tl20030217-000 "The 111111121111igh Baltimore's #1 College Paper - Published Twice-Weekly - www.thetowerlight.com Monday, 2/17/03 COFAC's open forums completed 5 Kaynama assumes post of CBE dean 5 Chuck D visits TU Wednesday 13 'Ballet Russes' on display at BMA 13 Departments Opinion 2 News 5 Nation 7 Arts 13 Backstage Pass 14 Sound Bites 15 Sports 20 Athlete of the Week 18 In This Corner 20 Classifieds 16 Students sing out against war Cailin McGough The Towerlight At least 20 Towson students and faculty were among hundreds of thousands in New York City Saturday demonstrating against a war with Iraq. The rally was one of an estimated 600 held worldwide in protest of military action. Carrying a banner reading ""Towson Students Against War"" with signatures collected earlier in the week, students joined in a march that spanned more than 20 blocks of central Manhattan. Despite freezing temperatures and police barriers, which divided and held the crowd gathered on 1st Avenue, energy remained positive. One Towson student led a group as it chanted anti-war slogans and danced to drums made from water jugs. Prior to this weekend's demon-stration, the Towson Anti-War Coalition held a teach-in Thursday in the Potomac Lounge of the University Union, with speakers dis-cussing topics ranging from Christian opposition to war to the Cheney doctrine in the Middle East. Mass communication professor Virginia Rodino, who helped organ-ize the event, which drew an esti-mated 300 people, said a diverse set of contributors showed that the Anti-War Coalition is attempting to be rooted in the greater Baltimore community rather than just the Towson campus. Rodino said there was a good response to the teach-in, especially from students who were required to attend for class or had simply wan-dered in. ""A number of them came up to me and other organizers and thanked them for helping them to see a bigger picture of events that are important to them,"" she said. Sophomore art major Mackenzie Cansler-Kipp said she and a friend came to the teach-in during their lunch break. ""I stopped by because I wanted to have an informed view of both sides of the war on Iraq,"" she said. ""I get the pro-war side from the news, but it's harder to get the anti-war side."" She added that the information See TEACH-IN, page 6 Today High 29 Low 25 Lisa Johnson The Towerhght Ryan Harvey sings ""I don't want to go to no war"" during Thursday's teach-in, held in the Potomac Lounge. About 20 Towson students and faculty also took part in the anti-war protests held Saturday in New York City. USM students file suit over increase From staff reports Less than a month after the final-ization of tuition increases for University System of Maryland schools, some USM students are taking action � class action, that is. Seven students from University of Baltimore and UMBC filed suit in Baltimore Circuit Court Friday, The Baltimore Sun reported, to block the increase, which affects nine of the 11 USM institutions. The USM Board of Regents approved increases of up to 5 per-cent for system schools Jan. 23. On Feb. 6, The Towerlight printed a let-ter from bursar's office director Thomas Ruby informing Towson students that they would be assessed the full 5 percent. This adds up to an extra bill of $95 for full-time, in-state undergrads, $279 for full-time, out-of-state undergrads and between $8 and $23 per credit for part-time and graduate students. The increase was posted to stu-dent accounts Feb. 5. Account state-ments are to be mailed to students today, and bills will be due March 10. The question seven USM stu-dents have raised is, can Maryland colleges and universities legally raise tuition midyear? As reported in Saturday's Sun, these students and their lawyers say their schools can't charge them additional money after spring classes had been paid for and in some cases already begun. Both schools with students involved in the suit began classes Jan. 27, but spring tuition was due at University of Baltimore by 4 p.m. Jan. 8, according to the school's Web site. The Sun reported that Maryland's assistant Attorney General, John Anderson, said, ""We don't think [the increase is] a breach of any legally cognizable contract."" However, the students also say the tuition hike violates the Consumer Protection Act and constitutes false advertising. Students registered for classes on the understanding that they would pay one price, only to be charged an additional amount later. See LAWSUIT, page 6 All Towson University day and evening classes and events are canceled Monday, Feb. 17, due to snow. Tuesday High 38 Low 25 Wednesday High 43 Low 27 Thursday High 45 Low 27 Friday High 43 Low 35 "
