The Towerlight, November 1, 2010

Towson’s campus and community news source Online daily at thetowerlightcom I J Monday, 11-1-10 Homecoming Week at TigerTown Casey Prather/ The Towerlight Towson University’s 2010 Homecoming Week ended with the Homecoming football game at Johnny Unitas Stadium Saturday afternoon. The stands were slow to fill, with many students coming into the stadium only after tailgating in Lot 14. Though turnout looked to be encouraging, many attendees left during halftime. Check out page 10 - 1 1 to see a photo collage of this year’s Homecoming events and go online to see even more. Mischief night in Towson came to an abrupt end around 2:40 a.m. Sunday, when a silver Honda Accord crashed through the glass entrance to La Promesa Taco Shop on York Road. About 30 people were in the restaurant at the time, with additional customers outside, according to La Promesa manager Aamir Johnson, who was inside at the time of the accident. Johnson said the vehicle drove through the neighboring Jiffy Lube, hopped the curb and drove into the La Promesa parking lot before smashing through glass and destroying one of the main doors. Three customers were injured in the accident, and two were sent to the hospital. Towson freshman Gil Horowitz said he was in the store and getting ready to leave with some friends when he witnessed the crash. "A car came from the Jiffy Lube parking lot into the La See CRASH, page 9 Car smashes into students, Taco Shop ■ ■ DANIEL GROSS Editor-in-Chief Courtesy of Aarmin Johnson Firefighters are on scene after a car smashed through the glass door to La Promesa. The cause of the accident is currently unknown. Petition fights director switch DANIEL GROSS Editor-in-Chief A new director is set to take over the molecu¬ lar biology, biochemistry and bioinformatics program next semester, but the faculty transition is not going smoothly. More than 110 MB3 students have signed a peti¬ tion and several have written letters in an attempt to keep the program’s current director, professor James Saunders, on board. "Everybody wants him to be the director," MB3 stu¬ dent Natalia Ceaicovscaia said. “He’s always available for the students." Ceaicovscaia said Saunders has been a tremendous help to students during his time as director and is she unsure why he is being transferred out of the position. Saunders, a tenured faculty member, has served as the director of the program for six and a half years. He said the University hired him for this specific posi¬ tion to grow the program. He previously worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. According to Saunders, the MB3 program was just getting started when he was first hired. There were only a few majors at the time, and it now has 130 students majoring the program. "I was specifically brought here because I have a larger research experience and publication experience," he said. In terms of the program’s growth, Saunders also said he’s helped develop student internships. "When I got here, there was only one student doing an internship," he said. "Now I’ve got 40 different stu¬ dents out doing internships every year. I have another probably 30 students doing internships within the campus." Saunders said the MB3 program has been a very valu¬ able program and feels he has done an impressive job at building the student experience. Now that his contract as program director will not be renewed next semester, he is questioning whether to stay at the university, even though he is still a full-time professor. "Frankly, I will probably leave the University," he said. “I’ve got better things to do then to get shit on by the dean." Dean of the college David Vanko said the director position is up for evaluation every three years. He said that program directors are like department chairs in See MB3, page 8 p II r II / BOLLS 8" Sub 2 MEDIUM + Fries + Soda 2 TOPPING PIZZAS $7.99 $5.99 EACH 1540 YORK RD, LUTHERVILLE, MD 21093 410-823-8282 www.PIZZAB0LIS.COM SI fa ШМ&Ш щцРИШШЖ 1