Men's Basketball Makes UMBC History

This afternoon the UMBC Retrievers made university history by soundly defeating Hartford 82-65 in the America East Conference championship game. Held for the first time on our home turf in a sold-out RAC, the win has given us our first-ever ticket to the NCAA Tournament. Notably absent from this tournament are the College Park Terrapins, giving us a unique opportunity to represent our state while thumbing our noses at our local rivals. Read the official press release here.

Congratulations UMBC!

Last Day to Apply for SGA

If you haven't already, you should definitely consider applying to run the SGA elections. It's an excellent way to get involved in the campus community and help to change it for the betterment of your fellow students.

Check out the application and other details on the election website. Even if you're deciding not to run, keep on the lookout for information on the various candidates so you can make informed voting decisions.

Best of luck to everybody who applies!

UMBC Takes Student Regent Position

The University System of Maryland (which includes schools like UMBC and College Park) is governed by a 17-member Board of Regents, one of which must be a full-time student from one of the USM schools.

This year, the position of Student Regent is being filled by a representative of UMBC - Joshua Michael, Director of Community and Governmental Affairs for SGA and a frequent Zwybak contributor.

Congratulations to Josh on being selected for this position and to UMBC for continuing to assert itself as one of the premier institutions of higher education in our state.

Prove IT! Videos are up

Just to let you know the Prove It! Finalist video blogs are posted and are available here:

http://sga.umbc.edu/proveit/studentresponse

feel free to take a peek and leave comments.

Experience vs. Innovation

I have had the opportunity to work closely with a number of administrators on a variety of issues this year. Many of these administrators have been involved with the university for decades and have been present for a number of changes and their long-term results. often this is in stark contrast to myself, a student who has only been here two years, will leave after four and obtains institutional knowledge only through personal experience and the accounts of others.

I have noticed that they significant experience amassed by many administrators has left them jaded in a way. For nearly every given situation they can regurgitate a comparable one in the university's history, complete with outcomes. Students such as myself, on the other hand, tend to believe that lasting solution can be found to a current problem if the right decisions are made.

This brings about a conflict of perspectives that I have yet to determine how to resolve. Am I naive to believe that the same problems experienced in the university's past need not recur? Does the wealth of knowledge held by many administrators help them make better decisions now, or does it make them less likely to try something innovative to resolve an old issue?

It may be a product of my youth, but I believe that there are solutions to problems. Because something similar didn't work in the past in the past is not a reason to try a tweaked version in the future. Perhaps the timing was off or a small detail was missing - but so long as no superior solutions has been found, it is worth trying. Maybe my views on how the university could improve are similar a product of my position in the opinion cycle. I like to think I am being innovative and finding creative solutions to our problems.

Call me arrogant, but I think my perspective (and those of others in my generation) is the one that is poised to inherit the future. We do not fall into the trap of believing that because something happened in the past, it will happen in the future. Experience is valuable and we need to learn all we can from our mistakes, but if we let our pasts cloud our ability to be visionary we cease to be effective.

I challenge my colleagues in the administration to try and view the university as organic. As it grows and develops we must be open to different ideas if we want to adapt and remain relevant. It is the institutions (both academic and otherwise) with the ability to change that will thrive - the others will flounder, realizing their fate only when the window of opportunity has long since closed.

UNC Student Body President Slain

Slain Woman Found Near UNC Was Student Body President

Posted: Today at 12:13 p.m.
Updated: 5 minutes ago

Chapel Hill, N.C. — Chapel Hill police have identified a woman found dead near the University of North Carolina campus Wednesday morning as the university's student body president.

Eve Carson, 22, a UNC senior, was found shot multiple times in the head about a half-mile from campus.

Police have issued a bulletin for Carson's blue 2005 Toyota Highlander with Georgia license plate AIV-6690.

Officers spent most of Wednesday and Thursday morning following up and searching for leads in the case. At a news conference Thursday, they called it a "fairly random crime."

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Chapel Hill Police Department at 919-968-2760.

Meanwhile, an informal gathering has been scheduled at UNC for 3 p.m. at Polk Place for the UNC community, Chancellor James Moeser said.

In a letter posted on the UNC Web site, Moeser described Carson as a wonderful person and a great friend.

"We are saddened and numb with grief," he said.

Carson, a native of Athens, Ga., was a Morehead scholar and a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. She was a pre-med major studying both political science and biology.

Original Link

Baltimore Sun: Cheer for this; UMBC Students in the Spotlight

The UMBC community has rallied behind the men's basketball season this year in a fury of school spirit. While students have come out in droves to the RAC, students have consistently left unsportsmanlike behavior at the door. David Steele, a lead sports columnist for the Baltimore Sun, highlights the outstanding school spirit and sportsmanship exuded by UMBC students this season.

In the article, Dr. Hrabowski highlighted the efforts that students have taken to make this positive school spirit a reality on our campus. Jake Steel spoke of the student initiatives throughout the season, as well as in recent conversations with Dr. Hrabowski.

Without a doubt, this type of student ownership and responsibility on campus will go a long way in strengthening shared governance and student involvement on the UMBC campus...

Update on Civil Marriage/Gay Rights in MGA

Here is a link to an update from the Baltimore Sun on more "moderate" alternatives to civil marriage.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-te.md.marriage06mar06,0,3511631.story

Study Groups- Do they benefit you?

In my time as the Director of Academic Affairs, I have gained a lot of experience in dealing with study groups. A lot of experience. But I wonder, do students actually benefit from them? There are scores of studies touting the positive impact of being in a study group on student's grades. That's nice, but I really would like to hear about experiences with study groups from students themselves. I am in the planning stages of having an application added to myUMBC that would allow students to form study groups through that interface. But I must ask, is this something that students want? So leave some comments, and let me know UMBC, are you in study groups? If so, do you feel benefits from them? If not, why not? I am really interested in your feedback.

Buses Available for Binghamton!

After going through the Senate and Finance Board, the SGA has approved of $12,000 towards 4 fan buses going up to Binghamton for the Men's Basketball game. Right now, 2 buses are about full, so if you are interested in going for just $12 a day, go to the Commons Info Desk to reserve your spot on one of the buses.