Towson University

Earlier this month, assistant coach Luke Murray was traveling with Towson University's basketball team, psyching himself up for a win, when he got a text message from his dad. "I think you guys should all go bowling," the text read. "I think all you guys as a team should just go bowling. " While not practical advice, it was true to the spirit of Luke's father, Bill. Yes, that Bill Murray, the almost surrealistically wry, one-of-a-kind comedian and actor. And it was not necessarily a bad or whimsical idea.

Severn has named Albert Oni as its new girls soccer coach, replacing longtime coach Adam Ritchie. Oni has coaching experience at many levels, and he was most recently the head coach of the Chesapeake Charge in the Women's Premier Soccer League and an assistant coach for the women's program at Towson University. Starting in 2002, Oni spent eight seasons as head coach at Mercy, earning The Baltimore Sun's  All-Metro Coach of the Year award in his final season in 2009 after leading the Magic to a 12-5-3 record and a trip to the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference championship game.

I have been following the testimonials in The Sun from longtime associates and friends of Towson University President Maravene Loeschke affirming her leadership and managerial skills ("Towson University has a first-class leader," April 24). I'm sure that she has performed many of these skills well. However, her actions on March 8 were not a demonstration of any of them. It's hard to imagine a more mismanaged day. Evidently, in an effort to limit the number of student-athletes she would actually have to look in the eye, she tried to pull the kids out of class with less than an hour's notice, spoke to less than half of each squad, delivered a message of a few minutes in length while escorted by campus police, took no questions, and departed the scene escorted by even more policemen.

Four players from No. 1 McDonogh's undefeated girls lacrosse team headline the South roster for the Under Armour All-America Lacrosse Classic July 6 at Towson University's Johnny Unitas Stadium. Sammie Burgess, Casey Black, Maggie Preas and Posey Valis helped the Eagles to their fifth straight Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference championship and likely the final No. 1 ranking in the Nike/US Lacrosse High School Girls' Lacrosse National Top 25. The Eagles have been ranked No. 1 all season and if they stay there, they would be ranked the top team in the country for the fourth straight season.

No, Towson University is not suggesting anyone try a new weight loss plan. The university's TowsonUNews Twitter account was hijacked late last week, leaving some 6,121 people wondering why Towson was suggesting via Twitter that they try this new weight-loss diet. Towson media specialist Gay Pinder sheepishly acknowledged Monday morning, that, yes, she clicked on one of those "people are saying nasty things about you, click here to find out what" links late last week. That's why the notices showed up on so many people's Twitter feeds.

In case no one has noticed it yet, two-thirds of Towson University's past and current student body is and remains white. The current and past regime's mantra of "inclusion" and "diversity" is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to disenfranchise the whites. This includes the recent Title 9 female over male baseball mess that the current TU president botched. TU is fine with all new ideas, just as long as they are theirs. During 1970-72 as an elected Student Government Association senator, I stood behind the effort to form a Black Student Union.

Towson University was scheduled to host the grand opening of its new College of Liberal Arts Building with a ceremony on Tuesday, Aug. 30. Officials said the $148 million structure is Towson University's first entirely new academic building in more than 30 years, and occupies the former site of the Lida Lee Tall building. The building is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) silver certified, a designation that denotes environmentally friendly aspects in construction and energy efficiency.

Towson University last week celebrated the opening of 734,000 square feet of housing, gathering and parking space in its West Village project. The latest facilities to open in the West Village include two additional residence halls, Douglass House and Barton House, as well as a commons building and a 1,500-parking-space garage. The combined cost of the new structures in the West Village is $106 million, and the three buildings are LEED Silver certified. A Sept. 7 ceremony included tours of West Village Commons and Douglass House, as well as the campus' Student Involvement Fair, showcasing student organizations on campus.

Twelve years ago, I moved to Towson from New Haven upon my marriage to a lovely woman, Baltimore born and bred. I happily settled into my wife's condo right in the center of town. The apartment on the 23rd floor faces south and west and has terrific views. On a clear night, I can see all the way to lit-up Camden Yards. I can watch an Orioles game on TV, and get up and look out at the lights of the stadium. Living in the center of Towson has great advantages. Everything you need is only a short walk away: the bank, the post office, the library, the dry cleaners, the copy shop, even Trader Joe's.

The Towson University Alumni Association Board of Directors supports President Maravene Loeschke and her commitment to advance our alma mater's focus on student success and academic excellence. Since Ms. Loeschke's arrival, Towson alumni have witnessed countless examples of her enthusiasm and devotion to Towson University. Her love for students is evident in everything she does. Dr. Loeschke's leadership - transparent, compassionate, inclusive and decisive - has served her well in making difficult, sometimes heart-wrenching decisions.

Amy Schumer can tell a story. Knowing how to craft a short narrative and make it pay off with a laugh has, after all, helped make her one of the hottest comedians on TV and the concert circuit these days. So, let the star of Comedy Central's “Inside Amy Schumer” explain how it came to be that she finished her work for a bachelor's degree in theater at Towson University in 2003 but didn't receive her diploma until 2007 - in the lobby of Baltimore's Lyric Opera House. “I say I graduated in 2003 from Towson, but that's not actually true,” the 31-year-old New-York-born performer says in a recent interview.

Jim and Karen Claypool of Abingdon announce the engagement of their daughter, Sarah Claypool, to Steve Thacker, the son of Sam and Janet Thacker from Aberdeen. Claypool graduated from Bel Air High School and received her undergraduate degree from Washington College. Thacker graduated from Aberdeen High School and received his undergraduate degree from Towson University. Both are continuing their education in North Carolina. Claypool is a doctorate student at the University of North Carolina and Thacker is working on his master's degree at the East Carolina University.

Downtown Towson is on the cusp of a building boom that will transform this suburban county seat into one of the most dynamic, cosmopolitan communities in Maryland. All the elements are in place for this transformation. Towson has two institutions of higher education, Towson University and Goucher College, that not only provide world-class learning but also a work force that stabilizes the commercial core. Residential developments like Towson Green will make sure the downtown area does not become a ghost town after sunset and on the weekends.

Your article on Coppin State University's new science building truly boggles the mind ("Science center may help Coppin close the gap," May 3). The state is spending $80 million for a building the university admits it does not have sufficient funds to operate or maintain. That is a staggering admission. May I suggest one of two other possibilities for that $80 million. For a four-year university with a six-year graduation rate of 15 percent - one of the lowest in the country - how about requiring higher academic standards?

If Towson University is so strapped for funds that President Maravene Loeschke needs to disband her baseball and soccer programs, how can she afford to spend so much on the deluge of TV advertisements that are on the air daily? No other college in the University System of Maryland does this. The Towson enrollment is growing considerably. Why these expenditures at this time? Wally Knapp, Ellicott City Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts

James and Faye Fisher of Bel Air announce the engagement of their daughter, Allyson Renee Fisher, to Michael Christopher Bouyea, son of Jane Bouyea Casey of Fairport, N.Y., and the late Robert Bouyea. The bride-to-be is a graduate of Bel Air High School and Towson University with a bachelor of science in psychology. The prospective groom is a graduate of Fairport High School in Fairport, N.Y. He holds degrees in information decision technology management from Rochester Institute of Technology and Iona College.

It's pretty safe to say that Towson University has been a PR disaster of late. From the ham-handed way it tried to cut its baseball and men's soccer teams to the knuckleheads talking about forming a White Student Union, the school's been in the news for all the wrong reasons. So let's talk about something positive today: Towson's new 5,200-seat arena is about ready to open. And it's a beauty. Before we go any further, I feel compelled to report that as of right now, it's being called Tiger Arena.

BWI Business Partnership's April signature breakfast will be held Wednesday, April 17 from 7:45 to 9:15 a.m. at the Hotel at Arundel Preserve, 7795 Arundel Mills Boulevard, in Hanover. Keynote speaker Maravene Loeschke, president of Towson University, will talk about new initiatives at Towson. Towson University is one of the largest public universities in Maryland, and has interdisciplinary partnerships with public and private institutions, which provide research, internship and jobs for students.

The Towson University Alumni Association Board of Directors supports President Maravene Loeschke and her commitment to advance our alma mater's focus on student success and academic excellence. Since Ms. Loeschke's arrival, Towson alumni have witnessed countless examples of her enthusiasm and devotion to Towson University. Her love for students is evident in everything she does. Dr. Loeschke's leadership - transparent, compassionate, inclusive and decisive - has served her well in making difficult, sometimes heart-wrenching decisions.