By Jennifer Baxter

Students share their opinions on declaring UMD a sanctuary campus and a new implementation of dining dollars. Read about it in this week’s newsletter!

YDSA holds second rally of school year, demands sanctuary campus 

By Stella Henretta  

Students who are a part of the University of Maryland’s Young Democratic Socialists of America assembled Tuesday to demand that the UMD administration and President Darryll J. Pines declare the university a sanctuary campus for all immigrant students and staff. 

Organizing this rally was a step in the right direction for YDSA’s sanctuary campus campaign in the midst of U.S. Immigration and Custom’s enforcements assaults around the country, according to Nick Cosgrove, co-chair of YDSA and a sophomore American studies and communication double major.

“We organized the rally to have a public showing of support for our sanctuary campus campaign, demonstrating that the university can’t ignore us,” Cosgrove said. “We also want to show immigrant and undocumented members of the UMD community that there are people willing to fight for them even when the national landscape often appears so bleak.”  

YDSA, a national organization of recognized campus activists, held a previous rally to bring awareness to UMD’s failure to fully address campus immigration concerns on Oct. 14, 2025.

The director of the Adele H. Stamp Student Union, Marsha Guenzler-Stevens, responded to the group’s petition to name the university a sanctuary campus with an email that was in consultation with the university president’s office and the office of the Vice President of Administration, stating that UMD would remain committed to fostering a safe and supportive environment. 

This response disappointed Cole Christesen, a freshman government and politics major and master of ceremonies at the recent YDSA rally.

“[They were] unwilling to really say the words, ‘Here’s what we’re going to do to protect UMD’s community,’ and just obfuscated the point,” Christensen said. “I think everyone in YDSA is really disappointed in how much [UMD] … does not actually listen to any of our demands, but still appears to the media like they are this left-wing institution fighting back against us,” Christesen said.

Students all over campus participated in the rally for a multitude of reasons, whether personal, or just to show support for those who have lost their lives at the hands of ICE. Christesen said a primary point of the rally was to speak out. 

Freshman public policy major Zully Villeda who attended the rally, expressed her disapproval of ICE. Villeda thinks the federal agency does not succeed in protecting the nation and is rooted in racism and discrimination. 

“We have a very outdated system and the government needs to work on that,” Villeda said. “ICE isn’t really doing its job of protecting people; there are U.S. citizens dying, and it’s just very sad and depressing what is happening right now.”

The YDSA rally showed UMD  that many students and community members will fight for what is right, said Cosgrove. He adds that events like these serve as places for passionate students to meet one another and form connections, helping them feel less isolated and more powerful.

“We will continue pursuing escalating actions until the university implements our desired sanctuary campus policies,” Cosgrove said.

Xfinity Center, SECU Stadium now accept dining dollars for concessions

By Paige Trendell

Students at the University of Maryland can now use dining dollars to purchase non-alcoholic items at the Xfinity Center and SECU Stadium concession stands. This initative is to better fan experience, according to Joe LaBue, deputy athletic director and chief revenue officer at  UMD Athletics. 

Dining dollars are a form of prepaid currency used to purchase food and goods at convenience restaurants and shops on campus.  

“We’re fairly certain that really any athletics location where concessions are served, they’ll be able to use their dining dollars, but right now, the focus is on Xfinity Center and SECU Stadium,” said LaBue.

The planning process began in the fall semester after a Maryland Athletics assessment that focused on game attendance found that concession costs influenced student participation, according to LaBue. 

Freshman letters and sciences major Ben Barish, who likes to attend lacrosse games, shared his experience prior to the new addition of dining dollars. 

“I’ve left games early to go to the food hall because I don’t want to pay for how expensive the food is,” he said. 

Barish said that he is more likely to stay at lacrosse games now that he can purchase concessions with dining dollars. 

LaBue said being able to use dining dollars on concessions is “another reason to come to the game and … stay and cheer on the Terps.”

“Student engagement matters,” he said, adding, “We realize that we’ve got to create an environment where students want to come, and there shouldn’t be deterrents for them to stay.” 

Featured Image: Rally-goers carry signs protesting ICE and demanding that UMD President Darryll J. Pines declare the university a sanctuary campus. Photo by Stella Henretta.