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February 14, 2017
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Photo by William Strang-Moya/ Photo Edit by Cody Boteler /Photo Illustration by Jordan Stephenson /The Towerlight
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February 14, 2017
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February 14, 2017
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Week of 2/14-2/18
WEEKLY
Editor-in-Chief Cody Boteler Senior Editor Sam Shelton
CALENDAR
News Editor Sarah Rowan Assit. News Editors Bailey Hendricks Marcus Dieterlie Assoc. Arts Editors Taylor DeVille Kristin Helf
Sports Editor Jordan Cope Assit. Sports Editor Karuga Koinange Staff Writers Lauren Cosca Nick Mason Sydney Douglass
Feb
14
Desmond Boyle Alaina Tepper McKenna Graham Theresa Schempp Mary-Ellen Davis Jessica Ricks
Love Fest
University Union, second floor lobby, 10 a.m-1 p.m.
Celebrate your Valentine’s Day with some free food, crafts, free t-shirts and relationship advice, and so much more from the health center.
Sarah Van Wie Amanda Carrol Nicole Shakhnazarova Rohan Mattu Photo Editor Alex Best Staff Photographers Cody Boteler Mark Dragon Sam Shelton
Feb
15
Stephanie Ranque Jordan Cope Video Producer Stacey Coles Proofreaders Kayla Baines Alex Best Tyisha Henderson Stephanie Ranque Sarah Rowan Alaina Tepper
Feb
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General Manager Mike Raymond Art Director Jordan Stephenson
Innovation Calisthenics: Sounding Board Launchpad, Cook #401, 4:30- 6 p.m. Pitch any of your ideas to a group of students and faculty for tips and constructive critism.
“Infinity Polar Bear” Movie Screening Van Bokkelen 0204, 6:30- 8:30 p.m. Ever wonder what it’s like to live with bipolar disorder? Come join students for a screening of a film that will open you up to this common mental illness.
Circulation Staff Shawn Halerz Nilo Exar Abubakary Kaba
Have you ever wanted to go to a comic con, but never gotten the chance? Come to Towson’s, featuring food, a costume contest, crafts and much more!
Feb
Empty Bowls Workshops Ceramics Studio CA 3012, 1 p.m. Learn how to make handmade bowls, and help provide bowls for the “Empty Bowl” event in March.
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TRENDING
Alicia DePasquale
Men’s Basketball
8000 York Road University Union Room 309 Towson, MD 21252 (410) 704-5153 editor@thetowerlight.com thetowerlight.com
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West Village Commons Ballrooms, 9 p.m.- 12 a.m.
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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. Classifieds appear online 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. ©2017 by The Towerlight, 8000 York Rd, Towson, MD 21252. All rights reserved.
Feb
Towson Comic Con
Prayers up for John Davis @Towson_MBB hoping for a speedy recovery
@mikechanaud
The fact that John Davis ( a towson basketball player) was shot like actually shot is just ridiculousness. All my love and prayers @Mariiaa____
Towson player just went home to see his new Born but damm get shot well dammm but his bless to have a child and his life
Terrible story about Towson’s John Davis shot in a drive by Sat. nite. Injury not life-threatening but college bball career my be over....
@Big_Bank_Jozz
@JFeinsteinBooks
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Opinion
February 14, 2017
Monogamy/Me The limitations of loving one person vs. loving many TAYLOR DEVILLE
don’t have to experience love they way they’ve been told to. And make no mistake, monogamy and romantic love are socially constructed. Amatonormativity is “the It’s no secret that pop culture is assumption that a central, exclusive, obsessed with romantic love. We see amorous relationship is normal for and hear the same heteronormative humans, in that it is a universally messages over and over again—boy shared goal, and that such a relationmeets girl, boy falls in love with girl, ship is normative, in the sense that boy and girl are swept up in whirling it should be aimed at in preference to romance that ends in some kind of other relationship types,” according to grand romantic gesture. The movie ends Elizabeth Brake, author of “Minimizing in “happily ever after” and the credits Marriage.” Amatonormativity means roll to the tune of someone crooning that those of us who desire something about finding their “one and only.” different (not just Because that’s polyamorous peowhat’s normal, The belief that ple, but aromantic right? That’s the polyamory is for people as well) are way it’s “supposed seen as deviants. to be.” You kiss people who can’t a bunch of frogs commit doesnt really And there are a lot of assumptions until you find your make sense, since around polyamoprince or princess. ry that stem from That’s the way polyamory is more that perspective. we’ve been told to about connecting For example, experience love. with and committing the belief that polyAnd it’s the amory is for people only way I believed to more than who can’t comromantic love could one person. mit doesn’t really be experienced make sense, since until very recently, polyamory is more about connecting when I met someone who introduced with and committing to more than me to polyamory. one person. The assumption that polyAnd I’m sure that’s where I’ll lose amory is like swinging is a little more a lot of you. I know it sounds strange. forgivable, because if your only concept In a culture that glorifies soul mates of romantic love is monogamous, it’s and finding “that perfect person,” I natural to try and relate a new concept know how it sounds to suggest that to something you’re more familiar with. monogamy shouldn’t be the standard But again, this is false. Polyamory isn’t by which we experience romantic about sex -- it’s about opening yourself love. up to the idea of limitless, even unconPolyamory is a lifestyle choice, not ditional, love. And the way I see it, that a sexuality, in which a person has limitless love has potential for unimagromantic relationships with more than inable personal growth. one partner, with the knowledge and I hesitated to write this because, consent of all partners involved. as a woman, I was worried what peoI know what you must think about ple would think about me (since it’s me, because I used to think it about a common notion that women are myself -- greedy, cheater, unrealistic, supposed to desire monogamy, while slutty. Those are words I wrestled men have perpetuate side ho culture). with a lot as I came to this realizaBut I don’t think I’m doing the poly tion about myself—monogamy doesn’t community any favors by remaining work for me. closeted. If you don’t know someone My intent in writing this isn’t to who’s poly, you assume that no one convince you, the reader, that monogreally is. You assume that it takes some amy is a worn-out social construct kind of wild person to reject something that should be done away with. It’s that’s been so effectively ingrained in practical, for sure, and I think many us. But I think more and more people people are probably satisfied to be in a are realizing that they can have healthy monogamous relationship. I’m writing intimate relationships, and even love this for people like me, who have hurt multiple people, without it detracting themselves and people they care about because they didn’t realize that they from any one of those relationships. Associate Arts & Life Editor @artvandelady
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Let’s talk about sex, baby
Let’s talk about you and me (and consent) @MeganFemmily
Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! I hope your week is going exactly how you want it to -- whether that means datin’ it up with your partner during the week, celebrating your singleness on the weekend, or just getting your homework done so you can enjoy a nice glass (or two) of wine with some close friends. No matter what your Valentine’s plans are, I feel like it’s a good time to talk about consent again. I know that I write about consent a lot. I will continue to write about consent a lot because it’s incredibly important. And who doesn’t like to talk about sex? It’s a fact that consent is needed in order to engage in any form of sexual activity. If you’re unsure if you need consent to do something, then you definitely need consent to do that thing. But it goes deeper. Part of consent is also being able to discuss your boundaries, and they’re not always sexual. You not only need to communicate with your partner openly about whether or not you’re going to have sex, you need to discuss what forms of sex you’re comfortable with. Maybe you’re completely fine with oral sex but really not into penetration. Maybe there are things you’d kind of like to try but feel nervous about and need to work up to them at your own pace. But like I said, boundaries aren’t always sexual. Other boundaries within a relationship include things like PDA, touching, time spent together and privacy. You’re allowed to feel that your partner is touching you (hugging, arm around you, hand holding, kissing, etc.) too much, or that they’re texting you too much, and you 100 percent should talk about that. Don’t just sit around feeling uncomfortable. Speak up, and if your partner speaks up to you about boundaries, don’t take it personally. Understand that you’re two different people who might have different boundaries, and that’s okay! Talk to your partner about all of this. Don’t assume anything at all within a relationship. Don’t say, “Oh, they were okay with this so they must be okay with this.”
William Strang-Moya/ The Towerlight
Sports Editor Jordan Cope celebrates safe sex during this issue’s cover photoshoot. Never, ever assume. Just talk it out! Don’t feel shy about discussing your sexual limits and comfort zones with any person you are romantically engaging with. If they’re the type of person -- a bad person -- who shames you or ignores you for bringing consent up, then is that really the type of person you want to be hooking up with? Yes, I know they’re super attractive and really into that same T.V. show as you, but if they aren’t respecting your body or even willing to talk about it, then they’re garbage, and they don’t deserve your sexy-ass self. And that’s the Truth, y’all. Talking about what you want, like, don’t like, might like with your partner will create an honest bond between you, and, as a bonus, your sex life will be off the charts. Not only from having a clear understanding of what makes sex the best for you personally, but from the huge wave of comfort that comes with knowing your partner listened to you, respects you and won’t push your limits any more than you want them to. I’ll also say that waiting until things are a-happenin’ might not be the best time to have these talks. Talk about it while you’re eating take-out together, when you’re watching a movie, when you’re studying together. If you don’t have the luxury of time and matters are afoot, then absolutely talk about it right then and there. You also have the right to, at any point during these a-happenin’ matters afoot, say you do not want something, that you do not like something, and that you want to stop right now. That is your right and there is no shame in that.
Own your limits. Own your body. Don’t make yourself uncomfortable for the sake of keeping your partner comfortable. If your partner is someone worth being a partner, they will listen and they will stop without question. On the other side, if your partner starts telling you they don’t like something you’re doing to them and/or their body and they want to stop, that’s a hard no to the question of consent. That means stop what you’re doing immediately. That means if you keep going, you will be sexually assaulting another person. Consent is that serious. That’s why we need to talk about it. Always read your partner’s body. Maybe they’re saying yes, but their body is tense, and they seem really uncomfortable. Whether it’s during sex or when you try to put your arm around them, that’s a good time to stop and talk. Make your partner feel safe talking to you, and reiterate that there’s no pressure to do anything. Always reassure your partners that they never have to do anything they do not want to do, or are even just unsure of. The best way to know if things are as good for them as they are for you is to flat out ask them: to have multiple discussions over the course of your relationship, about things sexual and otherwise, because things can change. Understand your partner’s boundaries as well as your own. If you talk it out and really listen to what your partner is saying, I promise you’ll have the best, healthiest, out of this world relationship ever imagined. All you have to do is talk.
Opinion
February 14, 2017
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I am a liberal, and...
A valentine for TU ...I DO NOT want Milo on my campus men’s basketball USJID HAMEED Student
A fellow Towson University student penned an article titled “I’m A Liberal, And I Want Milo Yiannopoulos On My Campus.” While I believe that his intentions were pure and his argument somewhat reasonable, his article falls short of explaining why bringing Yiannopoulos to Towson University would be beneficial. Before I go any further, I deem it necessary to be forthcoming with my biases and shortcomings. I am an American-Muslim of Pakistani descent who was an avid Sanders supporter and reluctant Clinton supporter. I also do not possess extensive knowledge regarding the First Amendment. This article simply focuses on the lack of efficacy in bringing Yiannopoulos (and other altright figures) to college campuses in the name of ‘debate’ and ‘argument.’ The most glaring flaw in my peer’s piece is that he assumes that by bringing Yiannopoulos to our campus, he will be ‘challenged.’ Such a premise is incredibly distorted. Critics of my view argue that liberals should try to reason with members of the alt-right. Unfortunately, these people cannot be reasoned with and therefore engaging them is a waste of time and resources. There are two types of bigots in this world: those who are bigoted by
circumstance and those who are bigoted by choice. The first type of bigot is the individual who lives in a predominantly white area and has very little interaction with people of different faiths, colors, etc. (a person in rural Nebraska, for example). Due to lack of exposure, they are susceptible to the ideas of racism, Islamophobia, and so forth. However, studies have shown that when these people meet individuals of varying identities their views become more liberal. Such a phenomenon was most widely seen with the gay rights movement in the 1960s and with trans rights in 2016. The second type of bigot is the individual, who even after much exposure, chooses to remain a bigot. Yiannopoulos is this type of bigot. Even after various speaking engagements, interviews, and contact with all sorts of diverse individuals, he continues to espouse his close-minded views. The idea that bringing him to Towson University will make him more friendly to marginalized groups is naive. My peer proudly writes “I want avid Trump supporter and right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos to know that people like me exist.” Newsflash: He knows you exist. He could not care less. He’s seen and heard every argument from liberals who are much smarter than a college undergraduate. Bringing him to our
campus will only line his pockets, give him a platform, and possibly get some poor student bullied. Furthermore, what undercuts my peer’s entire argument is how out of touch it is. It is a microcosm of what the larger liberal movement must come to terms with. Citing involvement with the Democratic Party as “credentials” provides zero legitimacy. We need to stop kowtowing to the party establishment. Understand this well: Working for the Democratic Party does not mean a thing when discussing rights for marginalized groups. Yes, the Democratic Party is indeed much better than the alternative. However, (A) better than terrible is not good, and (B) the party has its fair share of stains in regards to its racial justice policies. For example, it was Bill Clinton’s crime bill which further militarized police and facilitated the mass incarceration of African Americans. More recently, it was under the Obama administration that 2.5 million undocumented individuals were deported. Unfortunately, many of these people met a gruesome fate. Many of which could have been avoided had it not been for a democratic administration. It does not matter what you have done for the party. What matters is what you are doing for people. -- Read the rest of this letter online at thetowerlight.com.
rape culture, equate all Muslims to terrorists and preach that gay rights are detrimental to society. That’s just to give you a general idea of the special kind of moron we’re dealing with. Now, I have worked with Matt through College Democrats, and I know that he has good intentions. I understand that the overall point of his article was to show that we should debate ideas that we do not agree with instead of merely just shouting them down. He, like so many other Americans, is yearning for a political discourse that extends beyond cheap punchlines and name-calling. I, too, think that we need better political discourse in this country. I believe that there is a lot of merit
in the exchange of ideas and openly debating those you disagree with. I agree that debating our differences is critically important and is one of the foundations of our country. What I don’t agree with is giving illegitimate ideologies legitimate platforms. Milo Yiannopoulos has proven himself to be anti-woman, anti-LGBTQIA+, anti-Islam, etc. He is a cancer to political discourse, not an asset. Devaluing other human beings’ lives and rights is not a legitimate ideology. That is straight ignorance. When we, as a society, engage with these ideas, we normalize and legitimize them. -- Read the rest of this letter online at thetowerlight.com.
LOUISE LAURENCE Professor Emeritus
When I stepped onto Towson’s campus in 1987 (yes, before many of you reading this were even born), I had a transfusion from the red and white of the UM Terps to the black and gold of the Towson Tigers. Towson men’s basketball runs through my veins. I can’t wait for each new season to begin. My most treasured memory was when we played Michigan. The Towson Center had the largest crowd ever – over 5,000 with standing room only. It was an incredible game. I remember Raul DePablo could not miss a 3-point shot that evening. It was spectacular. However, nothing compares to this season for me. This team has caused more heart failure than fans should have to endure. Senior John Davis is my hero. He makes the impossible possible. When he is under the basket with the ball and two or more opponents surrounding him, his body makes its way through the fray contorted in ways that would take us all to the chiropractor and he SCORES. Yes, he scores, he rebounds and most of all he leads. I thank him for leading the team out
of the doldrums early in the season after four straight losses. I will miss him and William Adala Moto, a quiet force on the team, next year. Juniors Mike Morsell and Eddie Keith II have brought me a lot of enjoyment watching the camaraderie they have with each other since freshman year. Sophomore Alex Thomas has played much more this year and is a strong rebounder. I remember walking by him in front of Richmond Hall one day and he just gave me a big smile. I don’t think he knew I was a big fan, but I sure appreciated his smile that day. Freshman Zane Martin confused me at the first game of the season. He wears number 0 and I looked at my friend and said, “I thought Josh Ivory had graduated.” But he is a different kind of player – he loves to charge for the basket when he gets the ball. Coach Skerry works in all his players during the game, and it is exciting to see how those substitutions do not change the character of the team, because they are one. So I am sending a Valentine to all the players and coaches for providing the fans with an exciting season and best wishes for a successful CAA Tournament.
...Matt Teitelbaum does not speak for me PATRICK MASCIO SGA Attorney General, Co-President, TU College Democrats
Recently, a speaking event for Milo Yiannopoulos at UC Berkeley was canceled due to peaceful protests that turned violent thanks to a minority in the crowd. In the days that followed, Mr. Yiannopoulos and his supporters cried foul and claimed that his First Amendment right to free speech was being restricted. Matt Teitelbaum, a senior at Towson, agreed with those sentiments and wrote an article entitled “I’m a Liberal and I Want Milo Yiannopoulos On My Campus.” For those of you who do not know who Milo Yiannopoulos is, he has been known to deny the existence of
Illustration by Daniel Andrews/ The Towerlight
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News
February 14, 2017
Campus dialogue addresses travel ban Since November, Towson University officials have repeatedly emphasized their commitment to keeping students safe no matter their nationality, immigration status or other discerning factors. On top of this, and following even greater discourse from President Donald Trump concerning undocumented and/or foreign nationals, student government Vice President James Mileo said that representatives from Towson will lobby to make the University System of Maryland guidelines for protecting affected students a requirement for all Maryland state schools. “At Towson University, we are committed to the idea of fostering an environment that’s inclusive, that’s diverse, and that we are here to support all of our students,” Towson Vice President for Inclusion and Institutional Equity Leah Cox said. “Whether it’s about gender identity, race, ableism, religion, immigration status - all of that - we’re here to support you.” Under these guidelines, which will be advocated for at the State Legislature during Tiger Pride Day Feb. 28, according to Mileo, Towson University and the USM have committed to five major points of protection for students who may be at risk from the immigration orders. Originally stated in a campus-wide email from President Schatzel in December, Towson University will not permit immigration enforcement authorities to enter campus for an enforcement action without a warrant, unless there is an exigent circumstance
necessitating immediate action. The University will not voluntarily partner with immigration authorities to assist with enforcement activities or detain immigrants at the request of immigration enforcement authorities. Additionally, TU Police do not ask about nor record immigration status while serving and protecting the campus community, and, in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the University will not provide immigration enforcement authorities with student records without a lawfully issued subpoena or court order. The University reported on their website that this is a “very fluid situation,” and is subject to change on an almost daily basis. Students and faculty who are citizens or dual citizens of the countries affected by the executive order have been advised to seek legal advice before traveling outside of the United States. A campus-wide email sent Feb. 3 reported that one member of the Towson community was directly affected by the executive order while traveling internationally. The individual returned home safely. The email also reported that the university has about a dozen faculty, staff and students from the seven countries who could be affected if they travel internationally. Towson University officials said they were unable to provide any more details -- about, for example, country of origin and if the affected member was a faculty member or a student. At a Campus Dialogue on Immigration and DACA, or the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, Feb. 8, administrators shared updates on the executive order and ongoing efforts to support potentially
Gail Gibbs addresses students at a dialogue event Feb. 8 near a wall of sticky notes expressing solidarity for those affected by the travel ban with the hashtag #YouAreWelcomeHere. impacted students. The dialogue was co-facilitated by Cox and Vice President for Student Affairs Deb Moriarty. Director of the International Student and Scholar Office Gail Gibbs said that while the executive order and entry ban did not immediately address DACA students, it does immediately address international students on visas. “We have several students from some of the affected countries, and the rest are worried, rightfully so, about whether they might be added to that list,” Gibbs said. “So, I think events like this [are] really critical in shedding light on those populations.” Freshman Amjad Wakil, whose family is from Sudan, one of the countries affected by the entry ban, felt that many people who attended the dia-
logue were removed from the situation because it doesn’t directly affect them. “One of the most common things I get when I try to talk about it is, ‘Oh, it won’t stick,’ or, ‘That’s not going to stay around,’” Wakil said. “But people were saying the same thing about [Trump] getting electing. I feel like that’s the most important thing - to get people talking about it and actually understanding what’s happening.” Associate Vice President for International Initiatives Saleha Suleman, a Pakistani-American who immigrated as an international graduate student, reiterated that the University’s international faculty are just as afraid as the students. “Sometimes we think faculty and staff are very brave and not afraid,” Suleman said. “But we are equally
afraid - for our future, for our kids’ futures - because many of us have migrated here a long time ago.” Sophomore SGA Senator FatimeZara Beri, a DACA student, is in the process of working with the CSD to create a DACA support group that will function as a safe space for undocumented students. “It’s something I have to think about every day, but that’s something I have to deal with on my own,” Beri said. “I can’t talk to friends or other people because they just don’t know... In a way it feels like I’m living a double identity. My friends see this nice person who just goes to school and is a student, but they don’t know all the background history.” -- Bailey Hendricks contributed to this story.
Student Government Association Vice President James Mileo faced a rogue attempt from a group of senators trying to remove him from office – but the attempt died before a special resolution for impeachment was even brought to a vote. Mileo was accused of abusing his power and breaking a state law related to SGA salary. When pay procedures were being formulated by the SGA, members of the executive board consulted with the Office of the General Counsel
to make sure that none of the procedures would actually constitute a violation of state law. One point of contention was that Mileo interviewed potential senators on his own, instead of with the entire Senate Selection Committee. While Mileo said that is something that he “did wrong,” he did not single-handedly appoint them to their positions—the new senators had to be confirmed by the existing student senate. Former SGA senator Chris Shanahan, joined by three other senators, raised these concerns and others in a draft special resolution. Before it could be submitted to the
senate for a vote or debate, though, the draft leaked and the impeachment attempt derailed. Shanahan said he chose to pursue impeachment, instead of approaching Mileo or an SGA advisor, because Shanahan and other SGA members believed Mileo to be in violation of the SGA Constitution “since the beginning of the administration.” Mileo said he would have preferred if Shanahan and the other senators had talked to him, instead of trying to go directly for impeachment. “This should have been a conversation,” Mileo said. “If they believed I did something wrong, they should have followed the SGA
Accountability Procedures.” Shanahan originally contacted The Towerlight to announce he had resigned from the SGA for moral reasons. “I cannot be part of an organization that practices hypocrisy and a disregard towards the students of Towson,” Shanahan wrote in an email. What Shanahan called “hypocrisy” referred to, at least in part, three specific concerns that he later shared with student organizations in a series of emails. Shanahan sent an email labeled “***URGENT: SGA Concerns and how They Effect [sic] Your Student
Group,” on Feb. 6. In it, he raised three concerns he had with the SGA: The SGA held a retreat in Rockville, Maryland, which included members of the SGA staying overnight. The financial policy for student groups, at the time of the retreat, did not allow student groups to receive funding for overnight hotel stays if the destination was within 110 miles of campus. The SGA has occasional banquets and award ceremonies. Shanahan pointed out that SGA-funded student groups couldn’t use their SGAbudgeted money for food. -To read the rest of this article online, visit thetowerlight.com.
Sarah Rowan/ The Towerlight
Student gov. vice president accused of abuse of power
News
February 14, 2017
7
TU launches official partnership with It’s On Us
Student Government Association members marked the official launch of Towson University’s partnership with sexual assault awareness campaign “It’s On Us” with a tabling event Feb. 7 in the University Union. The national campaign began in 2014 under the Obama administration to help put an end to sexual assault on college campuses. “I got the opportunity to go to the White House in January for an It’s On Us summit, and I got to hear former Vice President Joe Biden speak about this issue,” Sexual Violence Prevention Educator Kailah Carden said. “It was really powerful to hear him talk about how he spent his entire career working to prevent sexual violence. That really energized me and I got a lot of ideas from people who are working really ’ creatively on this around the nation e to come back and really inject some energy into the Towson community.” Towson joined the It’s On Us e campaign in 2014 and became an o It’s On Us Campus Innovation l Partner School in November 2016. - There are 28 schools in the Campus Innovation Program.
“The SGA helped with the application process [of becoming an It’s On Us partner school],” SGA Director of Civic Engagement Bethany McGlyn said. “We’ve been working with [Carden] to shed some light on the issue of sexual assault on campuses, and [promoting the campaign] is something that we’re going to be doing all semester long, so it’s not just a one day thing. Being an It’s On Us school is a really big honor.” During the event, students were invited to take the It’s On Us pledge on iPads. According to the national campaign, the purpose of the pledge is to allow people to make a personal commitment to themselves to help end sexual assault and not be a bystander. “The idea is that it’s not just the responsibility of a person who might be sexually assaulted, and it’s not just the responsibility of people who are fearful of being sexually assaulted, but it’s the responsibility of everyone,” Carden said. “It’s on us – all of us in our community to end sexual violence by being active bystanders.” Students were also encouraged to write a postcard to their local government representatives asking for their help in ending sexual assault around the country, in addition to posing with a whiteboard where they wrote why
Courtesy of @TowsonSGA Students pledge to do their part in ending sexual assault as part of Towson University’s partnership with the national “It’s On Us” campaign at the SGA’s tabling event in the University Union on Feb. 7 they took the pledge. SGA Director of Health and Wellness Missy Ronan’s whiteboard read “I took the pledge for … a safe campus that respects consent!” After students signed the pledge or wrote a postcard they could receive a long sleeve T-shirt with the It’s On Us logo and the Towson University
logo on it. The Towson It’s On Us campaign will be hosting a “Week of Action” April 3 through 5, which will include a tabling event April 3 for the international day against victim blaming and a “Let’s Talk about Sex” event in West Village April 5. “It’s On Us is really important to
me, because I am actually a survivor of sexual assault,” McGlyn said. “So it’s really nice to see that my organization, SGA, is so passionate about ending this on our campus…It’s not as isolated of an issue as some people might think. It’s really great to be able to tell students about it and hear that they’re happy to see that we’re doing this.”
Anth. professor to oversee BTU The Associate begins for spring semester
g i r . KEVIN MCGUIRE - Contributing Writer e s Anthropology professor Matthew e Durington has been appointed to be faculty director of the community parto nership program Baltimore + Towson University, a program outlined as one of President Kim Schatzel’s eight presidential priorities. During her annual fall address on Oct. 20, Schatzel reaffirmed Towson’s commitment to partnerships within the community, which help give students real world experience and provide the community with resources to thrive. The program will build on the work already in progress and better address the needs of the greater Baltimore community. As the program’s first faculty director, Durington will oversee the 167 partnerships between the community and the university. “Since I’m in the faculty, I want to connect with our professors and provide them with the right partnerships to enhance their curriculum,” Durington said. “I want to make sure no false promises are being made, real
resources are available and community needs are being met.” Joining Durington is Director of the Office of Civic Engagement and Leadership Chris Jensen and Associate Vice President for Outreach Bobbie Laur. “This is the first time the partnership has come together to create comprehensive community engagement,” Durington said. “We’re finally coming together as a team.” TU’s partnerships earned a five-year Carnegie Community Engagement classification, which recognizes the university’s engagement with the surrounding community. However, there has been no framework or management to organize Towson’s partnerships, which resulted in some missteps for the program. “We’re trying to close the loops,” Laur said. “Often times a person in an organization will approach us to try and set up a partnership, only to find the organization already has a partnership with TU.” The new team aims to organize the massive amount of partnerships into one cohesive community engagement
program, and ensure no partnership or organization is left behind. “We want to give the same attention to a small nonprofit organization as we would the National Guard, in terms of working with TU,” Durington said. Faculty are encouraged to contact Durington with any questions about how to connect a partnership with their courses and research. “I’m the go-to person for faculty at BTU,” Durington said. Student engagement in the partnerships is also a priority for the team, and for TU’s brand as well. “Community engagement is at the core of Towson’s identity,” Laur said. “We want current and prospective students to think ‘I want to come to Towson because I will be engaged in the community and learn real world skills.’” The team hopes to accomplish this by making BTU a resource for the students, faculty and the community, and create meaningful connections with the businesses, government and schools in the Greater Baltimore region.
NATALIE BLAND Contributing Writer
Eight graduating seniors met in Stephens Hall Feb. 7 to compete in the first boardroom session of Towson’s 13th annual business competition, The Associate. Similar to the television show “The Apprentice,” The Associate provides an opportunity for the chosen students to showcase their business insights, in the hopes of winning a full-time job after graduation. Area companies present real-world business cases to the two teams of four students. The teams then have to work together to solve the problems and present their solutions to the company representatives, as well as the panel of judges. This year the two teams are Team Outsource and Team Protégé. Each week, one student is eliminated from the competition, until the winning student is named as The Associate at the finals.
One of the students on Team Protégé is accounting major Tekla Alleyne. Tekla said that he has, arguably, one of the most important qualities—a positive attitude. “Even if I don’t win, I will leave with more knowledge than I came here with,” Tekla said. Every year, the program teams up with a presenting company, which will provide a job to the winner of The Associate. Presenting companies have included PNC Bank, BGE, St. Joseph Medical Center, and 1st Mariner Bank. This year, Towson paired with SECU for a second time. The panel of judges includes a presenting executive from SECU along with the Dean of the College of Business and Economics Shohreh Kaynama. Thomas Slemp was the 2014 winner of The Associate and won himself a job with SECU. -To read the rest of this article online, visit thetowerlight.com.
8
News
February 14, 2017
Q&A with Sexual Violence Prevention Educator Kailah Carden explains signs of an abusive relationship What forms of sexual violence are there that people might not initially recognize as sexual violence? Our Towson Sexual Misconduct Policy has six different definitions of prohibited behavior. That includes sexual assault, there’s actually two sub-definitions of sexual assault -- non-consensual intercourse and non-consensual touching. That in itself is a broader definition than I think most people have. In addition to sexual assault, relationship violence is prohibited. Sexual exploitation -- on college campuses, the most common form of that would be non-consensual distribution of sexually-explicit photos or videos. Sexual intimidation -- that could be threatening someone -- that also includes indecent exposure and stalking is prohibited and sexual harassment. Those are all the things I’m thinking about when I talk about sexual violence.
What are some signs of an abusive relationship? One of the main signs of relationship violence that can make it so hard for others to see is isolating someone from their friends, their family, bringing them away from others who might be able to see that abuse. That’s part of how perpetrators of relationship violence can continue to perpetrate it. Another reason relationship violence can be so hard to spot is because relationship violence happens in a cycle. Often when we think about relationship violence, we think about the bad part of the cycle—someone hitting someone else, yelling, being controlling. But really the reason relationship violence can continue is because there will be an explosion of some sort of violence, and then there will be a reconciliation. The reconciliation part is how the person stays in that relationship. The reconciliation can be getting someone flowers, telling them, “I love you,” saying “I’m sorry,” the make up part. That part, even those it’s “nice behaviors,” if it wasn’t for those behaviors, the violence couldn’t continue. It can be hard to see because you might just see the good parts and the bad parts might be hidden. It can also be hard for other people to see because they might see their friend going back to someone over and over again, and so it can be like, “Why are they doing that? Why are they agreeing to this?” but that’s actually part of the cycle of abuse.
What should someone do if they start to see that cycle? I think it’s really important, if you have a gut feeling that something’s not right, even if your friend in the unhealthy relationship is saying it’s okay, really just make sure to bring in other people that can help you, whether that be other friends or professionals on campus or off campus, and really supporting your friend even if they’re making decisions that you might not make.
Could you walk me through the steps of what happens if you choose to report someone for sexual violence? There are different ways you can report. We have a great new website we launched last summer, towson.edu/XOutSexualViolence. Anyone can report online using the website. That’s one option. Another option is calling, emailing or showing up at the Office of Institutional Equity -- that’s where the reports go. But that’s not a crisis response resource, if someone’s in crisis I recommend that they call the Turnaround 24-hour hotline or the police, depending on what their needs are. Essentially, once someone makes a report, you’ll get an email from the Office of IE. It’s your choice if or when you want to respond to that email. There’s no time limit, as long as you’re a Towson student. If you choose to respond, you’d meet with someone from the Office of IE, they would explain the resources available on and off campus and they would also explain what the options are for the next step. So people do have options, and really when someone’s healing from sexual violence, it’s really important to give them back the choice and agency to make the decision of what makes the most sense for them. So we really try to give options and explain them fully so people understand fully the choice that they’re making. So someone can choose to go down a University investigation hearing route, someone can choose to go down a police criminal charges route. They can choose one, the other, both or neither. Essentially a police route is a criminal case, or someone could choose to fill a civil suit in court that involves lawyers, evidence, judges, detectives. If someone wants to go through the university, there will be an investigation and a hearing and the university will make a decision about the consequences.
-- Q&A compiled by Taylor DeVille
Do you recommend any apps? The Towson app actually now has an X icon on the Title IX homepage that brings you to the website I was talking about so people can report on that website and it also has information. Also on the Towson app under the emergency phone numbers, Turnaround’s phone number is there. Another really great app that I recommend is called Circle of 6. It’s free for iPhone and Android. Essentially you can put three to six contacts in your circle, and if you’re ever in a situation where you feel unsafe, it has three preset options for you, where if you hit the button, it will send a text out to all of those people in your “circle.” So one of the options is, “I need help getting home,” and it sends your GPS location. Another is “Call me, I need an interruption,” if you need to get out of a situation, and another is “Call me, I need to talk.” It also has outgoing hotline numbers programmed in, and you can program in one number of your choice, so that could be Turnaround, TUPD -- it could be your mom, anyone. It’s not just for sexual violence prevention, but safety in general. I really like it because we talk about bystander intervention, and Circle of 6 is a very easy way that people can ask for help, but I also like it because you have that conversation with those three to six people you put in your circle like before you’re ever in a bad situation, so that kind of gets people to proactively commit to keeping each other safe.
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12 February 14, 2017
Arts & Life
The stars say you suck TAYLOR DEVILLE Associate Arts & Life Editor @artvandelady
Why You’ll Be Lonely This Year (And Probably For The Rest of Your Life) Aries (March 21-April 19): I know you think your drunken temper tantrums are cute -- and maybe even justified -- but you’re really just exhausting. Sure, your energy can be invigorating, but you’ve gotta stop challenging every frat guy in the general vicinity to buttchug cough syrup just to “weed out the weaklings.” You’ll be alone this year because you’re too scary and need to develop a healthy fear of God and death. Taurus (April 20-May 20): You smoke all the weed then raid your date’s pantry, leaving naught but a lone corn chip in your wake. Your obsession with the material means you look cute always, but even that’s not enough for anyone to put up with your stubborn ass. Gemini (May 21-June 20): You know memes. You have the best memes. But you’re a predator masquerading as a house pet—on the surface, you’re hilarious, chatty and charming, but you have a tendency to play drawn out manipulative games with your partners. That’s not the reason you’ll be alone, though—it’s your apparently uncontrollable need to play “devil’s advocate” even when discussing basic human rights. Impressively though, you somehow win debates knowing only half the facts. Cancer (June 21-July 22): I’ll try to go easy on you -- since we both know if there’s anyone who’d get in their feelings from reading horoscopes, it’s you. You make too many puns, and none of them are good, but it’s oddly charming. No one likes to drink with you because it only takes two shots for you to start crying over videos of baby ocelots. You’ll be alone this year because you get too attached to toxic or narcissistic people and get your heart broken by repeating the same destructive patterns of behavior. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): Your resolve to “ignore the haters” leaves you blind to just how terrible you really are. Your vivacious magnetism
attracts those who want to bask in your glow, but when it becomes clear that you exert your will with a force that rivals the power of Zeus the Thunder God, potential partners run screaming for the hills. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Let’s be real—you’ll be alone this year because you’re too good for us plebs (and you know it, of course). You constantly put everyone’s needs before your own, but you keep a mental tally of every time your “selfless” deed goes unrecognized or under-appreciated. Your friends love you because you’re the quintessential mom friend, but you’re no fun at parties because you’re too misanthropic, and you choose to hang out on the floor with the dog the entire time. If you’re not drafting a list of all of your partner’s flaws and how they can fix them, you’re feeding your savior complex by putting way too much time and energy into trying to fix someone who’s broken. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Congratulations, Libra. You’re the only one who won’t be alone this year, because you’re incapable of being alone, ever. In fact, you hate being alone so much that you’ll gladly accept toxic relationships just so you have people to distract you from introspection. You’re so charming and kind, though, that you never have a lack of people swooning over you—but when they realize that you’re some kind of strange chameleon who changes shape based on who you’re around to ensure that you’ll be well-liked, they might move on to someone less confusing and elusive. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Oh Scorpio, you’re probably expecting to read that you’re just too dark and intense for anyone to deal with you, right? Well it’s just that exact persona that repels people who want to get to know the “real” you—a stubborn, possessive, overly emotional and completely unreasonable sexual masochist. You always think you see right through to the core of people, but really you’re just probably projecting. You’ll be alone this year because Timmy or Suzy said no to your Ring Pop proposal in third grade, and now you feel too damaged to love again. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
The epitome of fake deep. You think you’re “woke” but the extent of your activism is sharing Occupy Democrats articles on Facebook. You’re the best person to party with, but not many can keep up with you. You’ll be lonely this year (and probably for the rest of your life) because your idealistic, freedom-obsessed ass sees relationships as too restrictive. You think the “right person” won’t make you feel trapped, but you’ll find a way to feel smothered no matter who you’re with. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You’ll be alone this year by choice, Capricorn—it’s hard these days for you to find someone who isn’t intimidated by your snarkiness and ruthless ambition. If you do manage to find someone who lives up to your impossible standards, try to resist your natural urge to condescend to and control them. Cap women, you’re tough as nails and should hold out for an equally strong-headed (but maybe nicer) partner. Cap men, your ego and beliefs about your own sexual prowess have no basis in reality; try giving more head. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Aquarius, I could drag you so hard it would shatter that empty icebox you call a heart, but your god complex ultimately protects you from any truths too hard for you to face. Even if you somehow manage to find someone tolerant enough to deal with your low E.Q. and listen to you drone on about the Mandela Effect, you’ll be alone forever because you feel like no one understands you; but you secretly prefer it that way so you never have to feel vulnerable. Also no one knows what you’re talking about like 90 percent of the time. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20): At your best, you’re a gentle, peace-loving idealist, but you have a tendency to subtly manipulate everyone around you into putting you at the center of their world. You have something negative to say about everyone but don’t take criticism well. You’ll be alone this year because you make your dates read your bland, derivative poetry (which is really just different lines taken out of context from Shinji Moon), and you talk too much about alternative medicine.
Photos by Cody Boteler and William Strang-Moya/The Towerlight
We had way too much fun during our in-office condom photoshoot.
Arts & Life
February 14, 2017 13
Eating for a better sex life
What are aphrodisiacs, and do they really work? NOELLE HARADA Columnist
Love it or hate it, Valentine’s Day is upon us. For many people, Valentine’s Day is about three things: love, sex and food. For centuries, humans have believed in the power of food to improve their sex lives. Foods, drinks, or drugs that supposedly arouse sexual desire are known as aphrodisiacs. Aphrodisiacs differ throughout cultures and have evolved throughout history, but the thought processes behind these powerful foods are quite similar. Aphrodisiacs are typically smooth, rich, creamy, exotic or spicy foods, and they can be grouped into multiple categories. Foods that create “heat” in the body are thought to “heat” up passion. Foods such as ginger and chili peppers fall into this category. Ginger has been used for centuries in Eastern cultures as an aphrodisiac. In India, ginger is often mixed with eggs and honey as a treatment for impotence -- it supposedly improves blood flow to the limbs and the loin. Another spicy aphrodisiac, the chili pepper, stimulates endorphins, speeds up heart rate and makes you sweat. These symptoms mimic the feeling of arousal. The red color is also a symbol of fiery love and passion. The next category of aphrodisiacs include foods that look like sexual organs. This group includes avocados, figs and bananas. Although the initial belief stems from their shape, there is science behind the suspicions. Avocados contain high levels of Vitamin E, which is essential to the production of sex hormones. This aphrodisiac goes back to the 15th Century -- when the Aztecs called the avocado tree the “Ahuacuatl,” which translates to “testicle tree.” This makes sense because the avocados hang low on the tree in pairs. Figs represent fertility, and the leaves represent modesty. These fruits contain potassium and anti-
oxidants needed for sexual health. Besides the obvious phallic shape, bananas offer similar nutritional attributes. The potassium and B vitamins elevate energy levels needed for sex. The third category consists of foods that are exotic -- and therefore erotic. Oysters and chocolate fall into this category. There is an extensive history behind the aphrodisiac properties of oysters. Oysters have long been considered luxurious. Their smell has been described as similar to a female pheromone, and they contain nutrients that increase libido. Oysters contain zinc, a key nutrient for testosterone production (which increases libido in both men and women). Another luxury item, chocolate, has an aphrodisiac reputation dating back to the Mayans who supposedly used cacao beans to pay for prostitutes. Fast forward to modern times, and chocolate remains a known aphrodisiac. In the late 20th Century, researchers discovered that chocolate releases phenylethylamine (PEA), the same hormone as sex, into the body. This effect, however, is too small to actually be noticeable, and you would have to consume a lot of chocolate to feel the effects. Also, chocolate may spike dopamine levels to induce feelings of pleasure. Again, you’d have to eat about 25 pounds of chocolate in a sitting to really feel the effects. Although some science backs up the validity of aphrodisiacs, the power of these foods is not promising. You would have to eat a lot of oysters or chocolate to experience any real effects. The power of aphrodisiacs is more of a placebo. So, if you and your partner share a romantic night with a platter of chocolate covered strawberries and oysters -- and you both believe in the power of aphrodisiacs -- then you are more likely to jolt your sex drive. If nothing else, you will have a fun night eating food and enjoying each other’s company, which will brighten the mood and improve your chances in the bedroom.
25 years and going strong
Theatre profs share their love story MCKENNA GRAHAM Contributing Writer
Jay Herzog is a theatrical lighting designer, who has been teaching at Towson University for 23 years. Donna Fox is an actress and has been an adjunct at Towson for 22 years, teaching acting. Both have been active in their professions since college. MG: So, how did you two meet? DF: He was staff [at Brooklyn College], and I was a grad student... We met in the theatre. JH: She was acting in a play, and I was recently re-singled. I was working with students on that play, and, I don’t know, she just kind of interested me. MG: And how did you propose? JH: Okay, so, she’s still mad at me. DF: It was not romantic. JH: No, it was not romantic. At all... So, we were going for pizza. We’d been invited to a wedding, in which my ex-girlfriend was going to be, and Donna was discussing the [discomfort] of that, which is understandable, but we had so many mutual friends at that point. DF (stage-whispering): It was a serious girlfriend.
JH: It was the only really serious girlfriend. So, we were going, and Donna was feeling upset, and so I looked at her and said, “Would you feel any better about this if we were engaged?” and she said to me, “Well, yeah, actually, I would.” And I said, “Great. Then will you marry me?” And then she looked at me, and she said, “Are you really asking me to marry you?” And I said, “Yes, I was thinking of some way to ask you to marry me, but we might as well just end this conversation now with, ‘Will you marry me?’” And she said, “[Can I] call my mother?” And I said, “Yes, [you can] call your mother.” Now, this is before cell phones, right? I said, “Wait a minute. I need a slice of pizza.” And I left the car, and I went to get a slice of pizza. I came back, because I’m set in my ways, and we went back to my apartment, which is where we were heading, and she called her mom and said that we were engaged. MG: Did you have a ring? DF: We were poor. We had just finished school, and we’re also not very materialistic people... we’re not very conventional people, at all. JH: It’s vintage, which she loves. We also didn’t want to go into the
diamond market very much. We wanted to find a used ring, and so I paid about a quarter of the value of the ring, and it was exactly the ring that she wanted. And this woman was really happy because she found out that Donna was engaged and so she brought it up. So she wanted to pass it on to somebody, and she’d known Donna since she was a young girl. JH: So we were sitting at the table one night, and I’d not yet given Donna the ring. And Donna says to her cousin, who was over [and had asked to see the ring], and Donna says, “Well, you know, we don’t have a lot of money, and we’re going to get a ring down the road.” And I take her aside and say, “Maybe we shouldn’t really tell people that we’re poor. It makes me a little bit uncomfortable. Let’s find another story behind that.” I said, “Besides, you wanted a ring? I have one for you.” And I handed her the ring. JH: So that’s the most unromantic, step number two. DF: And it’s been like this ever since. --Read the rest of this Q&A online at thetowerlight.com
McKenna Graham/The Towerlight
Professor Herzog’s (left) advice for keeping a relationship strong: “You need to allow for each individual to be.” Fox (right) agreed, “So that you don’t become the same.”
14 February 14, 2017
Arts & Life
V-day deals and steals Student LIFE Line The Division for Student Affairs offers the
KERRY INGRAM Columnist
Happy Valentine’s Day, Towson Tigers! There are mainly two types of people when it comes to this holiday: the people that absolutely adore Valentine’s Day, and the people who absolutely despise it. I usually fall somewhere in the middle -- you can’t completely hate a holiday that gives you an excuse to eat candy, right? Despite the two extremes, there is one thing that I have found that anyone would love about today: the fashion and beauty deals! As college students, having a holiday assist us in getting an extra $5 off of that new pair of shoes is a reason enough to celebrate. In this lovely issue of The Towerlight, I have rounded up a list of the deals from clothing and beauty stores around Towson so you can get your shop on! Some of you will be expressing your love for your No. 1 Boo, and others will be expressing your love for that special gallon of ice cream and anything non-romantic. Everyone will be expressing their love for these steals! Aldo: 30 percent off any $100
purchase Bath & Body Works: $25 Valentine’s tote (Filled w/ products and worth $90) with any $30 purchase The Body Shop: Gift sets starting at $9 Bubbles Salon: 25 percent off any color service for first time guests Claire’s: BOGO Free (Online) Forever21: 30 percent off Valentine’s Day Items (Online) Fossil: 25 percent off Fossil Q Wearables Gap: Earn $25 Gapcash for every $50+ spent Garage: Earn $25 cash card for every $60 spent L’Occitane: “5 Ways To Say I Love You” gift sets $25 each Macy’s: Free Lancome Gift with $35 Lancome purchase, free cosmetics bag with any $85 fragrance purchase Missguided: 40 percent off with code “withlove40” (Online) Sephora: 3X Beauty Insider Points on any fragrance purchase Torrid: Earn $25 for every $50 spent Vera Bradley: 25 percent off entire purchase Victoria’s Secret: Bralettes are two for $24
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
William Strang-Moya/The Towerlight
Take advantage of holiday sales and stock up for the rest of winter.
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February 14, 2017 16February 16 14, 2017
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Arts & Life
February 14, 2017
17
Students spill their worst sex stories Since this is our special Valentine’s Day ~sex edition~ of the Towerlight, we wanted to collect a few embarrassing/fun/funny sex stories from students. Because, you know, everyone has a couple (and if you don’t, you’re either lying, or really, really lucky when you’re getting lucky). Whether you’re in a long-term relationship or dabbling in one-night stands, sex can be weird, and sometimes pretty terrible, just by the nature of the thing. Because we’re all human, because most of us live with roommates or parents, and because our bodies are these strange vessels that tend to emit smells, sounds and fluids at the worst possible and most intimate times, we were able to collect these anonymously-submitted tales of sexual woe. Maybe you’ll see your own on here. Or maybe next time something similar happens to you, you won’t feel so alone. ~ “On the night I lost my virginity, we were too drunk for either
of us to ‘finish,’ and the dude went to McDonald’s with his friends right afterward without even asking me if I wanted anything.” ~ “We were super drunk one night that my parents weren’t home and lost the condom wrapper somewhere in my room. Forgot all about it until my mom found it a couple weeks later. Oops.” ~ “The first time I got drunk, I got seven shots in and we started having sex. Midway through I told my boyfriend, ‘I’m your slut.’ He tried explaining to me why you can’t be a slut in a committed relationship but I wasn’t having it.” ~ “I was with a guy and I was on top. And I wasn’t feeling anything happening *down there* so I told him to you know... Stick it in. He said, “It is in.” Turns out he was just really small. Whoops.” ~ “My girlfriend (at the time) and I were in my room doing the nasty when my 13-year-old dog walked in. We ignored him and just kept going
because that’s what people do, I guess. Well she was riding on top and I guess he liked what he saw. My dog had lived a long life and this must have been on his bucket list, so he snuck up right behind her and licked right up her behind. Needless to say, she was a little surprised. The look on her face was priceless! I laughed. She left.” ~ “Every time I have sex it’s embarrassing.” ~ “About a year ago I was hooking up with an extremely cute guy in my building. I was giving him head and he was getting really into it and started thrusting like crazy. He ended up triggering my gag reflex and I threw up on his dick. He thought that I spit on him and was saying how hot it was and begging me to continue, not realizing that some of my dinner was on him. Instead of pulling away, like a normal person, I finished because 1) I’m not a quitter and 2) there wasn’t a chance I was about to explain to him what happened.”
William Strang-Moya/The Towerlight
Sports editor Jordan Cope is single, ladies. Stop by UU 309 and say hi.
18 February 14, 2017
Sports
davis shot in oh how sweet it is south philly TU wins four events at Sweetheart Mulit-Mix Player’s status for the rest of the season is still TBD JORDAN COPE Sports Editor @jordancope26
Towson forward John Davis was shot with a “graze wound” to his knee after an apparent driveby shooting outside of his South Philadelphia neighborhood Saturday, according to police information. According to that same communication from police, Davis was stabilized and transported to a second hospital. According to head coach Pat Skerry, Davis, 22, remained in Philadelphia after Towson’s 69-65 victory over Drexel to attend a dedication ceremony for the birth of his son when a car drove by his family home and opened fire. “We are extremely thankful that John, and everybody else involved, was not seriously harmed,” Skerry said in a statement. “Our main focus right now is on the health of John Davis.” According to Towson Athletics, Davis’ status for the rest of the
semester is being determined. John is one of four children in the Davis family. He was born and raised in Philadelphia and attended high school at Ss. Neumann Goretti. At Ss. Neumann Goretti, Davis was co-captain of his team during his senior year. That season, the Saints went 28-3 while he averaged 12.9 points per-game and nearly 11 rebounds. In 2013, Davis came to Towson as a freshman where he played in 24 games and ranked sixth in Colonial Athletic Association rookies in rebounding, averaging 2.8 boards per-game. The following season, Davis was named Third-Team All-CAA and in 2015 was just one of four Tigers who averaged double figures in points per-game. This year, Davis has appeared in 27 games. He is averaging 11.8 points per-game and shooting 52 percent from the field. - Cody Boteler contributed to this report.
Solutions contain the numbers 1 through 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating.
● The numbers within the heavily
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outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners.
● Freebies: Fill in single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner. KenKen® is a registered trademark of Nextoy, LLC. ©2016 KenKen Puzzle LLC. All rights reserved. Dist. by Universal Uclick for UFS. www.kenken.com
for Puzzles on page 16
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Courtesy of Towson University Athletics
Sophomore runner Jaina McLean runs in a competition at Johnny Unitas Stadium. McLean was on the 1,600-meter sprint medley team that won with a time of 4:17.27 at the meet Thursday in Annapolis. MUHAMMAD WAHEED Staff Writer @MuhammadKWaheed
Twenty-five Towson athletes ranked within top 10 placements in the Sweetheart Multi-Mix Meet Thursday at the Wesley A. Brown Field House in Annapolis. Freshman Aniyah Allen placed first in the high jump with a leap of 1.70 meters. Allen also won the 1,600-meter sprint medley with freshman Alexis Goodwin and sophomores Shelby Bobbie and Jaina McLean, finishing with a time of 4:17.27. “She normally runs hurdles and high jumps, but I put her in the sprint medley relay,” Head Coach Mike Jackson said. “She went back and forth between the high jump and the 200 which can sometimes take you off course a bit, but I think she handled it very well.” Allen’s high jump performance
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qualified her for the Eastern College Athletic Conference Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships. “For [Allen], she’s still very new to the sport so she was pretty numb to it and not exactly sure what that meant,” Jackson said. “This is her first season doing indoor track so she kind of shrugged it off and moved towards the next bar.” McLean competed in the 60-meter dash and won the event with a time of 7.93, while freshman Helnsarah Penda tied for eighth with a time of 8.22. “I challenged [McLean] in practice and I told her that I expect her to be the 60 meter champion at Navy and she did that,” Jackson said. “She got out of the blocks as if she was going to be the champion and she got the job done. She’s had a nice season this year and I think she’s going to be able to build on that moving forward.” Jackson was pleased with
many of his other athletes at the Sweetheart Multi-Mix Meet. “I thought it was nice to see some of our athletes continue to improve,” Jackson said. “I think we had some solid performances. Many of the student athletes were in more events than they are used to but I thought they responded well to what we gave them and I was happy to see the results.” Towson was scheduled to compete in the David Hemery Valentine Invitational at Boston, but inclement weather did not allow the team to compete. “The positive is that you know we’re able to find another opportunity this upcoming weekend potentially so we’re in process to find what works best for our team,” Jackson said. “We may go to the New York Armory on Friday or to Penn State on Saturday so we’re just looking forward to seeing what the entries look like.”
I thought it was nice to see some of our athletes continue to improve. I
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think we had some solid performances. Many of our student athletes were in more events than they are used to but I thought they responded well to what we gave them and I was happy to see the results. MIKE JACKSON Head Coach
Sports
February 14, 2017
19
splitting the weekend Tigers defeat NC Central but fall to Elon Gabriella Yarussi Gymnastics
Junior gymnast Gabriella Yarussi won her first-ever all-around title to help Towson finish second in the Shelli Calloway Invitational Sunday at SECU Arena.
Courtesy of Towson University Athletics
Towson Univeristy junior tennis player Renate van Oorschodt awaits the return of the tennis ball. She helped the team defeated for North Carolina Central on Sunday afternoon on the road. BILLY OWENS Staff Writer @billyowens174
Towson split its first two matches of the spring campaign as the team swept North Carolina Central (7-0) Sunday but fell to conference rival Elon Saturday (6-1). Sunday proved to be a success for Towson in its first-ever matchup against North Carolina Central. Towson conceded only one set during the entire afternoon. “They were much sharper today,” Interim Head Coach Jamie Peterson said. “They played a high quality team.” Towson won the opening doubles point as the No. 1 team of A.J. Gomer and Renate van Oorschodt defeated Frida Cnossen and Jamie Rogers 6-2. The No. 2 team of Nicole Shakhnazarova and Yevgeniya Shusterman bested Jasmine Gabriel and Lynsey Cover 6-4, while the No. 3 team of Barbora Vasilkova and Lucy Gloninger won against Emily Pena and Tamara Jeremic 6-1 to complete the clean doubles sweep. The Tigers continued their win-
ning ways in singles play, taking all six matches to earn the shutout win. No. 1 Shakhnazarova took out Cnossen 6-1, 6-2 while No. 2 Gomer battled for a tough win against Rogers 7-5, 6-7 (2), [10-7]. No. 3 Lucy Williams defeated Gabriel 6-0, 6-2, while No. 4 Vasilkova beat Cover 6-4, 6-2. No. 5-ranked Sophie Lesage defeated Jeremic 6-0, 6-2, and No. 6 Gloninger defeated Pena 6-0, 6-2. “We pretty much came in there and handled it without issue,” Peterson said. “It was the first time we played them.” Saturday, Towson took on conference rival Elon for a pair of matches to open up its season. Towson started with a strong effort to secure the opening doubles point over Elon. “We took it to them in the doubles point,” Peterson said. “It was the first time we’ve ever got a point on Elon.” The No. 1 doubles pair of Gomer and van Oorschodt defeated Maria Paraja and Alex Koniaev 6-2, while the No. 2 pair of Williams and Vasilkova took out Olivia Lucas and Erica Braschi 7-5. The No. 3 doubles matchup went
to Elon, with Suzanne Zenoni and Kristen Ward defeating Lesage and Gloninger 6-0. In singles, Towson could not carry the momentum from its doubles point victory as Elon took the six singles points to claim victory. Braschi defeated No. 1 Shakhnazarova 6-3, 6-4, Zenoni won against No. 2 Gomer 6-0, 6-2, and Lucas defeated No. 3 Williams 6-3, 6-2. Paraja took out No. 4 Vasilkova 6-1, 6-3, Koniaev defeated No. 5 Jane Shusterman 6-3, 6-4, and Sofia Edo earned a close comeback win over No. 6 van Oorschodt in a third-set match tiebreaker 4-6, 6-3, [10-7]. Towson currently sits at 2-1 after the weekend’s matches, having begun dual match play back in October with a win over Mount St. Mary’s. The Tigers have three upcoming matches next weekend, starting at George Washington Friday at 1 p.m. and at George Mason Saturday at 5 p.m. before returning home to host Villanova Sunday at 1 p.m. “We have a chance to win all three matches,” Peterson said.
20 February 14, 2017
Sports
tigers rolling down the stretch
File photos by Mark Dragon/ The Towerlight
Senior forward William Adala Moto looks to go up strong in Towson’s contest against Drexel early in the season at SECU Arena. Moto finished the game with 21 points (Above). Junior guard Eddie Keith II cuts to the basketball hoop against the Dragons, recording one block during 25 minutes of action in the game against the Dragons (Below).
JORDAN COPE Sports Editor @jordancope26
The race toward the end of the regular season continued for Towson this week when the team defeated Drexel Saturday on the road and Hofstra Thursday at SECU Arena. During an interview prior to the season’s start, Head coach Pat Skerry stressed the importance of playing good basketball down the stretch going into the conference tournament. “That’s when you want to be playing your best basketball,” he said. Saturday, Towson and Drexel clashed for the second and final meeting of the season. The last time the two teams met, Towson pulled out a double overtime victory. This time, Towson held off Drexel in regulation to earn its fourth straight win. The Tigers went into the half with a 33-28 lead over the Dragons,
despite shooting 41 percent from the field. In the second half, the Tigers began to warm up and shot 52 percent from the field to hold off the Dragons for a 69-65 win. Sophomore forward Alex Thomas helped Towson on the boards. He recorded a career-high 14 rebounds and added eight points to the mix. “I just happened to be in the right place most of the game to grab rebounds,” Thomas said. “This is a great team win for us to get on the road. We are focused on finishing the season strong and go into the CAA tournament with a lot of momentum.” Thursday, a second-half turnaround in which Towson outscored Hofstra by 11 points propelled the team to a 69-65 victory. At the end of the first half, the Pride led the Tigers by six. In those first 20 minutes, the Pride shot 43 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range. In the second half, however, the Tigers
played strong defense to flip the script on the Pride. Hofstra cooled off considerably in the last 20, going just eight of 28 from the field and one of 10 from beyond the arc. “I really challenged them at the half about our defense,” Skerry said. “Just a phenomenal effort.” Junior guard Deshaun Morman stepped up for the Tigers. He led all Tiger scorers with 13 points. “Really proud of Deshaun,” Skerry said. “I got at him a little bit last week and his response tonight was absolutely outstanding. He’s practiced really well, so I’m not surprised he played that well.” Towson has four more games before the start of the Colonial Athletic Association tournament in Charleston, South Carolina. The team will host Elon and James Madison before taking to the road to conclude its campaign against UNC Wilmington and William & Mary.