Volume CXIII No. 121 Monday, March 30, 2009 www.dailycampus.

com

Conference

FINAL-LY emphasizes
marijuana
law reform
By Perry Robbin
Campus Correspondent
UConn’s branch of Students for
Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) held a con-
ference on Saturday supporting Senate
Bill 349, which proposes decriminaliz-
ing minor possession of marijuana.
The conference, called “Decrim Makes
Cents,” went from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., fea-
tured a host of guest speakers. They
included Micah Daigle, SSDP’s field
director, and Eric Sterling, president of
the Criminal Justice Policy Foundation
and advisor to SSDP.
The event featured panels on decrimi-
nalization, group discussions and work-
shops on organizing groups.
Don Halas, an 8th-semester environ-
mental science and natural resource
major and president of UConn’s SSDP
chapter, was excited by the opportunities
the conference presented.
Halas said the conference was a chance
to engage students in dialogue about an
issue relevant to them.
A common theme echoed by SSDP
members was the money spent on the
war on drugs, versus the money could be
made from decriminalizing marijuana.
Lucien Stroie, 4th-semester finance
and actuarial science major, said that
the decriminalization bill would create a
$1.3 million surplus. This money would
come from the reduction in money spent
on the current process of dealing with
marijuana offenders, as well as the funds
generated by fines for possession.
SSDP members went to the capital last
week to support senate bill 349, where
DAN GINDRAUX/The Daily Campus they encountered what they described as
Kemba Walker, freshman point guard, splits two Missouri defenders prior to passing the ball to Gavin Edwards, who then immediately scored. Walker scored 23 points a disconnect with the legislature on the
to lead UConn to an 82-75 win over Missouri in the NCAA West Regional Final Saturday in Glendale, Ariz. idea of legalizing marijuana.
Amanda Stauble, 8th-semester politi-

Defeating Missouri 82-75, Huskies earn Final Four berth

By Kevin Duffy
Sports Editor
When UConn walked off the court
after Saturday’s game against Missouri,
the net on the Huskies’ side hung tightly
against the rim.
There was no ladder. There were no
scissors in sight. It was a bad sign, a sign
that despite everything the Huskies had
put into their 30-4 campaign, they had
come up just short of their goal of win-
ning the West region and cutting down
the nets.
But, as it turns out, that net clung to
the rim as a matter of choice, not of
force. After top-seeded UConn defeated
third-seeded Missouri, 82-75, in the West
Regional Final, the team made a collec-
tive decision to spare that net its life.
There is another net out there – about
745 miles from Storrs, to be exact – that
the Huskies have their eyes on.
“Hopefully we’ll have the chance to
cut it down somewhere else,” Price said.
Despite scoring 18 points for UConn,
Price was helped significantly by the play
of freshman Kemba Walker, who seemed
to be in heaven against Missouri’s “40
minutes of hell” full-court pressure. He
poured in a game-high 23 points on
7-for-9 shooting from the field and a
9-of-10 conversion rate from the free-
throw line.
“He dominated the game,” Price said.
“They really couldn’t press him; he was
breaking the press, dribbling through
two or three guys. He just played phe-
nomenal today.”
The Huskies jumped out to an early
13-2 lead, but were on their toes for
much of the game, and even trailed - for
the first time since falling behind 8-6
against Chattanooga in the first round -
at the 13:36 mark, 50-49.
But, as Missouri coach Mike Anderson
put it, “we just got stuck on 52.”
The Tigers fell behind again after
grabbing that brief lead, but never were
able to get over the hump against the
Huskies, who capitalized whenever they
needed down the stretch.
» PRICE, page 12
cal science major and member of SSDP,
said that of particular concern was their
interaction with state representative
Chris Coutu, one of the youngest state
reps.
She said that a discrepancy exists with
politicians who want to protect children
from drugs, but do not say what happens
when those children reach the age of
majority and are able to make their own
decisions.
Stroie compared the accessibility of
marijuana and alcohol in high schools,
saying that it is easier to procure mari-
juana because it is illegal.
Decriminalization and eventually
legalization would make it harder for
minors to procure marijuana because it
would be regulated by the state, accord-
ing to Stroie.
Don Halas reiterated the economic
standpoint that decriminalization and
» DECRIMINALIZING, page 3

Seventh blood drive most successful of the semester so far

By Lidia Ryan
Campus Correspondent
The Red Cross Club’s seventh
blood drive of the semester last
Wednesday was also its busiest.
The drive had the most appoint-
ments per hour of all the previ-
ous blood drives this semester,
according to UConn Blood Drive
Coordinator Anne McManus, a
6th-semester mechanical engineer-
ing major.
The success of the blood drive
signals spring is on its way. As the
weather warms up, more people
are able to give blood because cold
season is over. McManus said that
one of the reasons there were more
donors this time is because they
had to turn away many sick people
during previous blood drives.
Karli Deakin, an 8th-semester
management major, is a frequent
donor who was able to give blood
for the first time this semester on
Wednesday. Deakin had been sick saw in which someone would have Freshmen
during the previous blood drives. died without a blood transfusion. Sarah
Anthony Cavallaro, president of “It’s causes like that that make Lafferty
the UConn Red Cross Club, said me want to do it,” she said.
(left) and
the one-day blood drive brought in Deakin said she thinks the Red
122 appointments and 99 units of Cross Club does a good job of Colleen
blood, which exceeded the club’s organizing the blood drives, but Thornberg
original goal of 80 units. they should publicize them better. proudly
Those 99 units “could poten- She said that more people might display
tially save 297 lives,” he said. give blood if they heard more their
Cavallaro attributed the drive’s about the drives. bandaged
success to the volunteers from “A lot of people who can give arms post-
the Army ROTC program, who blood don’t,” Deakin said. donation
worked efficiently to prevent any The club currently advertises by at the Red
backups, and the donors, who tabling outside dining halls, but Cross blood
came prepared. Because of their McManus said the club is work-
drive on
preparation, Cavallaro said, the ing on better advertising for future
club barely turned anyone away. drives. campus.
Deakin said she participates in “We are looking to hang up more
many of the blood drives because posters and flyers so there will be
she has a common blood type, but more awareness of the drives on
she is also inspired by stories of campus,” McManus said. CAROLYN
people whose lives were saved by The next blood drive will be
WILKE/
blood donations. held in late April.
She cited an episode of “Extreme The Daily
Home Makeover” she recently Lidia.Ryan@UConn.edu Campus

»INSIDE MONDAY’S DAILY CAMPUS:

» FOCUS » SPORTS » INDEX

Sleep Well wins 77-53 win over Weather 2
Battle of the Bands California advances Commentary 4
at Student Union women’s basketball to Comics 5
Ballroom. Elite Eight. Focus 7
see page 7 see page 14 Sports 14