The Towerlight, February 18, 2008

tl20080218-01 "Kiel McLaughlin News Editor After talking about it for years, this summer Towson will launch a third semester. The full University System of Maryland Board of Regents approved TU�s proposal for a pilot trimester program Friday morning. Towson President Robert Caret�s presentation met few questions from the board, according to pro-vost James Clements, and received unanimous approval. Clements said a task force headed by dean of the College of Health Professions Charlotte Exner is in place to begin evaluating what programs will be offered this summer during the first term of the trimester pilot. Alex Plimack Arts Editor Nick DiMarco Associate News Editor Between classes, a student makes her way across campus. She�s focused on her cell phone, her fingers moving furiously. She cautiously looks up from the device to check her bearings only to dive back into the conversa-tion literally at hand. It�s a common sight on Towson�s campus: text messaging, or �tex-ting.� But the electronic interchanges have moved beyond the walkways to the classrooms, students sitting with pen in one hand and cell phone in the other. �I get really bored,� freshman mass communication major Michelle Danzig said. �For some reason in class I�ll think of other things to text people. One of my professors will kick you out of class if they see you with the phone� but I do it all the time and they don�t even know.� Many professors do take notice, however, and have begun to enact policies to curb �texting� during class. One professor spoke of the basis for his unique policy: �Talking with a friend who�s a lawyer in [Washington] D.C., there�s a judge in D.C. where, if your phone goes off in court, he takes your battery and keeps it in his chambers for the day.� He adapted the policy for his class-room, adding the caveat that if there were a second offense, he would take the phone and deduct 10 points from the final grade. Such policies raise questions of public safety versus classroom dis-ruption. Following the Virginia Tech shoot-ings in April 2007, the University implemented an emergency text mes-sage notification system. While it was in planning stages prior to the attack, it quickly became a priority. �The text alert system went online in May 2007,� TUPD captain Joe Herring said. �I�ve been here since 2002 and from that point forward we�ve been looking at having a Feb. 18, 2008 www.thetowerlight.com Published by and for the students of Towson and Baltimore -- twice-weekly Monday Now on TheTowerlight.com: View video Word on the Street and read student blogs �When in Rome� and �Towson Sports Blog�... Putting text messaging before textbooks Photo illustration by Patrick Smith/The Towerlight As text messaging has increased in popularity among students, some professors have enforced strict cell phone policies in the classroom, raising questions about public safety. Safety concerns arise as student texting causes stricter class policies Board of Regents approves trimester Pilot program to be evaluated by task force The Towerlight Junior Alexia Van Horn�s �American Idol� experience leads to musical opportunities Arts, page 24 �The Associate� 2008 begins News, page 7 See TRIMESTER, page 9 See PHONES, page 9 "