Author: joel@joellevtov.com
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Computer Science Department Reckons With Sexist Culture
First published Dec. 9, 2022 in Stories Beneath the Shell. by Morgan Leason and Joel Lev-Tov More than three-quarters of the University of Maryland Computer Science Department’s undergraduate students are men. “It feels like everyone will think you’re dumb,” said Arwen Ferro, a female sophomore computer science major. “Men in the department act like women…
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The Nine is overselling luxuries
First published Oct. 15, 2022 in Stories Beneath the Shell. by Lucy Hubbard A new luxury apartment building for University of Maryland students claims to “redefine luxury living.” But according to some residents, the luxuries are exaggerated – at best. “They definitely tried to sell the apartment as much as they could,” junior marketing major…
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UMD restricts scooter parking, causing problems for some
First published May 13, 2022 in Stories Beneath the Shell. by Kirstin Nichols More than two months ago, the University of Maryland Department of Transportation Services said that Veo e-scooters and e-bikes may only be parked at designated e-scooter parking areas, bike racks, or covered bike parking areas. It enforces that through a new geofence…
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How a Labyrinth Helps Terps Destress
First published May 12, 2022 in Stories Beneath the Shell. by Fatema Hosseini Round and round, I walk through the labyrinth. At each turn of the labyrinth, my mind lets go of a stressful thought, and each turn of it brings in a comforting one. Feeling the wind ruffling through my hair on the University…
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UMD plans to include “X” as nonbinary gender mark option in IT system
First published Tuesday, May 10, 2022 in the Diamondback. One letter can make all the difference for nonbinary students. The University of Maryland has committed to implementing an “X” gender marker — indicating that a person is neither male nor female — by 2026 as part of a huge overhaul of its student information systems…
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David C. Driskell Center unapologetically embraces Black art
First published April 28, 2022 in Stories Beneath the Shell. by Kirstin Nichols Deep in the heart of the Cole Student Activities Building is a space dedicated to highlighting Black and African Diaspora art, the David C. Driskell Center. “What the Driskell Center does is allows an individual to walk in regardless of their background…
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Russian students struggle with identity amid war in Ukraine
First published March 21, 2022 in Stories Beneath the Shell. by Eve Sampson Julia Kallaur wears a necklace with her Russian name every day. For most of her life, the freshman criminology major struggled to reconcile her Russian identity with her American upbringing. When she found out Russia invaded Ukraine, she was distraught. “I’ve spent…
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Clarice performances highlight the future of livestream shows
First published Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021 in Stories Beneath the Shell. When the University of Maryland shut down its campus on March 12, 2020, because of COVID-19, everything changed for opera professor Craig Kier. From one day to the next, he had to teach his students online. And have them perform online. Kier could teach…
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One UMD orchestra only plays music from games
First published Monday, Dec. 20, 2021 in Stories Beneath the Shell. Gaming music isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks about an orchestra. But that’s exactly what the University of Maryland’s Gamer Symphony Orchestra plays. “There’s a million orchestras that play Beethoven and a lack of general awareness of the artistry…
