Community critiques restructuring

Posted on March 15, 2010 by Dave Holman in News

Students, faculty, staff and community members last week met in forums to respond to a proposed restructuring plan that would consolidate USM’s eight colleges into five.

Student Body President Maggie Guzman helped the Student Senate organize a series of student forums in Portland, Gorham and Lewiston-Auburn last week.

Union gals, booze and throwing knives

Posted on March 15, 2010 by Dylan Martin in Arts & Culture

Produced in partnership by the USM Department of Theatre and School of Music, “The Pajama Game” is set during a labor dispute in a pajama factory where the union girls, lead by Babe, played by Emily Holton, have reached an impasse with the Factory Head Myron Hassler over his refusal to raise wages by seven and a half cents.

Financial Freedom in DIII

Posted on March 15, 2010 by Joel Neill in Sports

At USM the Athletics Department takes great pride in the players and teams that represent the institution on and off the field. There are instances though when student-athletes struggle to pay for their education, and are forced to leave school and their teams in search of ways to become financially stable.

Husky Hero

Posted on March 15, 2010 by Joel Neill in Sports

FP: Why did you choose to come to USM? Was it the academics or the cross-country and track and field programs?

EG: I chose USM for a mix of both. Academically, USM was well-known for its Nursing and Health Science Programs which were the majors I was deciding between.

SGA Elections Open This Week

Posted on March 15, 2010 by Lauren Emery in News

The USM Student Government is holding elections Monday through Wednesday this week for the upcoming 2010 school year.

Students will choose a new student body president as well as 18 student senators.

The Senate oversees various proposals and monetary requests, and also takes official stances on policies.

Feds to lend directly to students

Posted on March 15, 2010 by Dan MacLeod in News

Students who take out federal loans to pay for school this year will no longer have to pick which bank they prefer: they’ll now borrow directly from the U.S. Department of Education.

USM announced last week the switch to the Federal Direct Loan Program. Students with financial aid who take out Federal Stafford and PLUS loans will borrow directly from the federal government, eliminating the need for third party service fees, and simplifying the loan process, according to university officials.

Students pushing for community garden in Portland

Posted on March 15, 2010 by Paul Koenig in News

An unofficial student group organized the Organic Garden Project so members of USM could have a chance to have a plot to grow vegetables, fruit, flowers and herbs.

Student body president candidate Ashley Willems-Phaneuf

Posted on March 15, 2010 by Paul Koenig in News

If elected, it won’t be difficult for Ashley Willems-Phaneuf to step into Student Body President Maggie Guzman’s shoes; during an interview with The Free Press, she was already wearing them.

Willems-Phaneuf, a student senator, said she feels like she’s “been in training” to become student body president all year.