The Retriever Weekly

Police announce arrest in case of stolen catalytic converters

By Emily Jackson

UMBC Police have announced the arrest of a suspect as part of their ongoing investigation of stolen catalytic converters from automobiles parked on campus, an e-mail sent by Jim Lins said.Lins, the IT Support Assistant for the UMBC Police Department, wrote in his e-mail that Christopher Eugene Budde, 35, was arrested Feb. 6 on charges of multiple theft-related crimes, including theft of catalytic converters from vehicles parked on UMBC's campus.These thefts date back as early as Nov. 2008, with the most recent occurring in January and February of this year. With the combined help of security officers and student marshals, ... Read More

Retriever Weekly staffer honored for Dean's List postcard photograph

By Emily Jackson

On Feb. 18, members of the Office of Undergraduate Education gathered to present Retriever Weekly photographer Achsah Joseph with a framed photo that she took during last semester's homecoming events. Her photo, which captured the festive fireworks in action, was chosen for the Fall 2008 Dean's List postcard. Instead of sending out letters, UMBC praises students for their academic achievements during the semester by postcard. "It's more personal, something they can hang on the refrigerator," Dr. Diane Lee, Vice Provost and Dean, stated. The process of choosing the image for the Dean's List postcard every semester is a difficult one. ... Read More

Working to welcome transfers

By Emily Jackson

Iman Hall, a junior, described her experience transferring to this campus from Notre Dame a few years ago. "The transfer process was actually pretty easy. But there were a few things I wish I had been told more clearly. There's a whole lot they throw at you during orientation, but for the most part, I like to think that my needs were met. I know some staff worked really hard to help me when I had questions. After orientation I was completely on my own."When transferring to UMBC, students are evidently faced with several dilemmas-and with more than 1,100 students ... Read More

Professors express dismay regarding low office hour attendance

By Emily Jackson

UMBC professors are upset that their office hours are being underutilized. Despite the fact that these office hours are provided for UMBC students throughout the semester, few students use them to their advantage, instead choosing only to visit their professors during finals week."I don't stop by as often as I should. If I have questions about a certain assignment or something, usually asking the professor in person is my last resort, after e-mailing the professor or asking other students in the class. I've just never been big on badgering professors about stuff—I feel like I'm bothering them," said senior psychology ... Read More

Parents' ambitions cost young athletes

By Emily Jackson

Baltimore-based sports journalist Mark Hyman recently visited UMBC in a lecture sponsored by The Retriever Weekly and spoke about his book Until It Hurts, which has started to gain national attention despite only being released early this month. In his book, Hyman explains his concern regarding youth sports and their effects on families by examining the changing role of youth sports in our society.His talk began with the brief background story of Tommy John, a major league baseball player in 1974 who ruptured the ligaments in his pitching elbow. His career appeared to be over until orthopedic surgeon Frank Jobe performed an ... Read More

Prominent UN human rights proponent speaks to students

By Emily Jackson

UN deputy Dr. Kyung-wha Kang defends citizens whose human rights have been violated by oppressive governments.On May 5, UMBC hosted a UN Rights forum with Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Dr. Kang. Kang, who had been appointed the title of deputy high commissioner in September 2006, is a national of the Republic of Korea and was Director-General of International Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic. She has a portfolio that covers a wide range of UN issues, including human rights. She also served as Minister at the Republic of Korea Mission to the ... Read More

Professors express dismay regarding low office hour attendance by students

By Emily Jackson

UMBC prepares for H1N1 campus response

By Emily Jackson

"As confirmed H1N1 cases appear in Maryland and on campus, UMBC's Pandemic Flu Committee continues to meet and monitor the situation," said an E-mail sent September 2nd by Eleanor Lewis, UMBC's PR specialist. The E-mail provided some reassurance that the campus was doing everything in its power to prepare for the possible outbreak that looms ahead. With 172 suspected cases at College Park, and 10—although mild—cases at UMBC, as reported by the Baltimore Sun, it is obvious that preparation is necessary. Rumors that the West Hill apartments will be used as a quarantine zone for the sick students have been ... Read More

Top UMBC alumnus is appointed WVU President

By Emily Jackson

A few weeks ago, recently appointed WVU president, Jim P. Clements, was named one of UMBC's Top Alumni for 2009. This award, presented annually by UMBC's Alumni Association, considers its candidates on the basis of professional and personal achievements. The Retriever Weekly was lucky enough to be able to interview President Clements about this great honor, before the October 15 reception rewarding Clements and other the other alumni recipients.The Retriever Weekly: First of all, how did you feel when you heard you were chosen as one of the top alumni at UMBC?Jim P. Clements: I was thrilled! It's a ... Read More

Shriver panel exposes students to opportunities

By Emily Jackson

Monday, October 5, 2009, saw the weekly Lunch & Learn career panel hosted by the Shriver Center. The panel, whose series started in Fall 2007, was created for several reasons, according to Christine Routzahn, Director of Internships and Co-ops. " We wanted to 1) give students an opportunity to meet and network with a diverse group of industry professionals representing various occupations; 2) arm students with practical advice about their major and tips on getting ahead in the "real world" including the importance of internships/co-ops/research; and 3) allow students to clarify their occupational interests and options, [so that] they make ... Read More

Psychology and Africana Studies Depts. partner with Notre Dame to speak about post-racial America

By Emily Jackson

This month marks the first anniversary of the history-making election of President Barack Obama, an event that was said to have marked a high monument in civil rights history. A lecture, entitled, 'A Post-Racial America,' was held Wednesday, commemorating the historical event. Co-sponsored by the UMBC Departments of Psychology and Africana Studies as well as the University of Notre Dame Alumni Club of Maryland, with Notre Dame representative speakers, Dr. Don Pope Davis and Dr. Darren W. Davis, the lecture strived to provide students with the opportunity to observe and participate, as well as gain a greater understanding of diversity ... Read More

Tuition increase and budget cuts necessary evils for the University System of Maryland

By Emily Jackson

As some students may be aware, Maryland governor Martin O'Malley has announced a tuition increase for the University System of Maryland in order to "plug a $2 billion hole in the state's $13 billion operating budget," a January 14 issue of The Baltimore Sun notes.The Democratic governor, who has expressed his pride in Maryland's ability to keep a four-year tuition freeze in the past, attributed his change of heart to the "brutal economy" and pressure by the university system and other state officials. "It's about balance, moderation and progress," O'Malley said in the article, adding that "tuition rises that are ... Read More

Snow policy: What it takes for UMBC to have a day off

By Emily Jackson

It was a week that would go down in UMBC history. From Monday, February 8 to Friday, February 12, 2010, an entire week of classes was cancelled due to hazardous conditions resulting from the 30 inches of snow received in the blizzard of 2010, or "Snowmageddon" and "Snowpocalypse", as it's been called. In addition to being closed for an entire five days, campus closed early around 1p.m. on Friday February 5, and remained closed throughout the weekend-quite an impressive feat, as UMBC is known for rarely closing its campus in order to prevent students from missing their classes. Another reason ... Read More

Budget postpones and reduces courses and services on campus

By Emily Jackson

In early February 2010, UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski gave his legislative testimony for the year, which proposed many changes to the university, including a new performing arts facility-and unfortunately, the reduction in available services such as student advising and IT support, as well as the postponement in creation of writing-intensive courses, many of which are required for students' General Education Programs-or GEPs. The Retriever Weekly was able to talk with Lynne Schaefer, the Vice President for Academic Affairs about some of these proposed changes.According to Schaefer, the school is in its third year of state budget reductions-reductions which have a ... Read More

UMBC's Associate VP for Marketing and Public Relations Akchin appointed to Baltimore City School Board

By Emily Jackson

UMBC's Associate Vice President for Marketing and Public Relations, Lisa Akchin, was recently appointed by Governor Martin O'Malley and Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake to be one of nine members on the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners. Akchin recently completed her master's degree in Urban Studies and Planning at UMBC, and believes the knowledge she gained in several of the courses will be a great help to her in this new role. "Both Professor Chris Hewitt's 'Social Inequality' course and Professor Fred Pincus's 'Race, Class, and Gender' course have provided me with important insight into the ways that institutional policies ... Read More

CRESST examines space science

By Emily Jackson

CRESST Center for Research and Exploration of Space Science and Technology (CRESST) is a program that combines two of the Maryland campuses UMCP and UMBC with the USRA (Universities Space Research Association) and NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in order to increase knowledge of space science and its many components.The program, which is centered in an on-site office at GSFC, provides comprehensive support to GSFC and CRESST scientists to recruit new scientists, run student programs, assist with new science proposals, as well as handle visitors, scientific meetings, and summer schools. CRESST researchers are initially focusing on the study ... Read More

A change in the way scholarships are handled

By Emily Jackson

According to an announcement posted March 26 on UMBC's newsfeed, Insight Weekly, a change will take place in the scholarship awarding process, better benefiting UMBC students. Beginning this spring, the announcement states, "the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships will be processing the majority of these awards." The Director for the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, Stephanie Johnson, was able to elaborate on these changes."The changes we've made to the awarding process are more of an administrative function," Johnson said, meaning that the changes to this process were done primarily to ease communication between academic departments regarding student ... Read More

SGA Vice President of Student Orgs candidates state platforms

By Emily Jackson

UMBC's Student Election Board has recently announced the candidates for the 2010-2011 Student Government Association (SGA) elections, and said they'd like for the student body to get more involved in the election process by getting to know the candidates.As you may already know, the SGA is divided up into six branches: Executive, Finance Board, Senate, Supreme Court, Student Organization Advocates (SOAs), and the Election Board. Of these branches, only a few positions are available. These are President (1 candidate) and Executive Vice President (1 candidate), Vice President for Student Organizations (2 candidates), Treasurer (1 candidate), Senator (11 positions, 24 candidates), ... Read More

bwtech@UMBC may expand into old hospital space

By Emily Jackson

According to an article dated April 2, 2010 in the Baltimore Business Journal, House Bill 1161 is currently pending in the General Assembly. The bill would allow for "counties and municipalities to create special taxing districts to pay for roads, sewers and other infrastructure improvements at former state hospital sites." This redevelopment of closed state hospitals could give a boost to plans by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County to one day expand its 71-acre research and technology park. The hospital in question is Spring Grove Hospital Center, a 449 bed-complex which lies on a 200 acre property within ... Read More

Bad McAfee update sweeps campus

By Emily Jackson

A notification sent at 4:16 p.m. on April 21, 2010, via the e2campus emergency text messaging system, warned students and staff alike of an apparent Windows XP McAfee update gone haywire that affected both campus library computers and computers nationwide.Mike Carlin, UMBC's Director of OIT Infrastructure & Support, expounded more on this issue and the precautions the school had taken in a post on the myUMBC homepage. "UMBC campus experienced widespread computer difficulties; symptoms include spontaneous rebooting of machines and loss of network connectivity, "the statement said." Reports of similar issues across the nation lead us to believe that we ... Read More

Budget Cuts Affect Research Funding

By Emily Jackson

Ever since Governor O'Malley implemented budget cuts, Maryland universities have scrambled to make adjustments in utilities such as classes and awards. Aside from lessening faculty morale, UMBC has not suffered much impact, according to Vice President of Research, Dr. Geoffrey Summers. The university receives most of its research funding from other sources besides the state. NASA is one of the school's biggest federal research sponsors. It dispersed a total of $88, 700,000 in the past year to the university. In fact, UMBC remains in the top 2-3 universities in the country that receives grants from NASA. The funds support UMBC's ... Read More

US. World and Report:UMBC #1 up-and-coming college

By Emily Jackson

For the second year in a row, UMBC has ranked first in the list of up-and-coming colleges, according to U.S. News and World Report. The universities that qualify for the up and coming ranking, according to the report are those "that are making improvements in academics, faculty, students, campus life, diversity, and facilities. These schools are worth watching because they are making promising and innovative changes." Through a survey, college presidents, provosts, and deans were asked to consider these options when nominating their choices for this category.UMBC Provost Elliot Hirshman explained that the up-and-coming category identifies schools that are making ... Read More

UMBC welcomes new Chief

By Emily Jackson

UMBC recently welcomed new Chief of Police Mark Sparks, who assumed the position vacated by Antonio Williams. Sparks spent thirty years as Chief of Staff for the Chief of Police at University of Maryland, College Park. As an officer at College Park, he had been impressed by UMBC's reputation and was interested in the job here. However, he explained that he had made a deal with his mentor that he would not leave College Park until his mentor. Sparks acknowledges that his background in higher education will prove beneficial. "I'm used to how the system works, I understand the challenges ... Read More

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