Former UMBC professor charged with prostitution
By Brian WhippoBrandy M. Britton, a former UMBC professor, expert on women's issues, and 41-year-old mother of two, was arrested in her Howard County home two weeks ago and charged with running a prostitution business in her own home.Complaints ten months ago about a website run by Britton tipped off investigators with the Howard County police, who set up a sting operation earlier this month. According to court documents, an undercover officer made an appointment at Britton's home during which he was asked to undress and leave $400 on her dresser. He alerted officers outside the house who arrested Britton.The site ... Read More
40 years ago: A celebration of UMBC's past
By Brian WhippoMonday, February 5, 1973Proposed music major withdrawn"Facing an embarrassing setback at the hands of the state Council for Higher Education, UMBC withdrew last month plans for a music major program."Regents OK Urban Studies"The Board of Regents at its January meeting here approved proposed baccalaureate and master of arts degree programs in Urban Studies."Library gets Sunpapers"The Baltimore Sunpapers has donated to the UMBC library original bound volumes of all its issues from 1837 to 1969."Population to level off"A cut in the requested budget for next fall will force UMBC to slow down its planned rate of growth, it was revealed this ... Read More
40 years ago: A celebration of UMBC's past
Compiled By Brian Whippo
Monday, February 19, 1973 Debate scraps plans for NEC weekendChat with chancellor held"About 40 dorm students gathered in the lobby of Residence Hall 1 last Tuesday night for a "chat with the chancellor." Dr. Calvin B. T. Lee headed the information question and answer session sponsored by the Resident Hall Council."Scare tactics in drug films criticized by national councilPre-registration may be droppedMonday, March 5, 1973Faculty fines unpaid; university's hands tied"Some faculty and staff members at UMBC are refusing to pay their parking ticket fines and at the moment there is nothing the university can do about it."Retrievers win PIC basketball ... Read More
Women's History Month: Narrower focus, broader message
By Brian Whippo
Despite the fact that only one event is scheduled in recognition of Women's History Month this spring, the UMBC Women's Center stresses the importance of recognizing women in history throughout the year. In years past, March was full of activities that had been planned as part of Women's History Month, but few were actually about history.This year, the Women's Center together with the Women's Studies Department, the History Department, the Interdisciplinary Studies Department, and the Office of Student Life has invited a single speaker to the campus to talk about an instance of history in which women are often overshadowed.The ... Read More
UMBC seeks to hire full-time Greek life staff member
By Brian WhippoAt a forum held on Wednesday, March 1, UMBC revealed to members of the Greek community that it plans to hire a full-time Greek life staff member. Members of fraternities and sororities on campus will be involved in the process of electing the staff member who will oversee the entire Greek community at UMBC.Over the last two years, Greek life at UMBC has become much more visible and beneficial to the school and surrounding community as more students join chapters and participate in service activities. The university feels it is appropriate now to hire a full-time staff member in ... Read More
Chuck Norris dies
By Brian Whippo
After a sequence of unusual events, former martial arts world champion and television and movie actor Carlos Ray Norris, Jr. died in the hospital on Sunday. Preliminary reports state that the cult icon died shortly after his ego was broken by a bottle of sparkling cider.While trying to open a bottle of Martinelli's sparkling cider during a celebration on the set of his most recent film, Norris discovered that he was unable to remove the metal cap that sealed the carbonated drink. Appalled at the manifestation of his own weakness, he dropped the bottled on the ground and said, "Now ... Read More
GSA welcomes new executive council
By Brian WhippoUMBC's Graduate Senate has elected five new members to the Graduate Student Association's executive council. The five will serve for the next year from July 1 until June 30, 2007, when next year's elected members will take office. These new members will be sworn in at the GSA Inaugural and Awards Ceremony, which will be held on May 1 at 5 p.m. in the Skylight Room, The Commons.Tom Armstrong, Ph.D. candidate in computer science, was elected president of the graduate student body. Naresh Sunkara, Ph.D. candidate in chemistry, was elected vice president. Alark Joshi, Ph.D. candidate in computer science, was ... Read More
UMBC home to free legal center
By Brian WhippoNew companies can receive free legal advice at UMBC's new legal center, one of four operated by the University of Maryland, Baltimore law school. Students from UMB will provide training and advice on starting a business, drafting and reviewing contracts as well as confidentiality agreements, and applying for patents.The center, which is oriented toward fledgling technology and biotechnology companies, has been open for two months and can be found in techcenter@UMBC adjacent to UMBC's campus. It will be paid for by a $75,000 grant from Baltimore County that will also fund other programs at the technology center."This program puts ... Read More
UMBC veteran cop runs for sheriff
By Brian WhippoJohn E. Moran, IV, a police officer from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County is competing against Wally Campbell, a Verizon employee, for the Republican nominations in the race for Anne Arundel County Sheriff. The pivotal issue in the race is how to reduce the number of unserved arrest warrants in Anne Arundel County, which right now number over 11,000. The issue was highlighted last week when current Sheriff George F. Johnson, IV was criticized on the issue by a political opponent in the race for county executive.If Moran wins in the primary election on Sept. 12, he will ... Read More
New gate policy protects pedestrians
By Brian WhippoParking Services has enacted a new policy for using the gate on Service Road 220 designed to minimize vehicle traffic where thousands of students walk every day. The road, which runs in front of the ITE, Engineering, and Fine Arts buildings, will now be closed starting Monday, September 25, to all but emergency vehicles and trucks making preauthorized bulk deliveries to the loading docks along the road. "The university is putting in place designated locations for deliveries and a policy on when access is granted to gate restricted areas on campus," explained Helen Garland, Manager of Parking Services. The ... Read More
UMBC celebrates 40 years
By Brian WhippoThe UMBC Commons was filled with the din of anticipation as thousands of students, staff, faculty, alumni, and other special guests filled the building in honor of our school's 40th birthday celebration. Black, yellow, and silver balloons lined the area outside the bookstore where a crowd formed around a table of dogs.The dogs were cakes, artfully crafted by UMBC class of '97 alum Duff Goldman, owner of Charm City Cakes and star of his own television show, Ace of Cakes, on the Food Network. Each of the five cakes was an edible recreation of Tru Grit, UMBC's Chesapeake Bay Retriever ... Read More
New smoking policy implemented
By Brian WhippoA new UMBC Non-Smoking Policy created by a committee of students, faculty, and staff, will be phased in beginning on October 16, 2006. The policy prohibits smoking with 20 feet of any building opening, which includes doors, windows, and ventilation system intakes. Furthermore, smoking is altogether prohibited long the main sidewalk between the library and administration buildings and the Commons terrace.The next 90 days will include a campus-wide forum for discussion of the policy, placement of new signs indicating where it is acceptable to smoke, the relocation of smoking urns and ashtrays, and mention of the new policy both ... Read More
Confession allowed in trial of former UMBC student
By Brian WhippoJohn Gaumer confessed in a videotaped police interview that he beat Josie P. Brown to death and mutilated her body to prevent it from being identified. Gaumer is charged with first degree murder, rape, armed robbery, and other sexual offenses. Prosecutors will seek the death penalty in next month's trial. Last year, as a 23 year-old senior and biochemistry major at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Gaumer met Brown, 27, through the social networking website MySpace.com. He was on a first date with Brown on Dec. 29 when she refused to return to his Walker Avenue apartment. In the ... Read More
LeaderShape: A vision for integrity in leadership
By Brian WhippoMost people who think about spending a week in the woods might cringe at the idea. This January, 35 UMBC students did just that and emerged with new perspectives on the world and visions of change. Though the retreat was far from rustic, it was a life-changing experience for some of the people who attended LeaderShape 2007.A few dozen students, faculty, and staff boarded a bus and left for Camp Letts near Annapolis, Maryland, on January 15 for almost a week of an interactive curriculum designed to teach participants and facilitators alike how to lead with integrity. Though the ... Read More
Walter Sondheim: A legacy of character and public service
By Brian WhippoHis friends all agree: Walter Sondheim was a man of rare character who never took things too seriously. I promised Walter that anytime I cried about him, I would also laugh, UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski said of Mr. Sondheim, who died last week at age 98.The namesake of UMBC's Sondheim Public Affairs Scholars program, dedicated to preparing students for careers in public service, nonprofit organizations, and socially active businesses, Sondheim was an exemplary man. Walter was a perfect role model for the program, reflected Roy Meyers, Political Science professor and Director of the Sondheim program. He was ... Read More
Dr. Elliot Hirshman to become provost, VP this summer
By Brian Whippo
Dr. Elliot Hirshman will become UMBC's next Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs this summer. Selected by a committee of students, faculty, and administrators who began searching last August, Hirshman will serve as a professor in UMBC's Department of Psychology in addition to taking over when current Provost Dr. Arthur Johnson steps down on June 30 to return to teaching."I am delighted that Provost-designate Elliot Hirshman will be joining the campus" UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski said. "Just as the campus has appreciated the strong leadership of our current Provost, Art Johnson, I am confident that the UMBC community ... Read More
UMBC chooses next police chief
By Brian WhippoA search committee of academic, administrative, and student representatives recently found UMBC's next chief of police. After months of searching, they came upon Antonio Williams, the current chief of police of Baltimore City Public Schools. With two years of experience there and 19 years served with Baltimore City Police where he became chief of the detective division, Williams will settle in at UMBC starting June 4, 2007.With an M.S. in Management from Johns Hopkins University and a B.S. in Criminal Justice from the University of Baltimore, Williams has worked as faculty in the University of Baltimore forensic science program as ... Read More
EcoFest: A celebration of environmental awareness
By Brian WhippoThe Commons was bursting with energy last Friday as students gathered on Main Street to learn celebrate the environment, learn about various conservation efforts, and hear the inspiring words of both respected speakers and local music groups. Lasting from noon well into the evening, EcoFest was an opportunity to recognize the achievements of UMBC students as well as Maryland and national organizations who are working to protect the environment.UMBC's Mama's Boys and Cleftomaniacs vocal groups kicked off the afternoon with a full hour of energetic a cappella performances. They were followed by several speakers, including Maryland Delegate James Malone, Jen ... Read More
UMBC community gathers to share thoughts and concerns about VT shootings
By Brian WhippoThe Student Government Association hosted a forum on Friday during which many members of the UMBC community discussed their feelings about last Monday's shootings at Virginia Tech. The Commons Student Organization Space was packed with students, faculty, and staff who spent their lunch hour listening to others as well as asking the hard questions to representatives from Campus Police, Residential Life, Student Life, Counseling Services, the Interfaith Center, and the administration. SGA President Carrie Mann, Vice President Tabassum Majid, Chief of Staff Brady Walker, and Assistant Chief of Staff Gabrielle Wyatt helped make the forum a reality and took questions ... Read More
Fee increases proposed to bring improvements to UMBC
By Brian WhippoFees are something students often fight tooth and nail, but the improvements they bring to UMBC are often taken for granted. Last week, the Student Government Association (SGA) brought students together with members of the administration and staff to learn how fee money truly serves the students and plans to increase fees for Fall 2008. Though the hikes will be no more than four percent of current levels, a total increase of $82 will help fund numerous projects to make UMBC's campus a better place for resident students as well as commuters.Among the largest plans is one to increase the ... Read More
Cigarette butts cause multiple mulch fires
By Brian WhippoDiscarded cigarette butts have caused 11 fires in bush beds all over campus in recent weeks. Most of the fires have been extinguished by UMBC's ground crew, but Baltimore County firefighters were called to campus to put out fires discovered by UMBC police when grounds workers were not on campus. Donna Anderson, UMBC's Grounds and Facilities Manager, explained that mulch fires can be very dangerous. One of the mulch fires caused a shrub to catch fire, and burning vegetation can easily transfer fire to nearby buildings.I don't think people realize that mulched flower and shrub beds are carbon ... Read More
Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity suspended
By Brian Whippo
A letter from Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Charles Fey addressed to Chris Casini, President of the UMBC Chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE), revealed the details last Friday of a three-year suspension of the organization with the opportunity to lift the suspension if certain conditions are met. The sanctions, which include removing and withdrawing all recognition of SAE as a student organization and prohibiting any and all activities of SAE, as well as a $750 fine and the suspension of three members for academic ineligibility, are in response to charges that the fraternity violated six different rules ... Read More
UMBC falls to UT Dallas in Chess Final Four
By Brian Whippo
When the last move was made in last weekend's chess tournament, one word punctuated the chatter in the Game Room. The tournament was the Intercollegiate Chess Final Four, and the word was "luck."UMBC's chess team, which won the tournament four times from 2003-2007, lost to their rival team from University of Texas at Dallas for the second year in a row.The outcome of the tournament was up in the air all the way to the end, but two UMBC players were at a disadvantage due to losing coin flips that determined which player moves first. In casual play, the first ... Read More
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