President Freeman Hrabowski proudly touts the many awards and honors won by UMBC faculty, students and staff. In October the spotlight was focused on the President himself as he was honored on both the national and the regional level.On October 13, Hrabowski was inducted into the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, founded in 1780 by John Adams, James Bowdoin and John Hancock to honor intellectual achievement, leadership and creativity. Hrabowski joined a group of approximately 3,600 Fellows, including former U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright, filmmaker Woody Allen and composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim. The academy has inducted 50 Pulitzer Prize winners and 150 Nobel Laureates since its founding.On the regional level, Hrabowski was presented with Baltimore County's prestigious Stuart M. Macht Award, in recognition of a career of community and business leadership. In presenting Hrabowski with the award, Baltimore County Executive C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger said, "UMBC is a major contributor to the region in terms of workforce and talent. Thanks to Freeman's leadership, the university has emerged as a national model for university-industry collaboration."

For more than thirty years, UMBC's Department of Music has earned accolades as a presenter of contemporary concert music. Visiting artists, many of whom have premiered works at UMBC, have ranged from luminaries such as John Cage to young performers making their American debuts.The music of present-day classical composers, usually referred to as "new music," can be a far cry from the more often heard sounds of composers such as Bach or Beethoven. "My sense of much new music is that it is more akin to a visual arts experience than what most people think of as a typical musical experience," says Linda Dusman, chair of themusic department. "That is, one of the legacies of the 19th century is that music is more linked with the literary, that it has a narrative element or a specific emotional content. Many composers continue to think in these ways, but many do not — and for these artists, narrative and emotion are less important than texture, or color, or pure form.This makes their work feel more abstract. So attending a new music concert is never a predictable experience — that's what I enjoy about them. I am constantly called on to think and experience from different perspectives. Though this can be disconcerting, it can also be tremendously rewarding in the amount of creativity it calls forth from the listener."For new music fans — and for the uninitiated — the month of November offers an especially diverse array of repertoire and instrumentation. The Hoffmann/Goldstein Duo, showcasing the artistry of pianist Paul Hoffmann (from Rutgers University) and percussionist Tom Goldstein (from UMBC), kicks off the month on November 6 with a concert of works by UMBC composer Stuart Saunders Smith, Malcolm Goldstein, Olivier Messiaen and other composers. Over the past eight years, the Duo has appeared in dozens of concerts and new music festivals in the U.S. and in Europe, and recentlyreleased their first CD on Capstone records (featured in October's Insights).On November 15, clarinetist E. Michael Richards, a new member of the departmental faculty, will explore sounds of today's leading Asian composers, including Akira Nishimura, Masao Honma, Isang Yun and P.Q. Phan. Richards will also perform a work for solo microtonal clarinet by Drake Mabry. As a recitalist of new music, Richards premiered over 125 works at performances throughout the United States, Japan, Australia and Western Europe. He will be joined for this concert by guest artist pianist Kazuko Tanosaki.In the 1930s, composers began to explore the world of percussion instruments, writing pieces that defied tradition by omitting pitched instruments (strings, woodwinds, brass, keyboards and so on). Such a large percussion repertoire now exists that groups such as the Rrrr... Percussive Theatre, which will perform on November 28, have become a ubiquitous part of the musical landscape. The Rrrr... trio works to expand the boundaries of music and performance art through spirited performances of works that combine music with drama and movement. Their program will include music by Georges Aperghis, Ken Ueno, Thierry de Mey and Mauricio Kagel.If percussive music freed composers from pitch, the advent of commercial magnetic tape in the 1950s freed composers from the need for performers. Working with various electronic instruments that continue to grow in sophistication, composers have developed an entirely new world of sound. On November 8, composer Kristian Twombly will present a concert of electronic music by Karlheinz Stockhausen, Iannis Xenakis, UMBC Department of Music Chair Linda Dusman and other composers.The Hoffmann/Goldstein Duo, E. Michael Richards and Rrrr... Percussive Theatre concerts all will be held at 8 p.m. in the Fine Arts Recital Hall. Tickets are $7 general admission, $3 for students and seniors and free with a UMBC ID. The Kristian Twombly concert will be at 8 p.m. in Fine Arts Studio 508 with free admission. For more information, visit the online arts calendar call the Department of Music at x2942.

Donors to UMBC, including faculty, staff and the public, got a sneak preview of the 148,000 square foot, $35 million new University Commons building during Homecoming Weekend. Insights was lucky enough to tag along to bring our readers details of the futuristic center that will soon give the campus community a wealth of new horizons for shopping, dining, entertainment, meeting, working and just hanging out.

University Center director Joe Regier, along with Maryland Stadium Authority officials and other volunteers, led several groups on a walking tour of the enormous, modern and colorful building that will soon be the 21^st century hub of campus life. "The Commons,” as the three-story facility is known, seems even more spacious due to a design emphasis on glass exterior walls and high ceilings that elegantly connect to three outdoor terraces of rolling grass and an outdoor patio area for dining, socializing and soaking up the sun.

"The creation of "The Commons' has been and continues to be a huge collaborative undertaking for the University,” says Regier. "Work accomplished by various University committees, offices and student organizations will soon be on view. Special thanks go to the Vice-Presidents for Administration and Student Affairs, Mark Behm and Charles Fey and their associates: the members of the Commons Oversight and Steering Committees, along with Leland Beitel, associate vice-president for administration; Nancy Quantock, director of capital planning; Clolita Williams, assistant vice-president for administrative services; Bob Somers, bookstore manager; Oscar Beringer, director of university food service; and Gary McGuigan of the Maryland Stadium Authority who managed the project for the University,” Regier says.

"A special thanks and congratulations to the University Center and Student Life staff for their hard work and input,” says Regier. "The list goes on and on with enormous contributions by many departments and individuals. UMBC must indeed be proud of itself in all that it has accomplished by bringing such as a remarkable facility to its students, faculty and staff.”

The new Commons opens for limited food service and campus bookstore access on January 2, and will become fully operational in time for a ribbon cutting ceremony on January 28, the first day of spring classes. The new building will be open seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Friday with weekend opening hours a little later.

A 35-foot information desk wrapped with an LED information display and video monitors will greet visitors entering the North entrance facing the Library. Behind the information desk and offices is the Cabaret, a two-story entertainment venue and lounge. It is expected to be a hot spot for socials and small variety acts.

The high-tech look and feel of the entertainment areas is further enhanced by the fact that the entire building is a wireless computing environment. Students will be able to check out wireless laptops from the information desk and use high-speed Internet connections to access MyUMBC or other online sites from anywhere in the building.

The second floor to the east will feature space for 24 student organizations and several student activity centers such as the Student Involvement Center, the Greek Life Office, Multicultural Center, Student Government Association offices and the Student Events Board. Other familiar faces will relocate to the new Commons, including the Campus Bookstore, which will move into a spanking new, two-story space that includes retail and textbook sales floors as well as staff offices.

The university's convenience store currently located in the University Center ground floor will also move to the new Commons, with new neighbors including a rapid copy and color printing service. Negotiations are underway for a full-service bank branch with two ATMs to be in the Commons. The SECU and Chevy Chase ATMs will remain at their University Center location.

The building's mezzanine level, which has a view of the swimming pool to the south and Erickson Hall to the north, is home to a late night grill and associated lounge. An open ceiling design creates an inviting space for hundreds of diners on the first floor's southern exposure with seating for 300 plus additional booth seating on the interior wall. Food options include Jazzman's Café, a chicken option, wood-fired pizza, pasta, salad, southwestern, comfort foods, Asian-Pacific, delicatessen, grab and go plus a variety of beverages. A coffeehouse venue will offer periodic entertainment to go along with pastries and will appear in the southern entrance.

Like the rest of UMBC in the near future, the Commons is going cashless. Customers can add value to their red UMBC Campus Card using any of six machines in the building or from the information desk. Switching to cashless speeds up service by a factor of three, while increasing hygiene, decreasing security concerns, and creating a record of usage for customers.

The gameroom is sure to be a popular destination. It will feature billiards tables, a large screen video screen, video games, a removable dance floor equipped with robotic lighting and a removable stage for live bands. Main Street is the name for the large, central concourse that will feature retail kiosks, information tables, seasonal sales and a video board, providing the latest information about events on campus and student life activities.

A restaurant and meeting room combination is a highlight of the third floor. The restaurant will serve brunch and lunch until 2 p.m., converting into a meeting space for campus community groups later in the day. The third floor formal lounge attached to the restaurant features striking modern wood paneling and a marble tiled fireplace. This facility will be used for student leadership awards, faculty receptions, media interviews and other special events.

The third floor will also house many offices for many groups including the Graduate Student Association, Student Affairs, Commons Administration and Student Life. The floor will also be home to eight multipurpose meeting rooms for broad campus use.

Trust us, this is a cool place that you'll just have to see for yourself to believe. The Insights staff looks forward to seeing you at "The Commons” next year!

The Department of History has won a three-year, $997,000 grant – by far its largest ever – from the U.S. Department of Education to support a three-year program of graduate-level professional development in the teaching of American history for K-12 teachers in Baltimore and Anne Arundel counties.

Based at the Department's Center for History Education, the project will provide summer institutes and winter workshops for forty-five teachers per year. Taught by UMBC Department of History faculty, with the support of experienced history teachers and major historical institutions in Maryland and nationally, the program will focus on providing history teachers with the content knowledge, archival material, new media resources, and instructional mentorship necessary to enable them to engage their students in sophisticated historical study and research. Under the direction of UMBC historians and IT students, participants will develop online lesson plans, which will be made available to teachers nationally via Maryland Public Television's "Thinkport”: an interactive website for teachers

"The Internet and other technologies provide historians with access to documents and data that was previously very hard to come by,” says Professor Dan Ritschel, author of the Teaching American History grant. "By combining our faculty's expertise in American history and UMBC's IT resources, we will be providing teachers with the skills and information necessary to develop lesson plans that will get students excited about American history and research.”

Partners in the project include Baltimore County Public Schools, Anne Arundel Public Schools, Maryland State Archives, Maryland Public Television, National Council for History Education, Maryland Council for History Education, National History Day, and the B & O Railroad Museum.

"There's some amnesia around the history of radio. Courses on broadcast media tend to focus on television," explains Jason Loviglio. A new book coauthored by the assistant professor of American studies will provide a much-needed cultural history of radio.

Just off the press, Radio Reader: Essays in the Cultural History of RadioRadio Reader showcases the richness, diversity and substance of an exciting new generation of scholarly work on the history of radio. Long marginalized in American media historiography, radio finally receives a fitting scholarly treatment in this extraordinary collection of original research essays. Together they make a compelling case for putting radio at the center of media history. Radio Reader should be required reading for any serious student of media history."

Susan Sonnenschein has been the chair of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) since August, 1999. She is an associate professor in UMBC's Applied Developmental Psychology program. She has a background in developmental psychology, educational psychology and school psychology. Her recent research interests have focused primarily on aspects of language and literacy and the socialization of children's skills in these areas. She (along with colleagues Linda Baker and Robert Serpell) has recently completed a five-year longitudinal study of literacy development in young children from different sociocultural groups. A large focus of that study was a consideration of parental beliefs and practices and their impact on children's literacy appropriation.

1. What is the IRB and how long has it been in place at UMBC?

The function of the Institutional Review Board, more commonly referred to as the IRB, is to protect the well-being of participants in research by ensuring that the research conforms with a set of regulations established by the Department of Health and Human Services. The IRB is empowered by federal regulations to review and approve, require modifications in, or disapprove any research activities involving human participants. In addition to federal rules, our IRB is bound by state and institutional rules. The establishment of the IRB dates back to the 1970s, however, the acknowledgment of some need for such monitoring goes back to at least World War II.

2. Who is on the board? What kind of training must board members have?

According to federal guidelines, all IRBs must have a minimum of five members, including a scientist, a nonscientist and a community member who has no ties to the institution. This is to ensure that the IRB has sufficient expertise to evaluate the scientific merits of a proposal as well as sufficient diversity of backgrounds and experiences to be sensitive to the needs of the community. In addition to myself, current members of our IRB are Lowell Groninger, Psychology; Christoph Irmscher, English; Laidiily McBride, (community member); Thomas Robinson, Africana studies; Phillip Sokolove, biological sciences; J.R. Swancar (retired faculty member at UM,B dental school).

Several other people play key roles in ensuring that UMBC complies with federal laws and policy, although they do not serve on the IRB. Scott Bass, vice provost for research, and Elaine Young, assistant vice provost for research, serve as our institutional officials responsible for establishing a climate conducive to conducting research consistent with federal guidelines. Tim Sparklin, research services administrator for the College of Arts and Sciences, provides ongoing administrative support to the IRB. He assists researchers with applications, answers their questions, compiles and distributes educational materials to IRB members and manages the distribution and flow of submitted protocols.

University policy requires that all investigators engaged in research involving human participants complete a self-paced instructional program, designed to enhance the investigator's awareness of pertinent ethical principles and federal regulations. IRB members complete this training as well as web-based training programs available from the National Institutes of Health and the Office of Human Research Protection. IRB members also benefit from periodically receiving educational materials addressing pertinent issues within the field.

3. What research issues does the board oversee?

We oversee any and all research involving human participants. Most of the research conducted by investigators at UMBC falls within the behavioral and social sciences. Typical examples include studies validating psychological tests, parental beliefs about children's development, comparison of the efficacy of different educational programs, ethnographic interviews with senior citizens in nursing homes. Although most studies at UMBC are of minimal risk to participants, some are not. Examples of projects that are more than minimal risk include a study of a program to treat self-injurious behaviors in children, an investigation of the characteristics of people involved in abusive dating relationships, a trial of the efficacy of a vaccine for protection against HIV.

Regardless of the specifics of the project, we consider whether the potential benefits to society outweigh the risks to the participants, are risks minimized as much as possible, are participants freely volunteering or are they coerced, and, are participants adequately informed about the project. For example, should research participants receive compensation; and, if so, how much? If payment is too high, the decision to participate may be made for the wrong reasons. We also consider whether a participant's anonymity is adequately protected, in cases where it seems necessary. For example, if a participant is asked about illegal behaviors, what safeguards are in place to protect the identity of the person and does the participant understand the potential risks?

4. How do researchers work with the IRB during the course of a research project?

Researchers are required to submit a proposal to the IRB before they actually begin their research. Prior to preparing their application, researchers are encouraged to review the list of Frequently Asked Questions on our web-site, which contains pertinent information on which forms to use and how to complete them. This and other relevant information can be accessed through a link to the IRB from the Office for Sponsored Program's website, www.umbc.edu/ospa. Researchers can also contact Tim Sparklin with their questions.

The first issue for the researcher to consider when preparing a protocol is the amount of risk the project entails. Submitted protocols fall within one of three categories (exempt, expedited, full board review) according to the amount of risk to participants. Depending upon whether the project is classified as minimal or more than minimal risk, several or all the board will review the proposal. If questions or concerns are raised, the reviewer needs to address these before receiving approval to carry out the project. After the IRB has approved the project, the researcher can begin recruiting participants. Throughout the life of the approved protocol, the researcher must provide us with a progress report at least once a year. Once the project is completed, the researcher must submit what is called a closure report (a brief summary of what was done and found). Submission of a closure report means that the researcher cannot recontact participants without submitting a new proposal.

Researchers are required to contact the IRB if any adverse events occur (e.g., a participant was injured during a study). However, because of the nature of the research typically conducted at UMBC, adverse effects are infrequent.

The 63,000-square-foot Applied Technology Laboratory (ATL) of RWD Technologies' Latitude360 division is now open for business. Up to 200 staff began moving into the new facility on November 5. A firm date for a grand opening celebration has not been set yet, but is tentatively planned for December or January.

Latitude360 is led by UMBC visual arts professor and former Imaging Research Center director David Yager. The company focuses on research and development in visual technologies, electronic learning using hand-held devices and technical solutions such as wireless communications and business-to-business integration.

"Although we are all very happy to move into our new location, we're most excited about being even closer to campus to continue our interaction with the UMBC community," said Yager. "Both our customers and the University will benefit from that relationship."

Latitude360 recently signed a three-year contract with Rochester, NY-based corporate training company Element K to use Latitude360's new mobile e-learning software 360Sync within Element K's training curriculum. 360Sync allows customers to download Web-based course materials to a mobile computer, typically a laptop, and to carry out training and testing without a live Internet connection. Upon completion of the course materials, 360Sync lets users synchronize the data back to the Web to fully update course results into their training records.

Other recent Latitude360 customers include John Deere, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Saba and The Oxford Princeton Programme. Locally, the firm has worked with the Annapolis Group and the American Visionary Art Museum, among others. In addition to the ATL, Latitude360 has offices in San Ramon, CA; Portland, OR; Merritt Island, FL; Columbia, MD; Princeton, NJ; and London and Birmingham, UK.

Both soccer teams are in rebuilding modes, and each has a freshman leading the way in goal scoring. For the men (9-5-2 overall, 6-3-1 in the Northeast Conference and headed to the NEC Tournament!), Greater Grace Christian Academy product Derek McElligott tallied nine goals in his first ten games and has earned NEC Rookie of the Week honors twice. The women are 9-5-2, 7-2 in the league and currently unbeaten in the last ten games with 8 wins, 2 ties.

The volleyball team (12-11 overall, 5-1 in the NEC) opened the season by winning the LaSalle Invitational. The field hockey squad won its first game since returning to varsity status (2000) with a 1-0 win over Sacred Heart, then overwhelmed St. Francis (PA), 6-0. In cross country, Murray Davis' men's squad has won a pair of meets, taking the Baltimore Metro Championships, then capturing the Maryland State meet. For the women, senior Academic All American Jen Ecker won the Metro meet for the third consecutive season. The tennis teams are having an excellent fall, as newcomer Josef Novotny won the A flight singles at the Cornell Invitational and freshman Aimee Lim captured her flight championship at the DC Metro Championships.

Devin Hagerty's OpEd in the Baltimore SunAn oped by Devin Hagerty, assistant professor of political science, entitled "U.S. needs a vision for Afghan's future," was published in the Baltimore Sun on October 4.http://www.sunspot.net/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.afghan04oct04.story?coll=bal%2Doped%2Dheadlines

Light2 Reviewed in the Baltimore SunThe Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery's current exhibition, "Light2," was favorably reviewed in the Baltimore Sun on October 23.http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/lifestyle/bal-to.artcol23oct23.column?coll=bal%2Dartslife%2Dtoday

Ellen Handler Spitz in the Baltimore SunVisual arts professor Ellen Handler Spitz's article, "Experience works of art, free of scrims of verbage: Seeing art is at its best a private and mysterious affair - read about it later" appeared in the Baltimore Sun on October 20.http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/arts/bal-bk.art21oct20.story

Urban Teacher Education Program in the Daily RecordIn an effort to establish stronger ties to Baltimore City, UMBC is setting up quarters at Tide Point for its Urban Teacher Education Program and for student and faculty meeting and networking space. The program, which was established in 1998 by education professor John Lee in response to the shortage of qualified teachers in the state's high-need schools, recruits, educates and supports teachers for urban schools.http://www.mddailyrecord.com/current_issues/2_87_friday/businessnews/58000-1.html

"It's important to think critically - not just about what our world is but about the whole world," says Daphne Harrison, former director of the Center for the Humanities and the Humanities Scholars program. "The most important thing we can do is think not just rationally but deeply - to look at an idea beyond its immediate meaning. We have to feed ourselves on a regular basis with ideas. Some may be jarring, but they could enlighten us down the road."

It's this philosophy of the power of ideas that inspired Harrison and other UMBC faculty to make the case for a scholarship program in the humanities. Not only would it attract the best and brightest, but it would promote the university's outstanding faculty and programs in literature, history, philosophy, language and cultural studies.

The UMBC Humanities Scholars program, now in its 10th year, offers students with strong intellectual ability an award ranging from $5,000 per year up to full tuition, room and board for four years and funding for study abroad. But most importantly, the program provides activities designed to ground scholars in humanistic thought and establish close working relationships with humanities faculty.

Although there was a substantial Yale legacy in Ian Stucky's family, he was so impressed by the Humanities Scholars program he chose to attend UMBC instead. "One of the things that drew me to the Humanities Scholars Program is just that - it's a program. Many of the other scholarships I learned about provided funding, but then left you on your own. The program here adds structure to your studies and it encourages networking and constant growth. I've gotten to know really interesting professors, students and administrators and I didn't have to travel far from home to get this experience. I've talked to so many people who went off to the big name schools that I looked at, and they don't have these relationships."

In their first year, Humanities Scholars enroll in interdisciplinary seminars for the fall and spring semesters. Team taught by two UMBC faculty members, the classes are an opportunity to explore issues and texts that will stimulate the students' thinking and prepare them for their future majors. Field trips and the Humanities Forum events are also part of the freshman year curriculum.

Current program director Thomas Field says, "The freshman seminars are great for engaging students. Scholars are not only working with a group of strong humanities students but with four faculty members from a variety of disciplines. It's an unusual connection for students in their first year of college."

Latasha Tucker, an Africana studies major who recently completed an internship at the National Endowment for the Humanities, was attracted to UMBC by the group seminars as well as the Humanities Forum. "I chose UMBC and the Humanities Scholars program because it offered me the perfect opportunity to attend an honors university and to deepen my knowledge of the humanities without having to be concerned with financial issues. The forums and the seminar classes seemed most attractive to me because I thought they would offer thought-provoking discussion and the chance to meet interesting people."

Second-year scholars participate in a series of Community Explorations - both guided and independent field trips that expose them to some of the less familiar aspects in the region, as well as several of its major cultural institutions. Most Humanities Scholars spend half of their junior year abroad.

For his study abroad, Stucky, a modern languages and linguistics major, attended the Caux Scholars Program in Switzerland. "In Caux, I joined an amazingly diverse group of 450 people, including 20 students, from all over the world. The focus of the session was on conflict transformation and peace building and I learned a tremendous amount. I hosted a delegation from Sierra Leone, which included a former president and military leader, a speaker of parliament, a U.N. representative, a rebel leader as well as a couple of civilians….I'm doing an independent study this fall as a reflection on the experience."

Field says a senior year mini-seminar will be added to the program. He also hopes to offer a seminar that would reconnect faculty with scholars they worked with during the freshman year seminar. To learn more about the Humanities Scholars program and the Center for the Humanities, visit http://www.umbc.edu/humanities.

The UMBC men's basketball team will open its 2001-2002 season at Loyola's Reitz Arena, in the annual Battle of Baltimore Classic, televised locally by WMAR-TV 2. The Retrievers are the defending champions, having wrested the title from Loyola with convincing wins over Towson and Loyola at the RAC Arena last November. Head Coach Tom Sullivan's team will face the host Greyhounds in the second game of a doubleheader (approximately 9:15 p.m.) on Saturday, November 17, with Towson taking on Coppin State in the opener at 7 p.m. The title game takes place on Monday, November 19 at 7 p.m.

After the Battle of Baltimore and some other tough non-league encounters, the Retrievers will focus on Northeast Conference play. Most experts have UMBC pegged to finish in the top four in the league, but if UMBC is to capture the title, they will do so without a senior on the roster.

"We had questions about youth two years ago, and were able to overcome them," recalled Sullivan. "We are young, but the juniors and sophomores have played a lot of minutes and I believe they understand how hard they have to work and how intense and how focused they need to be in order to win a championship. I believe we'll be a good team, now our goal is to win a championship."

Coach Sullivan may recall three years ago, when a band of predominantly sophomores combined with an emotional leader and former junior college player Rod Harrison won the first fifteen NEC contests they lined up for. This year's super sophomores, 2001 Rookie of the Year Peter Mulligan, All Rookie Team member Will McClurkin and versatile Ron Yates will take some cues from junior college transfer Malik Wallace and potentially form an even more talented group than the 1998-99 team.

The Retrievers open the home schedule on Thursday, December 6, when they entertain Quinnipiac, then host arch-rival Central Connecticut on Saturday, December 8. Both games begin at 7 p.m. Season tickets for all eleven Retriever home games may be purchased for the low price of $50 per seat. Call (410) 455-2205 for additional information.

For Joni Pentifallo, a tough day at the office used to mean managing the more than 50 inquiries a day that arrived by phone, email or in person at the Office of Information Technology Help Desk. Then the world changed on September 11.

Now, Pentifallo, and two UMBC students-junior IFSM major Rober Ignozzi and senior IFSM major, geography minor Franklin Floyd-are serving a three-week tour of duty in Kuwait as members of the Maryland Air National Guard 175th Wing.

"I've been well trained to do my job, and to be able to work with the men and women of a prepared squadron makes me feel confident" says Captain Pentifallo, an aircraft maintenance officer for the A-10 "Warthog" tank fighter, whose squadron includes SrA [Senior Airman] Ignozzi and SSgt [Staff Sergeant] Floyd.

For security reasons, Pentifallo can't disclose details of her assignment, but says the Maryland 175th is on a scheduled deployment with the U.S. Air Expeditionary Force, and was not called up as a result of the terrorist attacks on September 11.

"We train one weekend a month and every year we are required to serve a 15-day tour somewhere," say Pentifallo, who uses military leave all state workers are entitled to if they're on active reserve duty. "This year, we just happened to be in a part of the world that is very tense right now."

Feeling a sense of patriotism and duty following the Persian Gulf War, Pentifallo joined the U.S. Air Force 1991, and has been a member of the Maryland Air National Guard for two and a half years. She started working at UMBC in 1996, first as assistant director of the University Center, and then in 1999 as OIT's Help Desk manager.

For students Ignozzi and Floyd, who receive Guard tuition assistance of 50 percent of total tutition and fees per semester, the experience is one that will make their college years memorable. Ignozzi, a fuels systems mechanic assigned to Pentifallo's unit, made arrangements with all of his faculty members and will even be checking on his classes and keeping in contact with faculty members through email and working with instructors prior to his deployment. He'll connect to the Internet through computers in his work center.

"I'm proud to be here and my experience here has taught me not to take for granted what we have at home," says Ignozzi.

To extend his tour of duty to 60 days, SSgt Floyd had decided to withdraw from classes this semester. He worked closely with the Registrar's Office to cancel his classes for the fall semester so he could fulfill his military assignment. He is scheduled to start classes in January and will register on line while deployed.

"It was a difficult decision to cancel classes this semester so close to graduation, but I really wanted to serve my country and to participate with the unit and the Air Expeditionary Force"

Just as the world seems to have irrevocably changed since September 11, UMBC faculty have been changing their class discussion and lectures to give students a better understanding of the issues behind the terrorist attacks and the ongoing war in Afghanistan.

UMBC is fortunate to have a variety of faculty experts on terrorism, Middle East politics, Afghanistan, history and emergency health services who have in many cases radically changed their syllabi to focus more on current events. For a complete list of UMBC community members with expertise or involvement in the aftermath of September 11, please visit http://www.umbc.edu/NewsEvents/oci/article.phtml?news_id=362 to learn more online.

Devin Hagerty, a professor of political science and an expert on South Asia including Afghanistan, has made some big changes. "We have discussed 9-11 issues extensively in my POLI 280 class, 'International Relations,'" says Hagerty, who has also participated in teach-ins, made talk radio appearances and written an editorial piece on the future of Afghanistan for The Baltimore Sun.

"I would say that, overall, a total of four 50-minute class periods have already been given over to those discussions," says Hagerty. "I have just revised the final one-third of the same course to include six lectures on 9-11-related issues." Hagerty says he plans to cover the bin Laden/al Qaeda network; the current situation in Afghanistan; the broader US response to terrorism; great-power relations, post-9-11; Middle East regional repercussions; and South Asia regional repercussions in the final third of the class.

Psychology and women's studies professor Anne Brodsky experienced the refugee camps and cities of Afghanistan firsthand this summer as part of her work with RAWA, the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan. RAWA is a 23-year-old organization of courageous women in Afghanistan and Pakistan resisting the oppression of the Taliban and similar fundamentalist groups at the risk of their own lives. RAWA members set up underground schools and health clinics to educate and give medical care to women in a society where women can no longer work, attend school or even go outside unaccompanied by a male relative.

Brodsky has worked with the group for 1 ½ years and brought a RAWA spokeswoman to campus recently to tell the story of life under the Taliban to the UMBC community. She has traveled with the group making media appearances across the country and her editorial entitled "The Taliban's Victims" appeared in The Washington Post in September.

"While I've been talking about RAWA in class since last year," says Brodsky. "It's quite a good example for The Psychology of Women and other classes I teach. I am certainly talking about the situation in Afghanistan, the world and for Afghan women more because it is at the forefront of my mind and activities these days."

Brodsky's Psychology of Women class was visited by RAWA. "It was a great example of the diversity of experiences of women across the world and the psychology of women across such extreme differences in condition and life circumstance," says Brodsky. She made connections to current events a major theme of a final paper assignment for her graduate Introduction to Community Psychology class where students were asked to imagine themselves as a Presidential Cabinet member who had to craft explanations and responses to the September 11 attacks.

Many other UMBC classes are reflecting the changing times. A forthcoming Winter Session political science class is timely in light of current events: The Political Dynamics and History of Terrorism in the United States: National Policy Responses and Evolving Challenges taught by John Munro.