Tigers eye opportunity that 2020 spring term presents

Towson University began the spring term on Monday.

By Kyle Hobstetter and Sean Welsh on January 27, 2020

The Tiger Statue outside Cook Libary on the first day of classes

After winter break left campus feeling a bit empty, Towson University saw the return of  students Monday for the first day of spring term classes.

One of those students was senior Simone Richardson. The family science[BROKEN LINK] major, set to graduate this May, walked onto campus Monday for her last first day of class. 

"Wow this is it," she thought as she arrived in her morning class. She admits that the past four years have gone "insanely fast," and she's ready to make the most of the last term. 

"I'm just looking forward to taking advantage of everything we have here on campus," Richardson says. "Usually I'm a homebody that likes to stay in, so I'm trying to make the most out of my last semester here. I don't want to leave and have those feelings of, 'I should have done that.'" 

Monday welcomed students back with gray skies, but temperate weather.

While we're still in the midst of a Maryland winter, campus stands ready should the wintry weather hit — with 60 tons of bulk solar salt in covered storage to treat roadways and parking lots, and large containers of an environmentally friendly, granular magnesium blend that is applied in a blue hue to campus sidewalks.

Traffic largely flowed smoothly Monday. TU commuter parking spots turn over on average two to three times a day. TU provided more than 230,000 shuttle rides in the fall semester.

Over the semester, TU projects that there will be more 35,000 coffee drinks made at the Cook Library Starbucks, more than 85,000 customers will visit Au Bon Pain and will buy over 163,000 items. There will also be about 39,000 orange chicken entrees served at the campus Panda Express. 

In the fall, TU made a historic leap from regionally recognized institution to one of the top 100 nationally ranked public universities in the United States. New leaders — a vice president of student affairs, an executive director of entrepreneurship and an inaugural leader-in-residence — join the university before mid-February.

The campus continues to transform physically, as well. Dining changes and a new quad are among the changes on tap this spring, while the Science Complex will be opening later in the year. The U-Store and its 23,367 tee shirts will be on the move to its new home on the first floor of the University Union—which remains under renovation with an expansion set to open in 2021. 

"In 2020, changes big and small will bring TU’s momentum into view in nearly every corner of campus," President Schatzel said in a message to campus Monday. "All of this reinforces the undeniable fact that Towson University is on the rise."

And while there are plenty of events to do on campus, the Student Government Association is hoping to make the spring academic term more about reaching out to the community. 

Last academic term, Towson University students completed thousands of hours of community service. SGA President Naimah Kargbo is hoping students and their organization can build on that momentum this spring. 

"We want to focus a lot on our community outreach," Kargbo says. "We want to expand beyond Towson, and see what we can do for communities all over Maryland. There is going to be a focus on our usual programs — Tiger Pride Day, It's On Us, Disability Visability Week, etc. So while we have a lot of big plans for campus, we have big plans for the community, also."