The Towerlight, March 22, 2010

SEbPAGE 24 FOR THE FILBERTS’ FINAL MEET AT THE TOWS ON CENTER Towson’s campus and community news source Online daily at www.thetowerlight.com March 22, 2010 Collaborating colleges, йшт -шшхгт\\\т musical genres Casey Prather/ The Towerlight A mural based on the song "Baltimore” by local musicians Caleb Stine and Saleem Heggins, is displayed inside of Baltimore’s Penn Station. See page 15 for the full story. USM, TU face further budget cuts DANIEL GROSS News Editor Last semester Towson University was “hanging their hats" on a roughly $2 billion statewide budget cut in December and expecting around $16 million to be taken from the University’s operating bud¬ get. However, there may be even more to consider for the upcoming FY2011 state budget. Currently in the Maryland General Assembly, legislators are discussing Gov. Martin O'Malley's state budget proposal relating to higher education affordability. The legislature is evaluating the proposal and recommending several additional cuts to the University System of Maryland. One includes a recommendation from the Maryland Department of Legislative Services asking to cut $7.1 million from the USM. For Towson University, this includes a $1.3 million cut to the USM Shady Grove and Hagerstown programs. Another main proposal is a recommendation to reduce the USM general fund use by at least $50 million. This would be done by eliminating 1,000 positions, reducing the budget for travel by 50 percent and substituting half-priced tuition in place of free tuition for employees. In an e-mail sent to faculty on behalf of Towson University President Robert Caret, employees were asked to consider contacting legislators and voicing concerns with the newly proposed budget cuts. "Reduced funding for USM will lead to an erosion of quality, afford¬ able and accessible higher education in Maryland," Caret said in the e-mail. "Thank you for your consideration in this important matter." Last week during Spring Break, USM student regent and Towson senior Sarah Elfreth gave light to the same two budget cut proposals and asked students to get involved in the matter. “I realize we are all enjoying time off, but it is still important that the legislature hear from students," she said in an e-mail. “Please keep sending letters, making phone calls and utilizing Capwiz [an online USM legislative action center], and stress the importance of quality and affordability." Elfreth also said the Health, Education, and Human Resources Subcommittee of the Maryland Senate Budget and Tax Committee recommended transferring $3.8 million from the USM’s fund balance to cover shortfalls from the Higher Education Investment Fund. She said the remaining recommendations from the committee will be considered within the week, leading further into the process for the committees to decide and finalize the statewide budget. Towson community sees decrease in crime CARLY WELLHAM Assistant News Editor Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith announced a large decrease in serious crimes like car theft, robbery and assault from 2008 to 2009 on March 8. According to Smith, car theft has dropped by 16.5 per¬ cent, robbery by 14.7 percent and burglary by 2.5 percent. Captain Alexander Jones of the Baltimore County Police Department said that monitoring crime trends in the Towson area has significantly helped patrol and decrease crime rates. “We look for crime trends in the area and then we analyze that information to figure out what crimes are happening, where they are happening and what time they are happening," Jones said. "From there we know how to handle the trend and whether or not we need to increase patrol in that area." Jones said that one of the biggest crime trends occurs when classes are in session at Towson University. See CRIME, page 9