Police to increase patrols of library

Posted on November 30, 2009 by Paul Koenig in News

Before he was homeless, Tom was a Psychology major at USM.

“I remember being in English class. I was so nervous, I ran out of there and never came back,” Tom said of his days at USM in the 1980′s. Last Tuesday, Tom sat on a bench in the hallway outside of the Glickman Library on the Portland Campus, nervously thumbing through a copy of the New Testament, reciting phrases from memory, and debating whether or not he should start drinking again.

Faculty union and System office clash on new contract

Posted on November 30, 2009 by Dan MacLeod in News

After nearly eight months of negotiations, the University of Maine System and its faculty union continue to lock horns over issues of compensation and academic freedom on a new two-year contract.

The Associated Faculties of the University of Maine, which has around 1250 members, has tried to maintain faculty positions in exchange for keeping wages and benefits flat, but UMS has said they can’t promise professors won’t lose their jobs, according to union leaders.

Forum solicits student input in USM restructuring

Posted on November 30, 2009 by Matt Dodge in News

Student body president Maggie Guzman has a warning for students about the impending restructuring of USM: “They should be scared,” she said.

The We Vote coalition – headed by Guzman – will host an open forum to solicit input from students on USM’s impending implementation of the Plan on Dec. 3, which could leave the school with a very different look come next fall.

“Students may come back [from winter break] and find their major is on the chopping block,” Guzman at a meeting of the coalition before Thanksgiving break.

Web site lets students compare professors

Posted on November 30, 2009 by Sunny Hubler in News

Picking a class schedule can be particularly stressful time for students. Students have to meet all their requirements, make sure classes don’t have a time conflict or fill up before they can get a spot and for many, one of the most important considerations in choosing a class is the professor.

No one wants a professor who is notoriously difficult, inconsistent, or boring. So how does one know? Certainly you can ask around or just pick arbitrarily and hope. Or you can do what more and more students are choosing to do and turn to the internet.

RateMyProfessors.com is a web site that was founded in 1999 by a Californian software engineer. The site has since been purchased by MTVu and subsequently expanded, now containing more than ten million ratings for countless professors at collegiate level institutions across the nation.

Letter From the Student Body President

Posted on November 30, 2009 by The Free Press in Perspectives

I hope you all enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday and have come out of your turkey comas ready to tackle the last few weeks of the semester.

So far this year, you’ve witnessed some distinct changes at USM; such as the combination of Advising Services, Office of Early Student Success and Career services into the Student Success Centers- which are located on all three campuses.

As you may have heard, this is the first of many changes that USM will be undergoing over the next few years. These changes are in part due to budget cuts. Our administrators are working tirelessly to make very difficult decisions on our behalf, with the intention of obtaining the best possible outcome for USM past, present and perspective students.

Where to shop in Portland for: CLOTHES

Posted on November 30, 2009 by Aubin Thomas in Arts & Culture

If the over-crowded, Christmas song infused Mall scene is too much for you this season, but you still want some trendy clothing to compliment your winter wardrobe, there is still hope. Here are three shops in downtown Portland that can meet your vintage style clothing needs without making you take out another loan.

Review: John Mayer “Battle Studies”

Posted on November 30, 2009 by Dave Murphy in Arts & Culture

Everybody knows John Mayer’s 2001 bubblegum sex-pop ditty, “Your Body is a Wonderland” and its endearing combination of quiet guitar strumming and sweetly graphic lyrics.

Somewhat less well-known is that Mayer may be one of the best guitarists alive today. He’s won every major music award (including 13 Grammys) and jammed with blues and jazz giants like Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Herbie Hancock, B.B. King and John Scofield. He was even named one of the “New Guitar Gods” by Rolling Stone in 2007, placing him alongside Derek Trucks of the Allman Brothers and John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

His fourth solo album “Battle Studies,” which came out two weeks ago, isn’t as good as some of his earlier work, but it still delivers 45 great minutes of music. Personally, I hadn’t been so excited to pick up a record since Dave Matthews Band released Big Whiskey & The GrooGrux King this past summer. After practically running out of Bull Moose with “Battle Studies” in my hand, I immediately threw it in my car’s CD player and began my listen.

Restaurant Review: Shima – Stylishly Scrumptious

Posted on November 30, 2009 by Jeff Ferland in Arts & Culture

For years now, Yosaku, that Japanese place on Danforth St. near Brian Boru, has been my favorite place in town to go for sushi. But I’m starting to reconsider. After two delicious meals last week at Shima, the new French / Japanese fusion restaurant that just opened on Fore St. across the street from Rosie’s, I think my loyalties are beginning to shift.

To begin with, Shima has a menu vast enough that I may never become familiar with it all as well as a constantly shifting set of specials. I opted for a special – the tempura-fried, fish-wrapped spinach – since it didn’t sound like anything I’d ever had before, and I figured it’d be wonderful to try. Indeed, it was. Served on a plate full of a sauce which tasted distinctly French, it was a flavorful dish far surpassing my simplistic prior experiences with sushi.