In his latest Baltimore Sun opinion column, UMBC political science professor Thomas F. Schaller focuses on the US tax policy debate. “We talk a lot about spending cuts but rarely, if ever, about revenue increases. Why the asymmetry?” Schaller asks. Read “The Gospel of Tax Cuts” to find out.

The Maryland Humanities Council (MHC) has elected seven new members to its Board of Directors, including Stephen J. Sfekas, a Baltimore City Circuit Court judge who previously taught health care law and administrative law at UMBC. According to Baltimore Citybizlist, Sfekas has served on the boards of The ARC Baltimore, the Maryland Disabilities Law Center, the Society for Values in Higher Education, and the President’s Advisory Council for UMBC. MHC board members are involved in strategic planning, fundraising and fiscal management for the group.

UPDATE (11/14/11): The segment is now available to view online here. A transcript is available here.

UPDATE (11/05/11): The airing of the “60 Minutes” piece on UMBC has been postponed. It is now tentatively scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m.

After many months of filming on campus, “60 Minutes” plans to feature UMBC on its program this Sunday. What’s the bad news? It’s all too familiar: the United States continues to graduate too few students, particularly minorities, in science, technology, engineering, and math. The good news: “60 Minutes” focuses on UMBC as a place that gets it right.

We appreciate the recognition – but, more importantly, the opportunity to raise the visibility of this critical issue. We hope that you will tune in Sunday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. and encourage others to do so as well. (Of course, we have to give you the disclaimer that “news happens,” and the lineup could change.)

As you watch, you will see a well-executed production, not the months of taping, research, and editing. You certainly won’t see the messy outtakes. Transformation in higher education happens in much the same way. It’s a process, not a product. What started in 1988 with an idea for a select program for African-American males in science, math, and engineering – the Meyerhoff Scholars Program – has blossomed into a broad culture of student achievement at UMBC.

Lessons from the Meyerhoff program, for example, inspired scholars programs for undergraduates in the arts, humanities, public affairs, and teacher education. More recently, the Meyerhoff experience with group study informed course redesigns for first-year courses in science, engineering, and psychology. And, in turn, lessons from that initiative now have UMBC working to infuse active learning throughout its curriculum.

But these few examples aren’t the story. What we have worked toward over the past 25 years at UMBC is a culture that goes beyond “project mode” when it comes to improving undergraduate education.  More than a particular program, department, or initiative – we are an entire community that works relentlessly to improve the educational experience we provide.

Our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and partners have worked tirelessly, and often behind the scenes, to breathe life into that work. UMBC’s successes are your successes. Thank you for your continued support, and enjoy the spotlight!

On Thursday, November 10, Michael Fallon, senior lecturer of English, will read from his two new books of poetry:

“Since You have No Body,” winner of the 2011 Plan B Press Poetry Chapbook Competition

“Overall, Since You Have No Body is about making peace with the organic, as well as the ontological world, with death, with the shadow, and hence with the void…” -Contest Judge, poet Corey Mesler

and

“The Great Before and After”

In The Great Before and After, George C. Tumulty, a comic everyman, contemplates the origins and fate of himself, humanity, and the universe, raising the big questions.

Books will be available for purchase, and light refreshments will be served. The even twill take place at 4:00 p.m. in UC 310.  For more information, visit here.

It’s just after Halloween and after all that candy you just want to start eating healthy, right? Well, only if the price is right. And when the price is free, maybe diet isn’t so important! Check out these events where you don’t have to pay a dime to enjoy a meal, or maybe just a sweet snack.

How to Decorate a Cake  - TODAY at 7pm in the Student Org Space. Come learn how to frost a cake, then enjoy the fruits of your labor as you learn how to eat a cake! No experience is necessary. Bring your sweet tooth!

Football and Wings- Ravens vs Steelers - Sunday, November 6^th at 8:30pm in the Sports Zone. This is one of the biggest games of the season for the Ravens! And with their win in week 1, they will need all the support they can get to beat the Steelers again! Enjoy free chicken wings as you watch this Sunday Night Prime Time game.

Shriver Center Lunch & Learn Series - Monday, November 7^th at 12pm in the Commons 331. Grab some free lunch and chat with panelists Martin Ford, Rhonda Ray, April Matthews, and Joyce L. Wright. More information can be found on the myUMBC event page.

Good Morning Commuters Breakfast – Tuesday, November 8^th at 8:30am in the Commons. Not everything can be free. Use your Gold card to get breakfast all semester for just $5! Or you can pay $2 to enjoy this one alone. These breakfasts are served every Tuesday morning.

Wake Up and Smell the Coffee – Wednesday, November 9^th at 8am in the Commons. Stop by for some free coffee anytime between 8 and 10am. Additional breakfast treats will be available! Skip the line at Starbucks or Au Bon Pain and get your cup of Joe for free.

Disney Breakfast and Bingo - Wednesday, November 9^th at 8pm in the Gameroom. You read that right, it’s 8 o’clock in the evening. If you missed out on the last two breakfast opportunities, or you just don’t get up that early, then check out this event to score some free breakfast at an hour you can handle!

Be sure to follow the UMBCEats Twitter to get live updates on where free or cheap food is available on campus!

Timothy Nohe, associate professor of Visual Arts, will exhibit his work Candles for Faust at the in/flux gallery, 307 West Baltimore Street, from November 5 through 19.

Nohe remarks, “Candles for Faust portrays candles, burning at both ends, that eventually extinguish themselves and fall from sight. Stereo recordings were produced of the drumming sound of dripping wax falling on printmaking paper. I imagined the candles as ‘musical instruments’ producing unique and chaotic drum patterns. As the candles attempted to reach equilibrium, teetering back and forth, they tattooed a pattern of wax scatter on the paper below. The resulting wax splashed detritus exists on the surface of the prints as a record of time and residue of the beating wax drummer, long extinguished.” A condensed video is available for viewing on Professor Nohe’s tumblr site.