“Loh: Step off, put people over profit!” “Support the workers, they’re on strike! Daycon’s gotta take a hike!” “From Wisconsin to UMD, we choose unions over tea!”

If you walked in front of McKeldin Library between noon and 1 p.m. yesterday, you could hear these and many other chants ringing across the mall. Feminism Without Borders and Students for a Democratic Society banded together to perform a skit that portrayed the situation between the administration, students and Daycon — the university-contracted janitorial supply company that has been found guilty of federal labor violations.

Daycon officials told The Washington Post last week they were considering appealing the ruling and students said if such actions were taken, the administration should officially cut ties with the company. But university President Wallace Loh told the student groups in a letter this week the university will not tell Daycon not to appeal, since it would violate the company’s 14th Amendement rights.

Yesterday, students wanted to make it clear to Loh — the fight isn’t over yet.

What started out as 24 people chanting with signs led to 37 students screaming at the administration, 400 students accepting fliers and about 130 passersby signing a petition to stand in solidarity with the employees of Daycon.

“We’re out here today because the university has responded with a Constitution-based letter to us,” said sophomore government and politics major Ann Levie, a member of FWB. “At this point, it’s more than a legal issue to support the workers — it’s a moral issue about human rights. If workers don’t have the benefits they need, the university shouldn’t support the company.”

The groups are looking at the administration to support the students’ beliefs and help bring down an unlawful company, said freshman anthropology major Moncia Blitzer.

“We told Loh what is going on, and he responded with something like ‘We believe in what you’re doing,’” Levie said. “However, we really believe if we, as a university, are going to be socially responsible, we need to stand up for workers’ rights.”
Before the group packed up and left, they had two final chants: “Show me what democracy looks like! This is what democracy looks like!” and “We’ll be back! We’ll be back!”

— Maria Romas

Most students have probably noticed the giant hole in the ground at the corner of Regents and Stadium Drives — After all, it’s pretty hard to miss.

Don’t get your hopes up. That massive construction project — which, in case you were wondering, is on a new Physical Sciences Complex — won’t be completed until 2013. In the meantime, there are several other campus upgrades going on all over that will affect the student body.

Most notably is probably the third floor construction of H.J. Patterson. Since the summer, construction crews have worked to modernize teaching labs, shutting down part of Lot HH1 and causing some people to be reassigned to lots farther away.

However, that inconvenience will soon be a thing of the past according to Facilities Management Director of Maintenance and Operations Jack Baker. Baker said the project is on schedule and the entire building will be ready for use by next semester.

Across the mall sits the old journalism building, soon to be the new home of the behavioral and social sciences college. Since the journalism school moved to Knight Hall last spring, the building has undergone a major renovation, updating the aging interior and infrastructure. On top of that, Baker said they are also looking to revamp the parking lot that sits between it and McKeldin Library, as well as plant new grass once the construction ends.

“It’s kind of a not so nice part of campus, so we’re going to spruce it up a little,” Baker said.

Slightly more out of the way is the engineering lab building located behind Martin Hall. Facilities management has taken on replacing the entire back wall with glass, making the building more energy efficient. And while some welding caused enough smoke to alert the College Park Volunteer Fire Department two weeks ago, Baker said the project should also be completed by the summer.

The architecture building will also see some upcoming changes, but not until this summer.

Baker said officials are looking to replace the glass roof that overlooks the main part of the building, but due to the large amount of student traffic during the semester, renovations have been pushed to the summer.

“We don’t want to unnecessarily endanger any students,” Baker said, “but the project will be done by the fall semester.”

- Spencer Israel

Look yourself in the mirror.

No, really look.

How do you feel? Do you love your body? Well, the Center for Health and Wellbeing wants you to.

In an effort to raise awareness for eating disorders, the center is sponsoring “Love Your Body Month,” which Coordinator Lauren Stewart said is modeled after the nation-wide National Eating Disorders Awareness Week — this year set for Feb. 20-26.

A few years ago, the center extended the week to an entire month for the university, then changed the name to give it a more positive angle, she said.

“We wanted to get people to talk about what we are trying to do,” Stewart said. “So this year, we made pins.”

The pins are handed out at tables set up at times and locations optimal for reaching as many students as possible, such as after a Zumba class or in Stamp Student Union.

The pins state “I ♥ my _____,” and students are meant to fill the blank with something they love about themselves.

“Most things are body parts,” Stewart said. “There haven’t been too many inappropriate things, but if that’s what they love then it’s what they love. We’re okay with that. Others put their smile, or a personality.”

So, look yourself in the mirror one more time. Now, think about it: What do you love?

— By Maria Romas

There was something a little different about Testudo yesterday. His eyes continued to gaze in the direction of university President Wallace Loh’s office, but there was something off about the statue’s base — it was wrapped in purple cellophane.

To jump start the kickoff week for this university’s Relay for Life committee — an all night event on April 2 where various teams walk on Ludwig Field to raise money for cancer research — executive board members painted the campus purple yesterday. In addition to wrapping our mascot’s likeness in purple cellophane, purple bows were tied around trees and purple chalk marked the campus up with messages, such as “cancer sucks.”

The group went all out in hopes of gaining more participants this year and reach a goal of donating more than last year’s $150,000, said co-advertising chair Juliana Willems.

“For someone who has a family member that is fighting or survived cancer, Relay can be one of the most important nights of the year,” she said.

Relay for Life has been held on this campus for several years, but Willems and logistics co-chair MariaSanta Mangione — a junior cell biology and genetics major — said the event still doesn’t have the same recognition or raise a similar amount of money as nearby universities, like Virginia Tech and Georgetown.

“There’s still this disconnect on the campus,” said Willems, a senior animal science major. “It’s almost like pulling teeth trying to get people involved.”
And Mangione agreed, adding that the fundraising money could be better used elsewhere — such as finding a cure for cancer.
“There are so many people who do support us,” Mangione said. “I don’t want to say we don’t get support, but we could put our energy in so many different places than fighting for recognition.”

But this week, the Relay for Life Committee is providing ample opportunities for students to become involved — such as a Thursday evening Ledo’s dinner, Sunday afternoon soccer tournament and Tuesday bar night at Cornerstone Grill and Loft.

For more information, check out their website or Relay for Life Kick-Off Week Facebook page.

— By Rachel Roubein

In addition to the typical drunken debauchery of the beginnings of second semester, this past weekend four people were robbed close to the College Park Metro station, a brawl broke out outside R.J. Bentley’s and an escaped prisoner was believed to be in the area. If you’re thinking this environment hardly sounds kid-friendly, think again.

According to BusinessWeek’s “Best Places to Raise Your Kids 2011” rankings, College Park came in first place for this state.

The magazine’s reasons are rather simple. The city’s history and location provide children with a playground of adventure.

“A number of historic sites are in the area, including College Park Airport,” the report states. “Many families move to College Park for its good schools (four elementary schools, three middle schools, and four high schools), and its close proximity to Washington D.C.”

Yet some students — such as sophomore early childhood education major Kayla Valencia — said that for her future children, this city just wouldn’t make the cut.

“I would never raise my child here,” she said. “I get scared walking home alone at night.”
Sophomore government and politics major Michelle Ferrare agreed — with one exception: “Unless they’re going to start handing out bullet-proof vests.”

Both Ferrare and Valencia added that they didn’t know the area outside of the campus well enough to make an accurate assessment but that a college town is not an ideal environment to foster young minds.

What would you do?

— By Rachel Roubein

When big game days roll around, the scene in college towns across the country is pretty predictable — legions of fans decked out in team colors stumbling from bar to bar, tailgate to tailgate.

But students at this university have fewer options than before now that College Park is down to two bars.

Before Feb. 2’s men’s basketball game against Duke even started, there was another contest being battled out on the sidewalks. Underage students fought with bouncers to get inside Cornerstone Grill and Loft as employees tried to control the swelling masses of people in the long line.

Students said the scene was excessive, even for such a highly anticipated game.

“I knew lots of people who were under 21 who didn’t get inside the bars,” said Samantha, a junior communication major who asked her last name not be used because she is underage. “We all had to go somewhere else to drink before the game, but it wasn’t that bad because everyone I talked to who went to the bars said you could barely move it was so crowded.”

In a college town that’s down three bars after the recent closures of Santa Fe Cafe, The Mark and Thirsty Turtle, game days pose a dilemma to those looking for an experience that doesn’t induce claustrophobia. Some students said they wanted to go downtown for the Duke game but opted to stay in their residences once they saw the crowds.

The bars weren’t as crowded Super Bowl Sunday, said Cornerstone owner Mark Srour, who speculated more people come out to support the Terps than they do to cheer on pro teams.

“That’s how it should be,” he said. “It’s a college sport, college town.”

Still, Srour said Sundays typically brought in high revenue even before other bars closed down. Super Bowl XLV was no exception — Srour said there was a good turnout, with about 70 percent of those present rooting for the Green Bay Packers.

But even though Santa Fe and Thirsty Turtle weren’t known for being sports pubs, students said having those options helped to mitigate the chaos.

“I’ve been to Turtle to watch Maryland games before, but Cornerstone is definitely the best for that,” Samantha said. “Still, it was nice to at least have an alternative. It’s just too crowded now around Cornerstone for it to be enjoyable.”

— By Alissa Gulin

It’s no secret: Journalism can be a dangerous profession.

But as news of correspondents in Egypt being attacked, arrested, detained and otherwise assaulted continued to flood in throughout the day yesterday, some students realized that this truism may have hit alarmingly close to home for one of this university’s faculty.

Journalism lecturer John Davidson is married to Washington Post photojournalist Linda Davidson. Yesterday morning, the Washington Post announced that Linda, along with the Post’s Cairo bureau chief, Leila Fadel, had been detained by police after at least two dozen reporters were beaten by pro-government supporters in a Cairo ravaged by chaos. Davidson was reportedly released and OK as of last night, according to the Associated Press.

According to Egypt’s Health Ministry, 13 people were killed and 1,200 injured in last night’s clashes between pro- and anti-government demonstrators.

According to The Committee to Protect Journalists, in just one day, the organization received nearly 50 reports of journalists being detained or beaten, program coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa Mohamed Abdel Dayem told the Post yesterday. He said reporters from around the world, including Al Jazeera reporters, a BBC reporter and correspondents from Spain, Sweden and Italy, are among those who have been hauled off or attacked. There was also report “thugs” broke into a Hilton hotel looking for several journalists staying there.

Other reports indicated a Greek journalist had been stabbed in the leg with a screwdriver while covering the events in Tahrir Square in Cairo.

John Davidson, upon learning of his wife’s situation, decided to cancel his afternoon classes and sit by the phone, waiting for news:

From: John Davidson
To: JOUR368P
Date: Thu, Feb 3, 2011 at 1:23 PM
Subject: no class today

hello good folks. i am sorry but i will not be able to make class today. my wife, who is a washington post photographer, was covering the protests in egypt today was hauled off, along with the wash post bureau chief, by the egyptian military and we have had no word from either since. i need to be by a phone and as the word spreads many colleagues and friends are calling me. i need to stay home and await word. thanks for your understanding.

john

This university’s journalism school has condemned the violence in Egypt and urged the immediate release of journalists who have been detained.

We, the faculty and doctoral students of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism, express our solidarity with the journalists struggling to bring the story of Egypt to the world in the face of the theft and destruction of mobile phones, cameras and recording gear, mob attacks, savage beatings, carjackings, detentions, and arrests.

We call upon Egyptian security forces to cease and desist from inciting, encouraging or committing violence; we call upon President Hosni Mubarak and aides to demand that they as individuals — and as a government — allow journalists to do their work unhampered.

Amidst final exams and research papers, members of the Student Government Association took to the campus Thursday to spread a little holiday cheer the old-fashioned way — caroling. Lisa Crisalli, vice president for academic affairs, said the small group of legislators visited Testudo on McKeldin Mall and approached groups of students walking around the campus to sing some carols written by SGA Chief of Staff Michelle McGrain.

The first was sung to the tune of Jingle Bells:

SGA, SGA, SGA is here
Oh what fun it is to sing and bring the students cheer (HEY)!
SGA, SGA, SGA is here
Oh what fun it is to sing and bring the students cheer!

And the next, to the tune of Here Comes Santa Claus:

Here comes Dr. Loh, here comes Dr. Loh
Right from Iowa
He’s got degrees and comes from three countries
What a wonderful fella!
Bells are ringing, Terps are singing
Full of spirit and cheer.
Read your books and put away your beer
‘Cause Dr. Loh comes this year.

— Lauren Redding

The lobby of the Kim Engineering Building was unusually crowded Friday with throngs of students cheering as their homemade hovercrafts glided along a runway.

It is the culmination of the first-year engineering students’ semester-long project. And they eagerly awaited their turn to test these machines, which were about the size of a human torso and tangled with dozens of wires that allow the device to “hover.”

Students in ENES100: Introduction to Engineering Design broke into groups to create their hovercrafts — machines that rely on buzzing fans and a programmable battery to defy gravity and sail about 20 feet along an obstacle course.

But this year, engineering faculty changed the course’s design to alter the difficulty level.

Instead of featuring a door that the hovercrafts would open by pushing a button, faculty added a sandpaper-like surface to a section of the track. This presents a new set of challenges as students work to overcome the change in friction and navigate a straight line without the guidance of a stripe, said obstacle course designer and course instructor Evandro Valente.

“This is a new twist to our devilish track setup,” Valente wrote in an e-mail. “The students are handed a very tough challenge and by now, most, if not all realize how big this project is.”

Sophomore mechanical engineering major Cal Rubbo and his team — whose hovercraft successfully navigated through the most difficult parts of the course — had to overcome problems with their battery that could have taken them out of the competition.

“I’m just kind of surprised we got here with all of the problems we had,” Rubbo said. “I’m just happy to be here.”

Freshman mechanical engineering major Kiamsha Barnes, one of Rubbo’s teammates, said the hovercraft’s performance was a testament to the groups chemistry and creativity throughout the semester.

“We recognized all of our strengths and weaknesses, so we worked well together,” Barnes said.

Valente said students have gained an experience that can help them further their engineering studies, no matter the competition’s outcome.

“This late in the semester the students have made this project ‘their baby’ and are highly self-motivated,” Valente said. “This is probably a moment that will carry in the memories of the students that live this out.”

—Photos and text by Claire Saravia

Despite a common perception among students that College Park is unsafe and crime-ridden, crime on and near the campus is down, and Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) is taking notice.

On Tuesday, University Police received the Category “A” Governor’s Crime Prevention Award for Law Enforcement for the third straight year.

Since crime peaked in 2006, numbers of nearly every major type of crime on the campus have steadily dropped. Through the end of 2009, reports of violent crime had nearly dropped in half and most other major areas of crime closely followed.

To qualify for the award, University Police needed to demonstrate various programs the department made available to students and residents that inform about and prevent crime.

Gary Maynard, the state’s public safety secretary, presented the award to police and accepted the plaque on behalf of University Police Chief David Mitchell.

University Police spokesman Ken Leonard said police were particularly proud of programs educating about rape and sexual assault and crimes against the elderly. He also pointed to the Be Smart, Be Safe and Working Together programs police put together last year, both of which are designed to keep the campus secure.

Police also appeared at “Maryland Remembers” on Tuesday, an event designed to continue the fight against drunk driving.

Leonard said the seventh annual event, which took place in Annapolis, served as a good reminder for members of the community to arrange for safe travel during the holiday break.

“We remind the community to think about the impact their decision to drive after drinking has on innocent families,” Leonard wrote in an e-mail. “Listening to the stories of families ruined by drunk driving further fueled our desire to enforce drunk driving laws and educate the community to take proactive steps to avoid drinking and driving.”

--By Ben Present