tl20040301_001 "The Toiuerlinht; Baltimore's #1 College Paper - Published Twice-Weekly - www.thetowerlight.com fli wtr Monday, 3/1/04 Drum circle ends month of culture Lacrosse alumni hold memorial 5K Spring gets start with March arts 'Havana Nights' cliched prequel Departments Opinion , News Campus briefs Arts Sports In this corner. Face-Off. Athlete of the Week Classifieds 16 Athletics cuts four men's teams Sports eliminated in restructuring plan; gymnastics spared, women's golf added Luke Brietzke The Towerlight After months of deliberation, judgment day arrived Thursday for Towson's athletic department. The University announced the elimination of four men's sports after this season: cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field, and tennis. Women's golf will be added in 2006. The women's gymnastics team, which many feared would be cut, will move from the Eastern Athletic Gymnastics League to the Eastern College Athletic Conference to align the team with programs at other Colonial Athletic Association schools. According to a University press release, the restructuring of the athletic department will allow TU to be more competitive in the CAA and is important for the football team's transition to the Atlantic-10 conference next fall. The restructuring is part of a five- year strategic plan for the program which includes facility enhancement, additions to coaching staff, expanded academic support services, more scholarship funding and recruiting support, and increased marketing and fund-raising initiatives. Towson Athletic Director Wayne Edwards said the cuts were the hardest thing he has encountered in his professional life and stressed that the review process was extensive and included every Towson coach. However, while University officials claim the realignment will enhance Towson programs, athletes of the discontinued sports """"I had a very strong feeling track would get cut, but I was really shocked about cross country,"""" sophomore cross country runner Brian Nasuta said. """"I am very disappointed they couldn't find five [roster] spots for that."""" See DECISION, page 17 'Antigone1 kicks off March arts lineup i """"% - ** ? IK IP'S 1 Lisa Johnson/The Towerhght Froilan Mate and Rebecca Bare will star in """"Antigone,"""" part of March's arts lineup. See story page 13. Voters to cast ballots Super Tuesday The With Maryland's primary election Tuesday, the leading Democratic candidate is campaigning in Baltimore today while Towson students join throngs of volunteers urging residents to vote. With 69 delegates, Maryland is one of 10 states holding primary elections on """"Super Tuesday."""" More than half of the 2,162 delegates needed to win the Democratic nomination are up for grabs. Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry will hold a rally today at 8:30 a.m. at Morgan State University's Edward P. Hurt Auditorium. Two polls of Maryland voters show Kerry ahead of Sen. John Edwards of South Carolina, but one forecasts a landslide victory while the other predicts a close race. A poll by the Mason-Dixon organization last week showed Kerry beating Edwards 62 percent to 20 percent. But a poll by the American Research Group conducted during the same time period showed Kerry winning 42 percent to 35 percent - only a seven-point spread. The margin of error in both polls was 4 percent. Elections for congressional seats, Board of Education positions, circuit court judge seats and other offices will also take place at Maryland's 1,600 polling locations Tuesday. Many students will vote for the first time Tuesday. Freshman history major Matt Liebensperger is driving home to Eldersburg to cast a ballot at his local polling site. """"There should be a voting holiday,"""" he said, noting that a day off from school or work would encourage citizens to participate in the election. However, those away from home can also vote via absentee ballot. Before each election, registered voters are mailed information on their polling site. College students away from home can vote by requesting a ballot from the county See POLLS, page 7"
