Safe spaces are a hot topic and are often cited by right-wing sources as a threat to free and healthy discourse. A 2017 article in “The Odyssey” entitled “Why Safe Spaces Are Bad For America” condemns safe spaces as “a shelter against opposing viewpoints” that “have begun to harm the political discourse between college students.”

An article published the same year in “The Huffington Post” titled “Safe Spaces On College Campuses Are Creating Intolerant Students” gives an equally uncharitable perspective on safe spaces, describing such spaces as places “where [students] can get together without being exposed to ideas and speech that make them feel uncomfortable.”

However, both of these descriptions fail to account for the purpose, form and function of such spaces. Instead, they immediately and wrongly associate safe spaces with attempts to “censor” or “self-segregate.” The idea behind safe spaces is supposedly that students are overly sensitive and need protection from controversy or opinions other than their own.

This is far from the case.

The fact of the matter is that advanced discussions cannot be had without some agreed upon basic assumptions. Just as a debate on palaeontological classifications should not be stopped to allow for a discussion of whether or not Darwinian evolution is a sound scientific model, a sociology class discussing LGBTQ relationship structures should not have to be halted to discuss whether or not LGBTQ identities are “real” or “healthy.” In both cases, the higher-level discussion would be stifled and the class would suffer as a result.

In the same sense, individuals with marginalized identities should not have to defend their identities while researching, discussing or studying, regardless of the subject. Even aside from the emotional strain that puts on the individual, it is a hindrance to the work done in a university setting.

This explains the necessity of a “safe space.” Its purpose is not to hide opposing viewpoints, but to allow a higher level of discussion than would be possible otherwise.

To this end, it is understandable why a university would set certain boundaries. For example, a choice to disallow speakers who oppose women operating in professional roles makes sense beyond a simple emotional distaste. It is simply unreasonable for a woman studying for a professional degree to have to simultaneously defend her identity from an attack sanctioned by the university.

Ultimately, this relates back to UMBC, in particular with regards to the recent “listening session.” The session was disparaged by a small but vocal minority for stifling open dialogue by virtue of being a safe space.

However, this is an example of how certain important discussions cannot occur if the baseline of those discussions are also being argued. An open debate as to whether there was an issue with sexual violence at UMBC at all would not allow a discussion that could aim to address these problems on campus or provide much-needed healing resources to survivors.

The ideas that safe spaces limit discourse are not new to marginalized people. In most cases, they must confront those ideas and push back against them nearly every day. Safe spaces simply grant these individuals room to develop perspectives without being pulled back down into fighting against the same ideas. Safe spaces provide a more useful, healthy — and yes, emotionally supportive — environment than they may be given elsewhere.

From the outside, Commonvision looks like a well-oiled machine that constantly produces high-quality graphics, prints and animations for a number of UMBC organizations. But what few see are the student workers — graphic designers, animators, office assistants and production assistants — who work behind the scenes to make those projects come to life.

A day in the life of a graphic designer at Commonvision consists of meeting with clients, helping out at the front desk and working on jobs, according to senior graphic design major Megan Clelan. Clelan was hired last summer after spending the previous year building up her portfolio.

Although she has only been working at Commonvision for a few months, Clelan has already worked on a number of interesting projects; she cited a poster for a recent Ice Cream Flavor Reveal event as having been particularly fun to design. “It was kind of cool to be able to come up with the design for that,” Clelan explains, “to keep it still UMBC-based, but still fun.”

Animators’ jobs are similar: they, too, spend most of their time working on jobs for clients, many of which are advertisements that are subsequently shown on the iNet boards located throughout Commons and in other locations on campus.

Designers, however, are not the only student workers at Commonvision. Commonvision also hires office assistants, who process job tickets and help with small-scale printing jobs, and production assistants, who produce and install larger jobs. One office assistant, senior media and communications studies major Morgan Mullings, has been working with Commonvision since the end of her freshman year. According to Mullings, office assistants “wear a lot of hats. We’re mainly just the ones who make sure the office is still running.”

Production assistants work in the Commonvision production room, where they are primarily responsible for producing large printing projects, including posters and banners. They are trained to use specialized printers (differentiated by nicknames such as “Thor” and “Big Papa”).

The production room also features some exciting new technology, including white ink, which allows colors printed on a clear surface to pop, and die-cutting, a process by which a machine can cut out various shapes in large quantities. There is also a 3D printer located in the main Commonvision office, which can print everything from keychains to engineering prototypes.

Training in the use of these technologies, however, is not the only thing employees have to gain from their time at Commonvision. Katie Chrzanowski, the Commonvision Multimedia Coordinator, notes that employees also gain invaluable customer service skills. “Most people […] don’t realize they’re going to be writing a lot of emails to clients,” Chrzanowski says.

Emma Hagen, the coordinator of Commonvision and herself a former Commonvision office assistant, emphasizes that working at Commonvision for several years can be a huge benefit when looking for jobs after graduating. “There are opportunities for students to have internships in the field and off-campus,” Hagen says, “but having them [at Commonvision] for multiple years really tends to set them ahead when they’re applying for jobs because you can say, ‘I have two or three or four years of client experience.”

Those skills have certainly aided former Commonvision employees. According to Hagen, most Commonvision graduates “are immediately getting jobs in the field, and they’re getting some impressive ones, too,” including positions at Baltimore Magazine, Image Factory and Stanley Black & Decker. Two Commonvision graduates even decided to go into print full-time and are currently working at Indigo Ink. “It’s really awesome to have students come here and then realize, ‘I really love doing this, and I can do this as a job,’” says Hagen with a laugh. “It’s not just something that exists in Commonvision-world.”

Commonvision is currently hiring office assistants and production assistants. For more information, see job listings 9301687 and 9301688 on UMBCworks.

“Oh. You’re an English major? So do you want to be a teacher then?” I have grown so accustomed to hearing these words on this campus that now I can manage to suppress my eye roll completely, or at least until the conversation has ended.

There is nothing wrong with being a teacher. In fact, the world could use many more dedicated and passionate teachers. The exasperation that this question fills me with comes from the fact that the people who ask it seem to believe that there is only one profession for English majors.

English is not the only major for which many people see limited possibilities after graduation. Students majoring in the humanities are often faced with the question of what the future holds for them, which is fine, except when the question is accompanied by a dubious look.

Even so, I have come to accept the regard people have for certain educational paths. At UMBC, this lower regard for non-STEM majors makes many people a potential target for scrutiny. As a double major, sometimes I tell people I am an English and psychology major, but other times I say one or the other. Much to my surprise, psychology has also received some pushback from others, sometimes more than English.

“Oh. You know you’re going to have to go to grad school, right?” people say with a furrowed brow. This often comes before they regale me with their career aspirations. Did I know that they can start working right out of college, or in some cases before they even graduate?

I did know that, and I, too, could begin working right out of college using skills and knowledge directly related to my major, as could many non-STEM majors. Even if some career paths traditionally require more schooling, there should not be a stigma attached to delving further into higher education.

Sometimes it can be easy to buy into the idea that the work of non-STEM majors is not as important or valuable as that of STEM majors, but that is a lie. The range of career paths in humanities majors, social science majors and arts majors is so much wider than people know because these majors teach vital skills even when students do not go on to work directly in the fields that these majors initially bring to mind.

One of the most important things these majors can impart is patience. I have learned that being a non-STEM major at UMBC is a masterclass in patience. It means patience in explaining to people your plans for the future. It means patience in searching for opportunities to get relevant work experience, because the options that are most advertised are not necessarily targeted to your interests. It means patience in waiting for people to appreciate that your work is important.

Everyone at UMBC has the chance to make a difference and the potential to change the world, and it is important that we start acting like it. We should celebrate everyone’s work and take an interest in it when we can. Instead of inquiries from preconceived notions that lead to condescension, we can all keep an open mind and value each other’s strides to become more knowledgeable people.

The Education Program Manager functions as a critical member of the Education Department. This position is a multi-facted position wearing several key hats: Administrator, Manager, and Teaching Artist. They are responsible for managing and maintaining a wide variety of tasks related to Everyman Theatre's existing education programs.

Welcome Week and orientation make it easier for incoming students to connect with the diverse UMBC community prior to the start of classes, but about a month into their first semester some students are still discovering new possibilities on UMBC’s campus. Here is some of the information both new and returning students would like to share about UMBC.

Freshman biochemistry major Frank Furtado went to the First Year Experience and was surprised by the differences between college life and high school. When discussing the First Year Experience, Furtado said, “It talks about the different resources and tips to manage your first year at college. They talked about things like the office hours, SI PASS and peer mentors in the dorms. I would not have known about that.”

SI PASS, or Supplemental Instruction Peer Assisted Study Sessions, and student aid review sessions are held for various classes, and review topics commonly found on the course exams. A schedule for SI PASS is on the UMBC website, but some student review sessions have notifications sent to students through the UMBC email system. Both SI PASS and student aid review sessions are hosted by peer mentors who were selected because of their performance when previously taking the class.

Although junior biochemistry major Jeremiah Oghafua is a new transfer student here at UMBC, he also had some advice for new students entering college life. “As you’re getting deeper into your classes get to know your teachers a bit more personally,” Oghafua said. “If you can learn more about the people you’re going to class with get to know them, make study groups and stuff like that.”

Teachers hold office hours for students who want additional help, however they also allow students to get to know their teacher outside of class. It is not mandatory for students to attend office hours, but teachers usually encourage attendance.  A teacher’s regular office hours can be found on their course syllabus, but many instructors will meet outside of their hours if asked in advance.

Freshmen biology major Ami Vodi both mentioned that she wished she knew more about the difference between Retriever dollars and Flex Dollars prior to their arrival. Vodi said, “I went to the Yum Shoppe, and I asked the guy in line if you could use flex and he was like I don’t see why not. So, I go to the front and the lady’s like we only accept Retriever dollars. It’s like, what are those.”

Both Retriever dollars and Flex dollars are currency that can be added to students’ red card. While Flex can only be spent on food and is part of a student’s meal plan, Retriever dollars can be used for most services on campus, and are replenishable. To check their balance of Retriever dollars and Flex dollars, students can go to MyUMBC and click on the Campus card button in billing and finances tab.

Sophomore computer science major Paul Dalton returned to UMBC this semester with a new understanding of the importance of community engagement. “As a commuter, my first semester here I didn’t know about Involvement Fest, so I really didn’t have any friends my first semester here,” Dalton explained. “College is what you make of it, and if you’re only here to study … you really won’t make many friends.”

There are over 200 organizations for students to join at UMBC. As a result, Involvement Fest is usually held for students at the start of the school year as a way to explore the different groups on campus such as UMBC Gaming, SEB and the S.T.A.R. Program. Students who missed Involvement Fest need not fear; there is also a group directory page on MyUMBC for those looking for a specific organization. 

Freshman computer science and math double major Michael Romeo commented that he was happily surprised to learn about the school’s dietitian Nicole Arcilla in their 100Y English class. “I didn’t know we had a nutritionist or a dietitian. I didn’t know we had that on campus … I can go to the nutritionist and talk to her about the problem I’m having,” says Romeo.

It is free to meet with Arcilla, but students wishing to contact her have to schedule an appointment between the hours of 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. during Monday through Thursday or 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Friday. Other health services on campus include the UMBC Health Services Building, the Students with Disabilities Office and the Counseling Center. 

From learning resources, clubs and more, there are many opportunities that new and returning students can explore around the school. As Furtado put it, “Everyone is really outgoing and willing to get you involved, and you have to make sure to take that step out.”