Come out TOMORROW, Friday November 7, 2014 at 12 noon in SOND 103 to learn more about How To Get Started in Research!

Follow the link to read about the opportunities and benefits available to you, and also to see what others in your field have done!

Photo c/o The Huffington Post

“I think I was sexually assaulted last night”

“Well, did you test your drink?”

“Did you say ‘stop’? Or encourage him?”

“I just don’t think that’s serious enough to be called “assault”…”

When it comes to sexual assault and rape Americans have a lot we need to talk about it.   Ever since California signed the nation’s first “Yes Means Yes” law our dialogue has changed in political, feminist, and social justice circles…but the real question is whether it has changed conversations inside and outside of the bedroom.

Last week, MIT released results for a survey. We think MIT is pretty science-y, so despite a few weak points in the study, it’s worth a look.

The study? Attitudes on Sexual Assault. What’s so scary about the statistics? Well, first things first:

One: 17% of female undergraduates reported an experience that fits the survey’s definition of sexual assault 

Two: 72% said they didn’t think it (the sexual assault) was “serious enough to officially report”

and three: 44% said they “felt they were at least partly at fault or it wasn’t totally the other person’s fault.”

Not serious enough? Clearly, when it comes to defining sexual assault we have a long way to go.  And students aren’t the only ones who need a better handle on sexual assault…but so do universities. 

On Election Night, Marylanders were treated to quite a shock.

In a state where Democrats have long dominated politics, Republican businessman Larry Hogan exceeded all expectations by defeating Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown for the Maryland governorship.

Almost every poll leading up to the election gave Brown a substantial lead, but Hogan bested Brown on Election Day with a commanding 9-point victory, becoming only the second Republican to be elected governor since 1966.

The national political environment in Tuesday’s election was extremely unfriendly to Democrats, and it turns out that most polls nationwide overestimated the standing of Democratic candidates.

But Governor Martin O’Malley trounced his opponent Bob Ehrlich under similar circumstances in 2010. And other Democrats running statewide in Maryland, Brian Frosh for Attorney General and Peter Franchot for Comptroller, cruised to easy victories.

Instead, this upset was likely the result of an extremely poor campaign from the Brown team. Brown failed to articulate a positive vision for the state, opting instead to hammer Hogan with negative ads that rang hollow to voters.

Hogan, by contrast, zeroed in on voters’ anxieties surrounding taxes and the economy, while managing to avoid offending the state’s left-leaning voters.

Republicans capitalized on the 2014 wave to win several seats in Maryland’s legislature, but Democrats still hold strong majorities in both the House of Delegates and the State Senate. Hogan has pledged to work with Democrats in the legislature to improve the state’s financial standing and business climate. How Hogan will govern in the context of divided government remains to be seen.

Did you vote in the Maryland gubernatorial contest? Does Hogan’s election signal a change in direction for deep-blue Maryland? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

October was #NationalBullyingPreventionMonth. As the month wrapped up, it seemed the U.N. General Assembly wanted to send a message.

In a vote of 188 to 2, the U.N. voted against the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba for the 22nd year in a row. 

Only the U.S. and Israel said nay this year. The over 50 year embargo will likely continue since the U.N.’s vote is only symbolic.

Critics say hey, this has got to end. The U.S. trades with plenty of suspicious players, and the small island hasn’t been a real threat since the Cuban Missile Crisis. The total cost to the island has been estimated to be $1.126 trillion.

Supporters of the embargo say Castro and his brother are bullies themselves. Cuba does have a considerable number of political prisoners, those who have spoken out against the revolution. The government also controls the media and prohibits access to the Internet.

Then again, we trade with China and many others who don’t have the best record with political freedom. 

The rest of the world clearly seems to think our stance is a bit silly.

Are we being a stubborn bully or a steadfast defender of our values? Tell us what you think!