The Towerlight, November 18, 2002

tl20021118-000 "The Tower11,glihr Baltimore's #1 College Paper - Published Twice-Weekly - www.thetowerlight.com Monday, 11/18/02 Fundraiser helps offer medical care 6 Chemistry ethics topic of dinner 6 Vareity is key for TU Ensemble 13 Seagal lowpoint in horrid 'Dead' 15 Departments News 6 Nation 9 Arts 13 Sound Bites 14 Entertainment Briefs 14 In A Theater Near You 15 Sports 20 Athlete of the Week 17 In This Corner 20 Classifieds 12 Students rally for Living Wage Daniel Tayag The Towerlight A unified cry went up last Friday afternoon in front of the Administration Building at the cor-ner of Cross Campus Drive and York Road. The voice came from the Student Worker Alliance of Towson, a collective composed of students, faculty, union representa-tives and other workers, demanding the implementation of a living wage for Towson University Aramark and Chartwells staff. A living wage, according to SWAT representatives, refers to the minimum amount of compensation to be given to a worker in order to keep him or her above the poverty line based on the cost of living in a specific locale. The idea is that the national minimum wage of $5.15 per hour will not prevent workers from living poverty. A living wage standard would force employers to maintain increased wages coupled with fur-ther provisions including health insurance and paid vacation. While SWAT's fundamental mis-sion is to see the practice of a living wage in action at the University, Friday afternoon's objective was simply to have the group's message heard by Towson's administration. Neale Stokes, a junior cultural studies major and SWAT member, was very decisive in what the organ- See RALLY, page 5 Steve Lafferty The Towerlight Approximately 75 protesters voice their approval of implementing a living wage for Towson employees Friday. The group marched and presented a list of demands to administrators, including raising hourly pay to $8.49. TU Professor wins seat in General Assembly Lisa Johnson The Towerlight Part-time political science professor Jim Brochin is all smiles after being elected senator of the Maryland General Assembly's 42nd District. Jennifer Hykes The Towerlight You'd be hard pressed to find someone at Towson who knows more about local politics than Jim Brochin. The part-time TU profes-sor teaches ""Maryland Politics and Political Campaigns"" for the politi-cal science department and has a degree in political science from University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He also holds a mas-ter's from University of Maryland, College Park in international rela-tions and has worked for years in Maryland as a political analyst and consultant, even running a 1994 gubernatorial campaign. And now the Baltimore County native can put his credentials to use since he was just elected as a Democratic senator for the Maryland General Assembly's 42nd District. Brochin has spent most of his career in the background of Maryland politics. In addition to teaching part time, he's an insur-ance broker who owns a real estate agency. But three years ago, Brochin, who ran American Joe Miedusiewski's campaign for gover-nor in 1994, decided it was time to move out from behind the scenes and run for office. See BROCHIN, page 7 Today High 49 Low 33 Tuesday High 53 Low 32 Wednesday High 50 Low 36 Thursday High 52 Low 37 Friday High 51 Low 33 "