TL20060511-01 "Thursday, 5/11/06 The Towerlight www.thetowerlight.com Published by and for the students of Towson and Baltimore -- twice-weekly News: Towson professor recalls residence in New Orleans before Katrina�s reign Arts: Former vice president Al Gore talks his new documentary, global warming COMING IN MONDAY'S TOWERLIGHT: Spring ball is showing potential for a strong fall season for Tiger�s football, though some question marks remain Sports, page 26 Cook Library looks to extend its hours for finals season News, page 9 INSIDE: This Weekend.....3 Perspectives......5 News.................9 Beyond............17 Arts.................19 Movies.............20 Classifi eds.......24 Sports.............28 Tuition freeze official for fall Decision will increase cost for out-of-state students by 3 percent Heidi Greenleaf/The Towerlight Infinite Praise Ministries hold two big concerts a year, one at the close of each semester. The spring performance was held Sunday. Rob Scheer Arts Editor Ever since its inception in 1999, the Maryland Film Festival has been the must-attend event for Marylanders with a passion for film. This year�s festival kicks off tonight with a screening of short films at the Senator. The festival offers a varied selec-tion and more importantly, a relaxed, friendly feel unlike more widely known festivals like Cannes, Sundance and Tribeca. In fact, one of the chief things that differentiates the Maryland Film Festival from other festivals is that the films are just shown for their audience�s appreciation, not for prizes. �It�s a celebration, and a lot of other festivals are either a market or a competi-tion or both. Cannes, Sundance, Toronto are all great festivals, but they all fit into one of those categories or both of them,� Jed Dietz, director of the festival, said. �We don�t run any competition. We have no categories for films.� In addition to this, Dietz says the other big appeal for filmmakers to show their films here is the city itself. �There�s something about this com-munity that strikes people,� he said. �Baltimore is just a friendly place and filmmakers are always struck by it. They always have these funny stories about how somebody took them under wing and showed them how to eat crabs or took them to some bar they liked.� But far from being just a charming little event, the film festival has boasted the Maryland premieres of a number of notable (mostly) independent films. Since the festival began in 1999, some of the films to screen there for the first Brian Stelter Editor in Chief In-state undergraduate tuition will not go up next fall, but tuition for out-of-state stu-dents will rise three percent, the University System of Maryland Board of Regents confirmed Wednesday morning. Meeting at the University of Baltimore, the regents rescinded January�s announcement of a 4.5 percent increase because elected officials maneuvered to freeze in-state tuition rates dur-ing the recent legislative session. �As the result of the governor�s actions as well as the legislature�s actions, we received what can only be viewed as an extraordinary budget this year,� Chairman David Nevins said. �Within that budget we now have an opportu-nity to hold to zero percent tuition increases for resident undergraduate students.� Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance Joe Vivona said the budget re-alloca-tion was a �whole-harmless action.� Health cost savings of $18.9 million were used to offset next year�s anticipated tuition increases. The funds were divided among the universities based on their enrollment expectations. Regent Dick Hug, who has publicly advocated for tuition increases in the past, reluctantly sup-ported the tuition rates. He called the move by the legislature and governor �bad public policy.� �The cost of education is a shared responsibil-ity,� he said. �It should be shared between stu-dents and parents, between the state, between financial contributors, financial aid people, etc. I think this sets a very bad precedent. Lord knows costs are going up everywhere� Why wouldn�t See TUITION, page 10 Maryland Film Fest charms Baltimore See FESTIVAL, page 22 Guest host program, �secret screening� on tap for festivities Illustration by Jenn Long / Art Director Tuition at Towson Fall 06 - Spring 07 In-state undergrads: $5,180 (The same as this year) Out-of-state undergrads: $14,538 (Up three % from this year) Also: Every full-time student will pay $1,984 in fees next school year, an increase of $68 or 3.5 percent Source: USM Brian Stelter Editor in Chief All eyes are directed toward the stage, toward dozens of students swaying from side to side, in sync with the beat. The Chesapeake Rooms are dimly lit, except for a few bright spotlights. Musical notes made of paper are hang-ing from the ceiling. The tones of 50 voices are creating a foot-tapping, feel-good melody, and the audience is nodding along. The choir performing a song of praise titled �Set Me Free,� and it�s hard not to sing along. Infinite Praise Ministries (IPM) performed for a packed house in the University Union Sunday night, continu-ing their biannual tradition of hosting concerts for the campus community. See MINISTRY, page 12 �Hitting the right note� INFINITE PRAISE MINISTRIES "
