UMBC's alcohol policy catches some off guard
By Chris Cook
UMBC's alcohol policy is something that concerns many students here on weekends, and often on Thursday as well. Some students, however, may be unaware of some nuances of the policy and how these could affect them. Staying in the know about specific rules can help students to stay out of trouble.There are many different offenses that fall under the umbrella term of "misconduct involving alcohol" here at UMBC. The school enforces all standing state and federal laws, in addition to imposing a number of further regulations. They are in place to cement the university's strong commitment to "the development of ... Read More
Second Prove It! campaign kicks off
By Chris Cook
Prove It! is an annual contest that began ian 2007 created and run by the Student Government Association (SGA). The contest gives UMBC undergraduate students the opportunity to submit proposals for campus-improving projects, with the incentive of gaining funding from the SGA. The budget for proposals is $30,000. The group submitting the winning proposal additionally gets $5,000 to split among its members. Prove It! is funded in part by the student activities fee, which is included in students' tuition. The goal of the program is to "create a novel and innovative project, service, or event on the UMBC campus that ... Read More
UMBC computing center delves into cutting-edge fields
By Chris CookIBM, NASA, and Microsoft are three of the corporate and government sponsors that support UMBC and its research. One example of their support started in July 2007 when UMBC received a significant gift towards establishing The Multicore Computing Center (MC2) from IBM, a facility located on the third floor of the Information Technology and Engineering (ITE) building. Special considerations and gifts from these sponsors help the continuing development of UMBC's Ebiquity Research Group, in addition to different departments around campus.MC2 is a unique facility that is used to explore a number of different subjects, including supercomputing and parallel programming – ... Read More
UMBC shares newest plans for 2010 PAHF building
By Chris Cook
UMBC's plans to create a new building are drawing ever closer to fruition; construction on the Performing Arts and Humanities Facility (PAHF) begins this summer. Faculty and staff are looking forward to how the facilities of the building will enable UMBC to involve outside people and organizations, and also how it will serve as a physical representation of UMBC's commitment to the arts."We seek to enhance UMBC's reputation as a voice in the cultural and intellectual life of the greater Baltimore-Washington region," said Thomas Moore, Director of Arts and Culture. He added that the building will provide opportunities to welcome ... Read More
Spotlight: Souders speaks to TRW about his love for all things international
By Chris Cook
Interested in going international? Brian Souders is your go-to guy. Souders has been working as UMBC's Associate Director of International Education Services for nine years. Since his arrival, UMBC's Study Abroad program has increased in size at least fourfold. He came to UMBC after working for three and a half years as the Assistant Director of Study Abroad at the University of Illinois, the school at which he obtained his master's degree. Souders went on to receive his Ph. D. from UMBC's Language, Literacy, and Culture program. "[I came to UMBC] looking for a set of new challenges," he explained.Souders ... Read More
Student wins Idea competition with plans for an on-campus produce stand called "The Green Bean"
By Chris Cook
Junior mechanical engineering major Mariano Mumpower came away with a $750 gift certificate to Amazon.com for winning November 19th's Idea Competition Finalists Review. His idea? To bring healthy, fresh, quality, and affordable daily dining options to UMBC through a project he called "The Green Bean." The selection was met with applause from the standing-room only crowd at The Commons Sports Zone during the two-hour event's conclusion.Mumpower conceptualized "The Green Bean" as a repainted, refurbished, and redesigned old school bus turned mobile organic produce stand. His presentation explained that his project would incorporate the concepts of using sustainable energy and providing ... Read More
Senior research scientist awarded by NASA and DOI
By Chris CookDr. Forrest Hall, senior research scientist at UMBC's Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology, was awarded with 2009's William T. Pecora Award for his contributions to the field of remote sensing and for his leadership of the Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS). "It feels good to know that your colleagues appreciate your work," said Hall.The award, presented jointly by the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), honors "individuals or groups that make outstanding contributions toward understanding the Earth by means of remote sensing," according to the website. The award has been presented every year ... Read More
Tuition Increase: what's in your wallet?
By Chris Cook
Next year, we UMBC students are going to face something new: a tuition increase. When I first heard of it, I'll admit I wasn't particularly receptive to the idea-I'm the kind of guy who chooses McDonald's over Wendy's to save the extra dollar or so when buying my burger. A whole three percent increase (for the in-state undergrads among us-grad students and out-of-staters will be paying 5 percent more) is almost $200! It's like they're charging us for another half of a textbook, which is not something I'm especially eager to do. After I dug a little deeper though, I ... Read More
UMBC leads in cyber security research and education
By Chris Cook
UMBC continues to prove itself as a nationwide leader in cyber security research and education. In 2010's legislative testimony, President Freeman Hrabowski wrote that "brainpower and talent are constantly fueling discoveries and innovation on campus, and increasingly we are building on these strengths in collaboration with others." One such collaboration is with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration – UMBC currently ranks second nationally in NASA-funded federal assistance, despite its small size (relative to other campuses with similar funding). The national leader in NASA-funded federal assistance is the University of California – third is University of Maryland: College Park.More specifically, ... Read More
Let it (NOT) snow! The video game remedy
By Chris Cook
For those who have been hibernating underground with Punxsutawney Phil, we've had a fair amount of wintry weather of late. Feet on top of record-breaking feet have been dumped upon us by the merciless pale white sky this chilly February, and we here at UMBC had little choice last week but to stare out of our windows and watch it accumulate. I'm sure it was the case for many, but starting Sunday at around 5 p.m., each and every day I would cling to my cell phone, waiting for the text alert informing me I had at least another 24 ... Read More
Where does the increase in student activity fee go?
By Chris CookAn increase in the student activity fee will go into effect during the fall 2010 semester. The measure was passed by the student body, which voted to increase the fees during last year's Student Government Association election. The SGA elected to increase the fee by 17.2%. The question was posed in a referendum on the ballot last year and passed by a 69% majority. It ends a period of 8 to 9 years during which no considerable change in the fee had occurred. The change will result in an increase of $10, which is a low figure in the context ... Read More
Greek life accreditation plan includes new goals
By Chris Cook
A new "accreditation plan" for UMBC's Greek community was presented to the Greeks through a forum on April 7. The plan has been in the works since March 7, when UMBC's executive boards of Greek Life met to put together the plan by compiling drafts created by the four different governing councils.The student-driven initiative was created in part as a response to recommendations made by consultants, UMBC students, and staff after Coalition Assessment Project (CAP) members helped to provide feedback on the Greek community's strengths and areas for improvement. They presented their recommendations in January of last year after visiting ... Read More
What's in a name, and should UMBC change its designation?
By Chris Cook
A Baltimore Sun article advocating a name change for UMBC was linked to on myUMBC April 13th, spawning a fair amount of controversy. The reason? The article speculated that it may be a good idea to change UMBC's name. Feedback was mixed; change-happy students posted comments lauding the idea while throwing in their two cents on how it could help the university, while conservatively-minded folk cited the fact that "a name is purely superficial" and that the quality of the university speaks for itself. I disagree with the conservatives. University of Maryland, Baltimore County simply does not sound like its ... Read More
Despite suggestions, a UMBC name change seems unrealistic
By Chris CookStudents have been voicing their opinions on whether or not UMBC should change its name in response to a recent article in the Baltimore Sun. Though a full name change has never been seriously considered, in 1995, the university hired the North Charles Street Design Organization to evaluate a few aspects about UMBC that included concerns about the name and identity. "With reluctance," they included in their report to UMBC, "we must concur that there is no opportunity on the horizon for UMBC to change its name." The firm did, however, realize the difficulties created by the fact that ... Read More
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