Pornographic Films and First Amendment Freedoms

Senator Andy Harris and Senate President Mike Miller challenged the showing of a pornographic film Pirates II: Stagnetti's Revenge last thursday by levereging $400 million of state appropriations for the USM institutions.  The student-led activities board that selects movies chose to air the film after they were presented with a free license from Digital Playground.

In response, the UMCP administration overrode the student activity board and stopped the showing of the film.  Outrage from UMCP students and others ensued.  The film has been shown at Northwestern, UCLA, and Carnegie Mellon already. Since, students at UMBC and UMCP have moved forward in sponsoring showings of the pornographic film, not for pure entertainment purposes, but to resist the infringement of academic freedom on college campuses. Many argue that the choice of viewing such a film is option, and it is not the job of the legislature to censor adult material from adults on college campuses.  Any step to limit explicit material is a step in the direction of limiting academic freedom and discourse.

The topic has recieved significant press:

• http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-te.md.porn03apr03,0,7632367.story
• http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.porn04apr04,0,2590515.story
• http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.porn05apr05,0,2964274.story
• http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/04/03/pornography
• http://www.diamondbackonline.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticlePrinterFriendly&uStory_id=6a52747e-0736-4e12-8730-6b13518d318e
• http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2009/04/sex_senators_and_stupidity.html
• http://voices.washingtonpost.com/rawfisher/2009/04/campus_sex_shows_um_panics_whe.html
  
• http://media.www.diamondbackonline.com/media/storage/paper873/news/2009/04/06/News/Students.Push.On.With.Porn-3698133.shtml
  

Here's my view:  Viewing a pornographic film on campus in the student union is distasteful.  But this conversation is about much more.  It's about the innapropriate use of legislative authority.

Senator Harris' attempt to use the power of the purse to limit academic freedom and societal discourse at USM institutions is irresponsible and out of place.  The film cost no money to the university, and the student activities board thought it to be a positive component to the discourse on the UMCP campus.  While i find the movie distasteful, I fear of the potential for censorship to come on Senator Harris' and other's moral beliefs.  When dealing with adults in our nation, we have celebrated a long standing tradition of free speech.  Why should this change in campuses of public universities?  Additionally, the legislature should respect the administrative authority of the USM and the UMCP administration in governing public universities in Maryland on such administrative issues.  This move flies in the face of the principle of the First Amendment.

A Good Samaritan Policy for college campuses

Student leaders at UMCP have long advocated for a Good Samaritan Policy for students contacting police and emergency services for students dangerously under the influence of alcohol.  The policy has gained significant student support in past years, but broader campus community has been resistant.

A committee was formed last year to review this issue to develop a policy for the University Senate (the campus shared governance body) to consider the policy.  The Diamondback reports that the new proposed policy addresses many concerns of faculty and staff raised in previous years.  The policy protects both the student under the influence and the student contacting emergency personnel from sanctions.  Of note, UMCP students approved the policy by referendum during last year's election with 90% support.

In my view, the policy is long overdue at UMCP; it's also a policy that other campuses should consider.  The policy protects students who choose to make responsible decisions in siding with safety.  The policy is long overdue, and is one that when implemented, sets a tone that student safety is a first priority.

Smoking on Campus

It's hard to walk on any college campus and not run into a cloud of cigarette smoke.  It's something that most of us come to accept.  There are always certain entrances, walkways, and patios that non-smokers simply avoid.

But recently, university officials in Maryland have taken a stand on a number of campuses to regulate public smoking.  UMBC and College Park both endorsed plans that limit smoking on campus.  In the case of UMCP, individuals are not allowed to smoke indoors or within 15 feet of any building entrance.  at UMBC, students cannot smoke within 20 feet of a building entrance, and are restricted in common areas like Academic Row and on the Commons Patio.  These policies are met with modest and ineffective enforcement methods.

In recent months, university officials have stepped up their game.  Citing second-hand smoke and "butt" littering and driven by the stigma of smoking, officials hope to make their campus more attractive for visitors and prospective students.  Last year, the Towson Administration rejected a regulatory plan that would permit smoking only at certain areas on campus.  Instead, the Administration called for a completely "smoke-free" campus.  The administration is in the process of "recieving feedback" from students on the idea.  Students have expressed to me that these sessions have been more informative than conducive to conversation and discourse.

At UMBC, the Residential Life staff stepped up their game and overran the regulations in the policy.  They outlined designated smoking areas for students and forced ResLife staff to enforce the policy.  UMBC student Paula McCusker fought back, and successfully repealed the expanded interpretation of the Non-Smoking Policy.  She tells about her experience on her blog.

CNN highlighted  in 2007 trends in "smoke-free" campuses in an article.

The issue raises quite a question for student and campus leaders.  Consensus has seemed to develop on the need to regulate smoking somewhat to protect those who choose not to smoke.  Secondhand smoke has proven harmful, and it's simply unpleasant to walk through a cloud of cigarette smoke.

But to what extent should it be regulated?  One of the major challenges is the lack of enforcement of such policies.  Who is to police smoking?  Some have suggested campus police and security, but don't they have more important things to be monitoring?

I believe students should have the right to smoke.  And, if they live and work on a USM campus, we must find a way to accommodate to their needs and desires.  At the same time, we must find ways for others on campus to be able to avoid smoke clouds.  The best way to do this is to establish a realistic and respectful plan that allows students and community members to smoke in designated areas that are covered for the rain and snow in heavy-traffic parts of campus and allows students to smoke freely in less-trafficked parts of campus, away from building entrances.  Without these accommodations, smokers will return the campus community with the same disrespect afforded to them.  And the identified problem will remain.

UMCP SGA: Green Ed. for all students

Last night at its weekly Senate meeting, the UMCP SGA called on the General Education Task Force to consider Green Education as part of the general education requirement for all students.  Calling the move both intellectually and ethically engaging, the bill passed 14-2-5.  Opposition found the requirement to cumbersome for students who already struggle to graduate in four years because of the large number of required courses.  The action was highlighted in the Diamondback .

I fully support the notion, and wrote about the idea on this blog in August.  Here's a clip:

I believe that we should work to move "GreenEd" into the general education requirements of our schools--no I am not saying that we should propose more general education requirements. Yet, I believe that we should work to reform some of our general education requirements to include GreenEd. Possibly non-lab sciences or social science courses would be required to include GreenEd principles.

 Kudos to my friend Davey Rogner, the SGA Environmetal Affairs liaison for this effort and many others at UMCP this year and in past years.

Tuition freeze right move for Maryland's future

Jonathan Sachs, Student Body President at UMCP, and I submitted an op-ed to The Baltimore Sun regarding the possibility of a tuition freeze.  Check out the article or read it here:

As students who are directly affected by the cost of tuition, we believe it is important to explain why a fourth straight tuition freeze for resident undergraduate students at our public universities is so important for Maryland. 

Even with tuition frozen for three years, student costs have increased. Since 2005, mandatory fees for students (for parking, student unions and recreation services) have increased 15 percent; room, by 14 percent; and board, by 13 percent at the University of Maryland, College Park. Couple these increases with the rising costs of textbooks (increasing at four times the rate of inflation), transportation and other associated costs, and an in-state student's annual bill can reach more than $20,000.

Most students in the University System of Maryland are not wealthy. Our parents are teachers, government workers, nurses and police officers. This economic crisis has hit our families hard, and we need any financial break we can get to continue pursuing a college degree - which will better position us to contribute to Maryland's vibrant, knowledge-based economy. 

We need a tuition freeze to help keep costs affordable so that we can stay enrolled. Maryland is witnessing an amazing transformation in public higher education. New facilities are being built on campuses across the state, and academic standards continue to rise. The state's public universities are ranked among the nation's best and are educating more students than ever. At the same time, our classes are more racially and socioeconomically diverse than previous classes. 

Continuing the tuition freeze will not hinder this growth at all. To the contrary, it will help open doors for more Marylanders to share the outstanding opportunity of attending a public university. The proposed freeze would cost the state $16 million, a small fraction of the more than $1 billion in state investment in higher education each year. 

"Governing is choosing," and Gov. Martin O'Malley has chosen to invest in Maryland's future, so that we can fill the jobs of our state's advancing economy. This is a long-term, worthwhile strategy for investing in the minds needed for Maryland's future success.

Jonathan Sachs is Student Government Association president at the University of Maryland, College Park. Josh Michael is a student member of the University System of Maryland Board of Regents and a UMBC student.

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Jonathan Sachs

The Diamondback ran a cartoon today poking fun at UMCP SGA President Jonathan Sachs.  A recent column by UMCP student questioned Sachs' strategies and priorities.  

I've had the opportunity to work with Jonathan closely and have been very impressed with his political acumen and desire to affect change for students.  He's the "go-to" man for state legislators who want to know what students think.  He understands how to both work the political system and take a stand for students--not an easy task, I can tell you from personal experience.  It's fun to take this opportunity to enjoy some comic relief at the expense of Jonathan.  The important message to take away is that Jonathan is moving and shaking enough for people to actually care!

Check out this article and response.  Then check out this cartoon!

Advocacy Best Practices: UMCP SGA's "Take Action" Site

UMCP SGA has developed a "Take Action" website designed to provide students with opportunities to advocate, information about current events and issues, and links to useful resources. The website is part of President Sachs' efforts to engage students in advocacy efforts across the university.

The website includes three white papers on The Purple Line, Textbooks, and Tuition Policy.  The papers provide great information in a succinct manner.

Kudos Jonathan and the rest of the SGA at UMCP!

Textbook Affordability Summit, November 24

The University System, in partnership with other higher education sectors, will host a Textbook Affordability Summit on November 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Colony Ballroom at the University of Maryland, College Park Stamp Student Union.

Click here to register.

Click her to read the flier.

Student Response to Slots

Students across the USM are responding in a variety of ways to representative student groups taking positions on Referendum Question 2 on the Maryland ballot authorizing slots.

• The Towson Towerlight highlighted student discontent from the Black Student Union and other groups in a recent article.
• The Diamondback highlighted in an article today the inaction, despite action by other student groups, of the UMCP SGA.
• The Retriever Weekly highlighted the SGA's action in an article and opinion piece.
  
• The UMBCUnderground Blog discussed the SGA's position a few days ago in a post discussion 
• The USM Student Council endorsed the referendum (6-1-4) in a letter to Chancellor Kirwan.

In general, student groups have been split, about 2/3 in support, and 1/3 in opposition.  Many have felt uneasy supporting a position either way and would have preferred to take no position (as did UMCP SGA).  Others felt a strong obligation to take a stand.

Has any of this impacted your vote on question 2?

Oakland Project Approved at UMCP

The Board of Public Works reconsidered and approved a "public", on-campus housing project called Hall. The complex will house around 650 students, who will mostly be underclassmen. The rooms will be in traditional residential hall style.

Funding for the project comes from UMCP's "cash-on-hand" fund balance. The USM has made it a practice to not approve such expenditures, but made a compromise with UMCP on this specific project. UMCP is concurrently pursuing other "public-private" and private housing arrangements to deal with the housing shortage. The complex will cost, in total, around $80 million.

Briefly, here are the different types of residential living funding arrangements:

• public- completely funded by state dollars; management is run by the University, usually through Residential life
• public-private partnership- the university divides responsibilities with a third party, including funding of the project, management of the construction,ownership of the land, and management of the building and property
• private- all matters controlled and operated by a third party

The approval by the Board of Public Works was covered by WTOP news in an article today.

from the DBK...Clean Coal: A Down and Dirty Affair

Check out this article on Clean Coal written by Matt Dernoga, a sophomore at UMCP.

I was very disappointed with vice presidential candidates Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) and Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Alaska) when they were asked about "clean coal" in their debate last week. Both candidates voiced their support for clean coal, and Biden even denied he had ever stated there was no such thing as "clean coal." Neither of these responses startled me. Both presidential candidates Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) have repeatedly talked about "clean coal" at their rallies as part of their energy plans...