Maryland Natural Resources Police are investigating an incident where Republican Del. Donald H. Dwyer Jr. reportedly drunkenly piloted a speedboat that collided with another vessel and sent six people to the hospital last week. The fallout? “It is possible that this is the end of his political career,” Donald F. Norris, professor and chairman of UMBC’s Department of Public Policy, told the Baltimore Sun.

Norris said, of Dwyer, “He comes from a very conservative constituency” that is not likely to overlook the incident. It could take weeks before authorities conclude the investigation. In addition to facing misdemeanor or felony charges, Dwyer could also face a civil suit from those who were injured.

Emerald Christopher has been selected as one of WREI’s 2013 Congressional Fellows on Women and Public Policy. “The Women’s Research & Education Institute (WREI) is an independent, public policy research and information center whose mission is to inform and help shape the public policy debate on issues affecting women and their roles in the family, the workplace, the classroom, the military, and the public arena.

The WREI Congressional Fellowship on Women and Public Policy is designed to train potential leaders in public policy formation to examine issues from the perspective, experiences, and needs of women. Administered by WREI, a nonprofit, nonpartisan, organization located in Washington, DC, this program is unique – the only fellowship program on Capitol Hill directly by, for, and about women.

Congratulations Emerald!

A WREI fellow works in a Congressional office as a legislative aide on policy issues affecting women. Fellows meet weekly for issue seminars directed by the WREI staff. Fellows are selected on the basis of academic competence as well as demonstrated interest in the public policy process. They must be articulate and adaptable and have strong writing skills” (WREI Fellows Brochure, 2013, web).

As the new semester brings fresh energy to campus, UMBC is launching BreakingGround: a campus-wide initiative to deepen and share our innovative approach to democratic engagement.

In a time of widespread skepticism about the capacity of our democracy to respond to society’s needs, UMBC’s work is demonstrating the power of individuals and collaborative groups as agents of meaningful change and renewal. This work is deeply embedded in a campus culture that builds community from diversity and celebrates ingenuity and resourcefulness.

BreakingGround features courses developed to promote civic agency; incentives to link community service projects with opportunities for deep learning and engagement; opportunities for students, faculty, staff, alumni and community partners to collaborate on campus and community change projects; and a blog for sharing stories and launching community discussions.

Visit the BreakingGround website to learn how you can get involved and follow/share the initiative on Twitter through #digUMBC.

This is my 10th political convention…and they seem to get crazier each time.

The odd cheer-leading infomercial that you see on your TV sets at home is even more surreal when you witness it up close and in person.

Behind the images of adoring delegates waving red, white and blue placards, is a peculiar supporting cast.

There are 14,000 journalists chasing the same story being hemmed in by thousands more police and security personnel.

Dissension is drowned out in the name of ceremonial harmony.

The boisterous energy of the partying partisans inside the convention arena is a stark contrast to the vast empty security perimeter that extends for blocks like a DMZ around the event site.

Tuesday was the (hurricane delayed) opening day of the Republican convention and the eager delegates were anxious to get the Mitt Romney show on the road. Unfortunately many of the day’s speakers were uninspired and listless.

Notable exceptions were red meat partisans Ohio Governor John Kasich and the keynote speaker, New Jersey’s oversized Governor Chris Christie. They roused the delegates in the room with their sharp barbed anti-Obama rhetoric. I am less certain their aggressive tone was similarly as effective at winning over the moderate voters watching on TV.

The Republicans also scored a coup by securing former Democratic Representative from Alabama, Artur Davis to speak. The African -American gave a stinging rebuke of Obama’s 2008 campaign of hope to a very receptive crowd.

But the star of the evening was, no doubt Mitt Romney’s wife Ann, who looked every bit of the model Republican. She was striking in her physical appearance,-clear eyed and ready smile- and effective in her message. She gave a friendly, firm endorsement of the man she married. While virtually all of today’s speakers seemed to be reading out of the same partisan playbook, Ann Romney came across as sincere and individual. She no doubt is and will be a political asset to the Romney campaign.

Check back in tomorrow for other news from the craziness in Tampa.

• President Obama named UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski as Chair of the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans. And U.S. News named Dr. Hrabowski to the STEM Leadership Hall of Fame.

• The University System of Maryland adopted a system-wide on-campus smoking ban, effective June 30, 2013.

• Dr. William Lacourse was appointed Dean of UMBC's College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences.

• Dr. Rebecca Boehling, Director of UMBC's Dresher Center for the Humanities, was appointed Director of the International Tracing Service, an international organization dedicated to "serving the victims of Nazi persecution and their families by documenting the fate of the victims and keeping their memory alive."

• Dr. Hrabowski created a new fund to support innovative teaching at UMBC.

• UMBC Events Coordinator Shannon Booker, of #shannonbookerdoesstuff fame, left for Nova Southeastern University in Florida. Jackie Aliotta will now be working with student organizations as they plan their amazing events.

• The Student Events Board launched a new web site.

• Many people at UMBC had a hand in envisioning and preparing for BreakingGround, an initiative that launched today.

• And way back before it was super-trendy (during final exam week, actually), staff members in the Division of Student Affairs said, "I threw a wish in a well, don't ask me I'll never tell, I looked to you as it fell, and now you're in my way."

The Baltimore Sun reports that the state of Maryland has secured $123 million of federal funding to launch its health insurance exchange, the Maryland Health Connection, where hundreds of thousands of uninsured Marylanders will buy coverage. The Hilltop Institute at UMBC suggests this could cut the number of uninsured Maryland residents by half.

The Sun cites a Hilltop report in noting that “up to 150,000 individuals are expected to sign up for insurance through the Maryland exchange in the first year, and up to 275,000 by 2020.” The article continues, “[the Hilltop] review also found that approximately 101,000 will enroll in Medicaid in the first year and up to 187,275 will receive such coverage by 2020.”

An aggressive campaign to educate uninsured residents about the Maryland Health Connection will launch in January 2013.