great food. Whether you want to snack on a Napa chicken and avocado wrap, swing by for some gooey mac ‘n cheese, or just want to pick up your favorite double chocolate mudslide cookie, ABP is the place to go on campus to swipe away any extra meals. If there are any drawback to ABP, it’s that it closes at 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and at 3 p.m. on Friday!

Best grocery store: Trader Joe’s After starting in the 50s as a small chain of Southern California convenience stores, Trader Joe’s quickly expanded with the goal of saving consumers money. Ranked at No. 16 on Forbes’ “America’s Best Employers” list and No. 1 as The Business Journals’ preferred grocer, Trader Joe’s is the place to go for all your grocery needs. Their website also has a recipes section, so for those who are interested in doing a little more cooking, you need look no further for some inspiration. Luckily for Towson, there’s a Trader Joe’s located over on Kenilworth Drive, so head on over and stock up on all your favorites.

Best pizza: Seasons Pizza Whether you’re ordering online, over the phone, or in person, Seasons Pizza will get your pizza to you warm and cheesy every time. Seasons offers delivery and carry-out options for whatever schedule you’re on. Not to mention their late hours -- they

15

close at midnight Sunday through Wednesday, and they don’t close until 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday -- make your round-theclock pizza cravings easier than ever to satisfy. Located on York Road, Seasons is in close proximity to campus. Picking up a meal from their storefront would only be a 5 minute walk for those who live in Scarborough and Prettyman Halls, and is right next to off-campus apartments.

Seasons isn’t just a pizza place either -- they offer wings, paninis, desserts, stromboli and calzones, salads, and more. My mouth is watering just at the thought of their endless possibilities.

Best burger: Five Guys Five Guys is a must-visit burger joint for college students on a budget – and really, who isn’t? These dudes let you stack as many as 15 free toppings on your burger.

Seriously, you’ll want to go “all the way” with this. This category might be for “best burger,” but we’d be remiss if we didn’t note Five Guys’ delicious fries.

Warm, salty, heavenly.

Not to ment i o n t h e

employe e s (thankfully) have no concept of portion control – you’ll be digging into your paper bag of delicious, seemingly endless fries forever.

Best dessert: Cheesecake Factory Whether you’re surprising your

16 January 30, 2018

Towson’s Best

boo with their favorite dessert or just celebrating the fact that you didn’t fail your biology class, your sweet tooth will thank you for visiting Cheesecake Factory. Catch the Tiger-in-Town shuttle to the Towson Town Center and choose from Cheesecake Factory’s over 30 flavors of cheesecake. From fruity selections like lemon raspberry cream or banana cream cheesecakes, to chocolate-lovers’ favs like decad e n t Godiva o r Oreo cheesecakes, you’ll d e f i nitely be coming back for more…and more…and more.

Towson Tiger is going uptown on the weekends. There are endless amounts of bars with great atmosphere, people and prices. If you’re new to the bar scene at Towson, The Rec Room should be one of the first stops on your list. Rec has a beautiful outdoor patio that’s the perfect spot to hang out with your friends and drink an adult beverage on a beautiful night. Best of all, Coors Light is o n l y going t o cost you $ 3 .

Best coffee: Starbucks For many, Starbucks is their home-away-from home at Towson University. No matter where you’re from, you know you’re grande caramel macchiato will always taste the same with it’s sweet milk and zingy espresso to help you get the jolt you need to be ready for your next test. An upside, too, is its location right inside Cook Library! Right when you walk into the library, you can stop at Starbucks and get your espresso drink and cake pop to get you through that long study sesh.

Downside? The Starbucks in Cook is closed Saturday and Sunday!

Fortunately, the one on York Road is open everyday so you can get your daily dose of caffeine.

Best liquor store: Wells Discount Liquors Are you throwing a wild party with all of your friends this semester? If you are, you should plan on stocking up at Wells Discount Liquors. Just a short drive from campus, Wells has all you need to make your party a hit. The best part about going to Wells is that the store almost always has a tasting. So if you need an expensive bottle of champagne to pop, or just a cheap six pack of beer, make Wells Discount Liquors your one stop shop.

Best late-night eats: Paws Paws is a convenient choice for those living on campus when they’re craving some late-night eats. Those who live in the Towers only have to walk about 5 minutes to get their hands on some of Paws’ chicken fingers and fries. Paws is open until 2 a.m. Monday through Friday and closes at 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, so you know Paws has your back if you’re craving some fresh fried food late at night. In addition to its good food, Paws environment is good for both hanging out with friends and playing some pool, or utilizing their big comfy booths with outlets to do some last minute studying.

Best bar/nightclub: The Rec Room One of the best parts of being a

Drink u p a n d live out the college experience at Rec!

Best happy hour menu: On The Border Let’s face it. We college students love to eat and drink, but are also broke. Not to fear, though.

On The Border has you covered with endless happy hour options!

On weekdays from 3 to 7 p.m., OTB has $2 domestic drafts, $5 CaronaRita’s and $12 pitchers of margaritas. If you’re going to enjoy your margarita pitcher, though, you will need to put some food on your belly. OTB has $2 queso and guac appetizers, and $3 cheese quesadillas. So if you’re looking to pregame before the pregame, stop at On The Border for happy hour!

Best hangover cure: Towson Hot Bagels Being 21 can cause headaches.

Not just from the late-night studying, but also from the late-night partying. If you ever find yourself in need of something to cure a

hangover and are out of pickle juice in your fridge, go to Towson Hot Bagels immediately. THB has greasy bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches and sausage, egg and cheese sandwiches that are sure to cure your hangover. If you feel like being healthy, THB also has options for you like Uncle Gigi’s bagel with Muenster cheese and sprouts. So if aspirin and water aren’t cutting it for you the next morning, head over to THB. Best under-21 fun: Towson mall Towson Town Center Shopping Mall, located just minutes away from the University’s campus, is the hot-spot for students under 21 – and with good reason. Whether you’re looking to stay on trend with some new clothes, eat out with friends or just kill time, Towson Mall serves as the ultimate arena for those not yet old enough to go to the bars and clubs in the area. Its close proximity to campus makes it an easy choice for both those without access to cars, and those who are unfamiliar with the entirety of the Towson area. Its four levels full of different shops and locations guarantee that boredom will never be an option.

Best first date: Nando’s Peri Peri Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. You’ve finally built up the courage to ask out that cutie in your psychology class, but where are you going to take them for your d a t e togethe r ?

Located in Towson Square, Nando’s is the place to be for Portuguese, flame-grilled chicken. You can get your chicken with sauces ranging in heat from plain to extra hot, if you and your date are feeling a little spicy. Not to mention they have a selection of delicious sides like yellow rice and buttery mashed potatoes.

When you’ve finished, you can walk next door to the Cinemark theatres to catch a showing of “Jumanji,” “Proud Mary,” “Lady Bird,” or maybe even the latest “Star Wars” movie

key players, including seniors Jocelyn Kuilan and Anna Holehouse.

Best men’s sports team: Lacrosse Head Coach Shawn Nadelen led the Tigers to their third straight Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Championship last season.

Towson finished the season with a 12-5 overall record and a 4-1 record in conference play.

The team began their NCAA tournament run with in impressive victory over No. 8 Penn State.

Following that win, the Tigers defeated No. 2 Syracuse to advance to the NCAA semifinals for just the third time in the program’s history.

Despite a loss in the semifinals, Nadelen looks to bounce back this season and lead his team even deeper into the postseason.

Best women’s sports team: Volleyball L a s t year, the Tigers kicked o f f t h e season with a n impress i v e 16-game winning streak.

The team finished the season as the number two seed in the CAA, and had several players honored by the conference throughout the season.

Under the leadership of Head Coach Don Metil, Towson reached the CAA semifinals and earned a spot in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC), making its first postseason appearance in 13 years.

The Tigers look to improve on their impressive 2017 season next fall as the team returns several

Best men’s athlete: Jordan McNeil J o r d a n McNeil might not be a highly utilized player for the Towson men’s basketball team, but he is a very fun player to watch when he gets on the court. McNeil is a sharpshooting, lengthy guard with a quick release.

He averages close to 16 minutes each game, but he can erupt at any moment. In Towson’s home opener against Frostburg State, he registered 17 points, including four baskets from beyond the arc.

He showed that same ability later in the season against Oakland when he scored 18 points on just seven shots, and didn’t record a miss from the field. The redshirt junior should see an increased role next season with the departure of a few senior perimeter players.

Best women’s athlete: Julymar Otero In the 2017 season, Julymar Otero registered several individual achievements for Towson women’s volleyball in an extremely competitive conference.

She was named First Team AllCAA, finished second in the country with six triple-double performances and became the first player in program history to have multiple triple-doubles in the same season.

Otero appeared in all 33 contests in 2017 -- starting in 24 of them -- and finished the season with 293 kills.

Best coach: Pat Skerry Pat Skerry has been a pillar of consistency in his time at Towson.

This season, the team got off to its best start in program history, going 10-1 and receiving votes in the Associated Press Top 25.

Skerry has made improvements off the court as well. He was a key component in starting an autism awareness weekend that takes place each season. During that weekend, numerous coaches and media members wear a blue puzzle piece pin as a sign of awareness.

Skerry signed a contract extension in mid-December, and looks to lead the Tigers to even more success moving forward.

Advertising

January 30, 2018

17

18 January 30, 2018

Arts & Life

Popular 1990s movie gets millennial-style makeover LUKE PARKER Columnist

Sealing off a year of powerhouse sequels, reboots and remakes, “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” serves as an unlabeled, wistful placeholder. It is not exactly a sequel to Robin Williams’ hit “Jumanji”; it is not really a reboot and it certainly is not a remake.

It is, however, the Christmastime family feature designed to send sleep-deprived parents and their gift-wielding children to theaters for a couple hours of long-overdue silence. With little more purpose than to entertain, this is the kind of show that throws the names of both a classic rock song (which will blow out the speakers during the end credits) and a campy film into its title so that the ’90s teenagers who now have their own kids can feel those nostalgic goosebumps.

This description labels the new Jumanji as a cash-grab picture, and in a lot of ways, it is – I have never known Jumanji to be in the “what deserves a sequel” conversation.

But at the same time, it is fun enough and entertaining enough to make the audience feel like they have participated in a mutually beneficial transaction.

The film makes a slick transformation to suit its millennial audience – the Jumanji game itself literally converts into a video game after a boy, whose father finds the original, old-fashioned board game on a beach, refuses to play it. The differentiations between the old and the new are bountiful to say the least, and the fact that this unique approach to a second installment is enjoyable at all must be accredited to its four stars, who fully carry the weight of writer-director Jake Kasdan’s story, which is not much sturdier than the one from the

1990s video game their characters get sucked into.

The protagonists include Spencer (Alex Wolff), a soft-spoken nerd; jock and Spencer’s ex best friend, Fridge (Ser’Darius Blain); Bethany (Madison Iseman), whose selfie-obsessed teen attitude screams laziness; Martha (Morgan Turner), the reserved rebel who tells off her gym teacher; and Alex, who is introduced in the film’s 1996 prologue as not only the video game’s first victim, but also the “boy who went missing,” which Robin Williams’ character once was. After the four end up serving a Breakfast Club-like detention sentence, they discover the dusted-up game console, which has somehow ended up in the high school’s basement, and just as any group of kids would do with time to kill, they decide to try it out.

Now this is where 'Welcome to the Jungle” loses most of its relevance to its predecessor. Whereas the 1995 film sees the malevolent elements of the game manifest themselves in the real world, this one has the characters fall into the world of the game, taking the shape of the avatars they’ve chosen; they include Dwayne Johnson as the pencil-armed nerd, Kevin Hart as the football star, a half-dressed Karen Gillan as the shy non-athlete, and Jack Black as the phone-dependent, stereotypical girl. Nick Jonas plays the long-lost Alex, who, when our virtual heroes meet him, is stuck on his last of three lives, and is not aware that he has been stuck in the game for twenty years.

As for their in-game objective, there is not much more than “find a thing,” “return the thing to its rightful place,” and “relinquish the curse.” Simple stuff neither audiences nor the film spend much time worrying about. Rather, the enjoyment lies in watching these iconic stars with their iconic personas playing around with a body

Courtesy of Sony Pictures

Hart, Johnson, Black and Gillan dive into the video game world as characters in the 2017 “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” film.

infested by the soul of a completely opposite person. Black is obviously the most notable example of this, as the Bethany inside of him shrieks in horror at the sight of his reflection in the water. Another great moment takes place as the machoman Johnson tries to bottle up his fear, repeating “don’t cry, don’t cry” aloud over and over again.

Black and Johnson are the highlights of this film precisely because of the conflicting personas their characters have inside of them, and the Gillan character works because it allows the awkward girl inside of her to blossom into a kickass confidant. Watching the round and rambunctious Black teach her how to be sexy is outrageous. But the Hart character, whose variations include a shortage of height and a lack of strength, is the most like its portrayer and is thus the stalest of the bunch. Not to suggest that Hart, whose comedic abilities need not be questioned, is not funny, but jokes are much better the first time around, and a lot of the ones here can be found in some form in the majority of his filmography or list of comedic specials.

The video game setting allows for a variety of amusing antics.

For example, early on, the characters’ three lives can make horrendous deaths inconsequential, and thus, amusing. At other times, the lives are also used for strategic and honorable purposes. However, the suspense is steadily amplified as the meter, portrayed by a set of three fading tattoo tallies, winds down. The fact that the game has levels which increase in difficulty provides a spectrum of foes, ranging from hippos and rhinos to motorcycle goons and the evil Van Pelt (Bobby Cannavale), the film’s villain. I can honestly say that I did not expect to ever see a video game cutscene in a movie, an intriguing tribute to the video game narrative, but an element Jumanji could have done without.

There is not much urgency to anything the characters endure. At one point, one of the four characters kills another just because the victim could spare the life. But whatever. It is all in jest, anyways.

This film succeeds in what it needs to succeed at, and supplies more than enough laughs for us to sustain and forgive a few bumps here and there.

Courtesy of skipprichard.com

Skip Prichard, business leader and motivational speaker, talks about his career experiences post-college.

CEO and TU alum writes first book KERRY INGRAM Assoc. Arts & Life Editor

A Towson University alum, Skip Prichard, announced the upcoming release of his first book on Jan. 5 via Twitter.

The book, titled “The Book of Mistakes: 9 Secrets to Creating a Successful Future,” falls under the genre of self-help, with its purpose being to assist readers in progressing through their own personal growth and professional development. Prichard, who grew up in Maryland and, according to statements he wrote on his website, was “an unusual kid who listened to motivational seminars and read inspirational books,” views the book as a paper product of what he’s learned throughout his career.

The book is written as an inspirational text, in the gauze of fiction. The main character, David (named after Prichard himself), will go through obstacles that include nine specific mistakes that could prevent him from achieving his goals. With each mistake, David’s story will help the reader to learn how to surpass these obstacles and gain success. Deemed

by Prichard as a “success parable,” the book was written to help readers reach their full potential.

“This book is written to motivate individuals to consistently achieve their own high goals,” Prichard said in a recent statement released by his publicist, Megan Grajeda. “Creating results and momentum is only possible when employees take personal accountability. That’s what this book is about.”

Prichard attended Towson University for the first portion of his collegiate career, earning his Bachelor of Science

degree before attending the University of Baltimore School of Law. Upon graduating from Towson, Prichard went on to be a business leader and CEO for various companies, ranging from start-ups to mature businesses that he acquired. He now works as a keynote speaker, presenting his advice on topics ranging from running corporations to personal development.

He has even spoken on the topic of publishing and what the future holds for written forms of communication.

His talks and advice have been featured in popular media publications including The New York Times, NPR and Harvard Business Review.

Michael Hyatt, a USA Today bestselling author, shared his liking for Prichard’s new book, stating that it “shines a light on the answer” to the riddle that is success.

“By exploring the nine mistakes most leaders and entrepreneurs make, Skip helps us turn desire, gratitude, and belief into powerful tools for achievement,” Hyatt said.

Bob Burg, a fellow motivational speaker and co-author of the book “The Go-Giver”, also expressed his support for Prichard’s text.

“In this absolutely brilliant book, the author - a noted CEO and highly-regarded business leader - weaves a story that, while greatly entertaining, magnificently educates us with success principles to help us go from where we are to where we want to be,” Burg said.

“Definitely buy a copy for every graduate in your life before they step into the real world of business. They will thank you for it!”

“The Book of Mistakes” is available for preorder now through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, and Indie Bound, and will be officially released for purchase on Feb. 6.

eArts & Life

January 30, 2018

FOB takes on new identity in “Mania” TIMOTHY COFFMAN Columnist

Fall Out Boy has been one of the more interesting bands to follow over the past few years. They came to prominence in the mid-2000s with their unique blend of pop punk and emo sensibilities, but have changed their sound drastically since 2010. They began to tinker more with their sound to suit a more pop-centric audience, which caused a shift in their target demographic. Speaking as a fan of pop punk, I don’t necessarily dislike their change in style; however, I would be lying if I said they were without faults. Their more recent albums, “Save Rock and Roll” and “American Beauty/ American Psycho”, were semi-underwhelming when compared to their earlier work. While there are good songs on both records, each seem to be primarily centered towards pop rather than rock.

Therefore, going into this new album, “Mania”, I have to look at it from both the pop and rock perspective. So how do they hold up?

From a rocker’s perspective, this is probably not going to be the most pleasant album by any means. If you miss songs like “Sugar, We’re Going Down” or “Dance, Dance,” there aren’t many sounds of that nature

to be found in this record. It seems as if Fall Out Boy has spent the last few years fixing elements of their sound that weren’t broken to begin with. The guitar accentuations of this band’s pop punk years have been traded in for a more electronic feel.

While bands like Radiohead incorporate electronic music into their sound, this record can seem a bit clunky in places. If you’re skeptical about the band’s pop leanings, this won’t necessarily be the album to convert you.

However, for a pop listener, this album has some bright moments that shine through when measured against the pop music of today. Songs like “Heaven’s Gate” and “Wilson” show that this band has not forgotten how to write a hook. But some of the singles like “Young and Menace” aren’t going to be for everyone, including myself.

This song has a good groove but is taken out of it whenever the chorus kicks in with an effect that I could describe as lifted from the voice modulator for the “Alvin and the Chipmunks” movies.

Given the albums pitfalls, I can say that this record has something very few pop acts possess right now: identity. While the tone may be disjointed in places, this album certainly isn’t the worst that the band has made and can be very enjoyable if you’re in the mood for a darker spin on Fall Out Boy’s pop sound. It’s by no means a masterpiece, but is good for what it is.

Courtesy of PopBuzz

Fall Out Boy’s latest album, “Mania,” fuses the band’s darker altrock roots with a new pop identity worth listening to.

19

Fanny packs and glitter to takeover spring 2018 KERRY INGRAM Assoc. Arts & Life Editor

We are already a month into 2018 (which is crazy, I know), and hopefully your year has been off to an amazing start. The beginning of a new semester can seem daunting to some, especially after being able to enjoy six weeks of nothing but solid relaxation and hibernation. But have no fear! I believe this year is going to be absolutely amazing, and if that ends up not being the case, I at least know for a fact that the trends will be.

I’ve been indulging in awards shows, clothing stores, magazines and more to compile a list of the top beauty and fashion trends for spring 2018, suitable for us college kids on a budget. This year is all about self-expression, having fun, and presenting your truest self to the world around you – all things I think will never truly go out of style.

TOP SPRING FASHION TRENDS: 1. Sequins/Glitter: The fact that this is trending honestly excites me to the point of spontaneous combustion.

Having fun with fashion is back, and that means channeling your inner sixyear-old and busting out the sparkly garments. Don’t be too scared, however; this trend works when such add-ons are worn in subtler ways. Opt for a glitter detail on a cool pair of kicks, or a few sequins adorned on a ruffled blazer. Less is more with this trend.

2. Track Attire: Juicy Couture who? This season, track pieces are in.

Whether it be track pants worn with a simple, cropped tee, or an entire matching tracksuit, this athleisure style is sure to work both during and after class.

3. Fanny Packs: The amount of fanny packs I have seen in stores the past couple of months is both shocking and intriguing. The sack made for your back[side] is coming back into style, although preferably worn in the front this time around. From designer labels like Moschino to department stores like JCPenney, retailers are each coming out with their own version of the trend, giving you an endless amount of options to choose from.

4. Sheer/Iridescent Fabrics: This

Courtesy of zara.com

Fanny packs, or “belt bags,” are one of Spring 2018’s hot trends. is something I have mainly seen in more affordable retailers, like Forever 21 and Charlotte Russe. Fabrics are becoming lighter as we anticipate warmer weather, with some pieces being so sheer that they must be worn overtop other garments. Materials like chainlink and mesh are definitely having a moment in stores – my only advice is to shop this trend wisely, for it can look cheap and unappealing real fast.

5. Bermuda (Bike) Shorts: This is probably the trend I’m most interested in. Never would I have thought there would be a day in which mid-length shorts would be “trendy”, but to say I’ve seen this cropping up all over different fashion blogs would be an understatement. People are really excited about bike shorts. Maybe it’s the comfort; maybe it’s the zero-percent chance of showcasing your backside at all the wrong moments. The bike short is taking a stance this spring, and wants you to know that it belongs in your closet, ASAP. TOP SPRING BEAUTY TRENDS 1. Glitter: Just as with fashion, beauty is taking a step in the more playful direction. Tons of brands have released glitter products – from Too Faced Cosmetics’ Chocolate Gold collection (which includes a beautiful glitter eyeshadow palette, loose gold glitter pigment, and an opaque, glittery gold lipgloss) to Milk Makeup’s Glitter Stick (which their website describes as a “rainbow-hued glitter highlighter [that] complements all skin tones), beauty brands want you to shine a little more brightly this spring. Glitter face masks have even become a thing.

Again, six-year-old you is about to be

extremely pleased.

2.Gloss: FINALLY! I have been waiting for the matte-lip trend to die, and it finally has simmered down.

This season is all about hydration, including your lips. Brands are starting to release new glosses to try – I would highly recommend the Fenty Gloss Bomb, a universal gloss made for everyone and anyone.

3.Cool Tones: The time of orange and red eyeshadows is finally reaching its end. Brands are slowly starting to include more cool-toned shades in their palettes, Kylie Jenner’s Purple Palette being dubbed as the starter for this transition. Get ready to see more purple and blue colors; who knows, it may look even hotter than the warm tones (I’m just as hesitant about that as you are though…only time will tell)!

4.Pearl Primers: The spring time is all about looking like you glow from within. What better way to allow for that than with a pearl primer? Pearl primers, which are cosmetic bases infused with light-reflecting ingredients, are going to start cropping up, allowing you to achieve smooth and radiant skin while also providing your other products with a longer hold.

5. Sheet Masks…For Your Hair: The K-Beauty trend of sheet masks has been popular for the past few years (largely thanks to how cute they can look in an Instagram-selfie), and now the mask has evolved and moved on.

Sheet masks for your hair are now becoming more popular, allowing users to give their hair a quick pick-me-up sans the effort.

Out of all these trends for spring 2018, which one will you try? Tweet us at @TheTowerlight and let us know!

Advertising

January 30, 2018

The Towerlight

WE BRING TU TO YOU!

in print on Tuesdays and in your email, Monday thru Thursday (Sign up at www.thetowerlight.com)

WRITE US! Send a letter to the editor or a story suggestion to editor@thetowerlight.com

JOIN OUR STAFF! Fill out an application in UU 309

Towerlight

20

TheTowerlight.com/classifieds

CLASSIFIEDS help wanted

NANNY Two girls, 4 and 6. Need genuine, fun, energetic, reliable person with references. 35-40h/wk, starting around June 18. $16/h. Mt Washington. Schedule adjusted when school start. Email: dr.johnston@ huntvalleyanimalhospital.com MEDICAL: Part time position available Monday through Saturday in Pediatric Eye Practice. Will create your schedule based on your school schedule. 10 minutes from campus.

Fax resume to 410-433-1854 or call 410-433-8488 x100.

DOCTOR’S OFFICE Assist doctor with patient care in busy Lutherville practice. Perfect for pre-Physician Assistant or pre-nursing student.

Part time. No evenings or weekends.

Contact tereserobinson@gmail.com or 410-812-7863.

PUT YOUR AD HERE for just $15 Email your 30-word text ad to ads@baltimorestudentmedia.com

I’M INTERESTED EVENTS.TOWSON.EDU

AFTER SCHOOL Assistant Supervisor Wanted. Seeking fun, dependable and responsible assistant supervisor for our before and after care martial arts program. Duties include driving van to pick up children from schools, creating curriculum to engage children, supervise After School room and light cleaning at end of the day. Hours are Monday - Friday 2:30pm-6:30pm with two mornings 7:30 am-9:30 am. Can job share. To apply please contact Ms. Marta at 410-561-5425.

FEMALE PERSONAL ASST. Help mom of older girls w/ errands & organizing. $14/hr + gas $$. 15-min. drive, 695x22. Please call 410-336-9515 and leave message.

PHYSICAL THERAPY TECH Part time for orthopedic PT practice in Timonium. Seeking motivated individuals with strong exercise background, excellent communication and people skills. 10-25 hours per week. Please include your hours of availability in a cover letter with your resume.

Fax 410-560-0877 or email jlibertini@spineandsportsrehab.com

Sports

January 30, 2018

21

tigers tu shows out in home finale take third JILL GATTENS Staff Writer

Towson women’s gymnastics team posted a score of 194.000, and finished in last place behind West Virginia (195.400) and George Washington (195.575) in Sunday’s three-team meet.

“We are moving in the right direction,” Head Coach Vicki Chliszczyk May said. “We are in the best position we have ever been this early, but we don’t want to peak too early.”

Sophomore Melissa Temkov tied for first on the beam with a score of 9.825. Senior Gabriella Yarussi tied for third with a score of 9.800, and fellow senior Lauren Cahalan tied for sixth with a score of 9.775.

Junior Cortni Baker finished second on the vault, tying a career high of 9.850. Senior Tyra McKellar and freshman Kyla Gamble tied for eighth with a 9.870, while freshman Tess Zientek scored a career-high of 9.600.

McKellar placed second on the bars with a 9.775. In her first career appearance on bars, Zientek followed with a third-place finish of 9.750.

Gamble tied for seventh with a 9.700.

McKellar was the only Tiger to finish in the top-10 on the floor and finished fourth in the all-around with a score of 39.025.

“We are continuing to work on the little details,” Chliszczyk May said.

“We want to make every turn count as we focus on our goal of making regionals as a team.”

The Tigers return home to host Yale, Ursinus and East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) rival North Carolina for Team Up For 1 Night on Friday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m.

“It’s a pretty quick turn around,” Chliszczyk May said. “But, we’re looking forward to being in front of our home crowd in SECU Arena.”

File photos by Patrick Burke/ The Towerlight

The Tigers take part in an alumni meet in fall 2015. The Tigers downed Delaware this weekend in the team’s final meet at Burdick Pool. (above) A Towson athlete competes in the alumni meet in fall 2015. Towson closes out the season in the Virginia Tech and JMU Invitationals. (below)

BILLY OWENS Asst. Sports Editor

Towson’s men and women each earned two wins to close out their slate of dual meets for the 2017-2018 season.

The Tigers defeated Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) conference rival Delaware on senior day, before defeating Loyola.

Saturday, each squad earned victories on the program’s senior day meet against Delaware in Burdick Hall as the men earned a 173.5-124.5 win, while the women earned a 184-109 win.

The men posted nine event wins on the day, led by freshman Will Canny’s sweep of the one-meter and three-meter diving events.

Zach Bishop took first in the 200 back with a time of 1:50.94, and the 200 fly in 1:54.56.

Jack Saunderson won the 100 free in 45.80, Nick Essing won the 50 free in 20.98 and Ryan O’Leary won the 100 breast in 58.14.

The Tigers also earned two relay wins, as the team of Nick Essing, Matt Essing, Saunderson and O’Leary placed first in the 200 medley with a time of 1:33.53. The team of Nick Essing, Saunderson, Colin Roddy and

Matt Sieffert took the 200 free with a time of 1:26.23.

The women won all but two of the 16 events in the meet, including Wilson sweeping both the one-meter and three-meter dives with scores of 252.38 and 298.50, respectively.

Kendall Krumenacker won the 50 free in 24.45, Annemarie Schnoor won the 100 free in 52.96, Haley Sutton won the 100 back in 58.64 and Meghan Jones won the 200 back in 2:04.95 to round out the individual wins.

Wednesday, the men’s and women’s teams topped local rival Loyola at Mangione Pool in Baltimore. The

men’s team won 161-132, and the women’s team won 179-114.

The men took wins in 12 of the 16 events, hallmarked by Canny taking first in the one-meter dive with a score of 264.45.

Saunderson posted a NCAA B-cut time of 1:47.35 to win the 200-yard butterfly, while Evan Brophy took both the 500 free and 1,000 free with times of 4:44.82 and 9:38.68, respectively.

Sieffert won the 200-yard backstroke in 1:55.99, and Bishop won the 100 backstroke in 52.29.

The women won 14 of their 16 events, which included junior Emily

Wilson’s sweep of the one-meter and three-meter diving events. Her score of 285.60 in the three-meter qualified her for the 2018 Division I Women's Zone Diving Championships.

Other Tigers with wins included junior Danielle Clark in the 500-yard freestyle, freshman Karlee Carminati in the 1,000-yard freestyle, Cowan in the 200-yard butterfly and freshman Kasey Gamache in the 200-yard individual medley.

Towson competes in the Virginia Tech Invitational starting Friday, Feb. 2, amd in the JMU Diving Invitational Saturday, Feb. 3.

22 January 30, 2018

Sports

Tigers suffer tight overtime loss Towson falls 73-71 to CAA foe Charleston despite a strong defensive performance KARUGA KOINANGE Sports Editor

Towson men’s basketball suffered a heartbreaking 73-71 overtime loss to Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) foe UNC Willimington at Trask Coliseum on Jan. 20.

The Tigers (14-7, 4-4 CAA) played well in a hostile environment, but a late three from the Seahawks (6-14, 3-5 CAA) sealed the victory for the home team.

Towson played solid defense all night, holding UNC Wilmington to just under 40 percent shooting, but the road team failed to get their offense going as they also shot under 40 percent on the night.

“We didn’t shoot the ball particularly well,” Head Coach Pat Skerry said.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair as both teams exchanged jump shots throughout the entire period.

The Tigers went on an early 13-2

run, but the Seahawks responded with scoring contributions from several players.

Sophomore guard Zane Martin led all scorers at halftime with 10 points, as Towson took a 36-31 lead going into the break.

The second half mirrored the first as both teams battled tightly throughout the period. Martin hit two clutch free throws to give the Tigers a threepoint lead with just under a minute remaining. Redshirt sophomore guard Ty Taylor cut the deficit to one with a quick layup on the other end.

UNC Wilmington fouled in order to get the ball back, and Towson struggled to convert on its free throws.

Senior guard Deshaun Morman went one of two from the stripe in the final seconds to give the team a 61-59 advantage, but he committed a foul on the next defensive position, and the home team hit two free throws to send the game into overtime.

“It’s not like we don’t have guys that have been through the war,” Skerry

said. “Our focus has to be better.”

Martin continued his strong play in overtime, hitting two consecutive jump shots early in the period to keep the game tight. Towson held a 70-67 lead following a thunderous dunk from Morman with just under two minutes left to play.

The Seahawks cranked up the intensity on defense in the last few minutes, switching to a half court trap in order to force errant passes. The Tigers did a good job of moving the ball and breaking the trap, but an ill-timed turnover late in overtime combined with several missed jump shots led to their defeat.

“I didn’t like our shot selection,” Skerry said. “We out-rebounded a good rebounding team, but our shot selection hurt that.”

The Tigers hope to focus on late game awareness this week in order to prevent another loss like this.

“As we get to practice this week, we’ll work on some situational stuff in hopes of improving in that area,” Skerry said.

File Photo by Mark Dragon/ The Towerlight

Redshirt junior guard Jordan McNeil jogs up the court on offense.

Towson splits conference matchups DESMOND BOYLE Staff Writer

Towson women’s basketball picked up a convincing road win against College of Charleston on Jan. 21 after failing to complete a comeback victory against Elon Jan. 19.

The Tigers (8-11, 3-5 CAA) struggled shooting the ball early against the Cougars (5-14, 1-7 CAA), hitting just under 24 percent of its shots from the field in the first quarter.

Senior forward Mary Cuevas and senior guard Raine Bankston had strong performances in the second quarter to help the Tigers build a lead.

Bankston scored seven second quarter points, while Cuevas recorded 12 points and 10 rebounds in the first

half alone.

Towson took a 37-25 lead going into halftime thanks to a late 11-1 run.

The Cougars came alive in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to three near the end of the period, but the Tigers countered with an 8-2 run to take a double-digit lead going into the fourth and held on for the win.

“Teamwork and being more team oriented,” Head Coach Diane Richardson said on what Towson improved on from Friday’s loss to Elon. “We watched film as a team and showed the girls where we could get better, and they came out against Charleston and played much better.”

Friday night, Towson faced off against Elon (12-6, 4-3 CAA) at Alumni Gym. The Phoenix started off hot as

they went on a 9-2 run in the final minutes of the first quarter, and prevented the Tigers from regaining any momentum.

“We need to play defense,” Richardson said. “We need to defend as a team and show fight for all four quarters to show consistency.”

Junior guard Danielle Durjan scored 12 points while sophomore guard Etalyia Vogt added 10 points, but Elon had too much offensive firepower and held on for the 84-61 win.

“We’ve improved, but we haven’t been as consistent,” Richardson said.

“I’m hoping with [the Charleston] game we’ve turned a corner with that.”

Towson will have a chance for redemption when they host Elon at SECU Arena Jan. 28. Tipoff is slated for 2 p.m.

File Photo by Mark Dragon/ The Towerlight

The Tigers huddle up in a home matchup against Drexel last year.

Sports

January 30, 2018

USTORE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Nick Essing Men’s Swimming & Diving Senior Nick Essing had an impressive showing this weekend against Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) rival Delaware. Essing recorded a win in the 50-yard freestyle in 20.98 seconds and was a part of two relay wins. He helped secure victories in the 200-yard freestyle and 200-yard medley.

25% off selected items

USTORE /TUSTORE

/USTORETWEETS

/TOWSONUNIVERSITYSTORE

23

24 January 30, 2018

Sports

super bowl lii Preview Photo courtesy of Forbes.com

Next Sunday, an NFL champion will be crowned in Minneapolis. Will Tom Brady and the New England Patriots add another ring to their collection, or will Nick Foles write the last chapter of a storybook season for the Philadelphia Eagles? Fans will just have to wait and see. Until then, read what Senior Editor Jordan Cope, Sports Editor Karuga Koinange and Assistant Sports Editor Michael Mills have to say about the big game.

JORDAN COPE

Here we are, just nine days away from kickoff -- and as cliche as it is to say -- this year’s Super Bowl will be a matchup between David and Goliath, with Philadelphia clashing against the almighty New England Patriots for the Lombardi Trophy.

The Patriots are five point favorites going into Sunday’s game, and rightfully so. They have the best coach and quarterback in NFL history and will be facing an Eagles team led by Nick Foles -- who everyone is waiting for to return to his old, mediocre self.

In five starts this season, Foles has looked like the 2013 version of himself. He has completed 96 of 152 passes for 1,037 yards and four touchdowns.

Unfortunately for the Eagles, numbers are meaningless. The team who has the most playmakers, and the team who plays mistake-free football is going to hoist the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday.

In a Super Bowl that will lose a lot of viewers quickly, the Patriots triumph over the Eagles.

Senior Editor @jordancope26

34

7

In another seemingly inevitable playoff run, the New England Patriots finds itself in the biggest game of the year as quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Belichick look to win yet another championship together.

On the other hand, the Philadelphia Eagles make their first Super Bowl appearance in over a decade. Under the leadership of head coach Doug Pederson, the Eagles have looked like the best team in the NFC all season.

Philadelphia boasts a supremely talented roster with playmakers on both sides of the ball. Following the season-ending injury to quarterback and MVP candidate Carson Wentz, quarterback Nick Foles has taken the reigns under center and looked solid.

Though both teams have looked good in the postseason, I find it extremely difficult to pick against Brady. I can’t buy in on Foles being able to handle the big stage. Brady and Belichick will prove that though their relationship isn’t perfect, they can still work together in order to achieve the ultimate goal.

KARUGA KOINANGE Sports Editor

27

Bob Campbell, Acting VP & CFO

Brian DeFilippis, VP of University Advancement

Ray Feldmann, Sr. Director of Comm.

20

MICHAEL MILLS Assistant Sports Editor

Super Bowl 52 will be a nail-biting chess match between two great football minds in head coach Bill Belichick and Pederson. If any coaching staff can go toe-to-toe with Belichick and the Patriots, it’s Doug Pederson and the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles have a clear advantage on the defensive side of the ball, but the Patriots have arguably the greatest player of all time in quarterback Tom Brady. What awaits next is the longest two weeks of any football fan’s life.

28

TU Admin Picks

20

Steve Jones, Assoc.

VP