USM students fanned out in the greater Portland area last Friday to lend a helping hand to local charitable organizations for USM’s first annual university-wide Day of Service. At 9:30 a.m. on Friday morning, Chris O’Connor, assistant dean of student life, turned down the energetic music and shouted “Good Morning USM!” A crowd of blue-shirted…
Category: News
USM’s rooftops go green
Keen observers may notice plants growing on several small roofs of the Abromson Community Education Center and Wishcamper Center of the USM Portland Campus. These plants are not there by accident – they’re green roofs designed to reduce water run-off, extend roof lifespan, and reduce heating and cooling needs. In 2006 USM installed several prototype…
USM student plans picnic with guns
Freshman Shane Belanger, a pre-med biology major, is organizing a picnic in Portland’s picturesque Back Cove at the end of April. “It’s a nice little barbecue between friends – friends with a common interest,” said Belanger. Their common interest: gun owners who want to exercise their right to carry a holstered weapon in public. He…
Faculty Senate endorses consolidation plan
The faculty senate voted 25 to 17 to endorse President Selma Botman’s final restructuring plan for the university in their meeting Friday afternoon. While some faculty remained vocally averse to where their departments would fall within the new colleges, the senate voted with the understanding that the names of the new colleges and the departments…
Dining Services holding events for Earth Week
USM’s Dining Services organized a series of events to promote sustainability at USM as part of Earth Week, which kicked off on Monday. Tyler Kidder, the sustainability coordinator for Dining Services, organized USM’s Earth Week activities which also celebrate the 40th anniversary of the international Earth Day on Thursday. “I hope that USM can get…
First annual Day of Service kicks off Friday
USM students will fan out in the Portland area this Friday to lend a helping hand to local charitable organizations for USM’s first annual Day of Service. “We have set up projects throughout the community and a couple outside of Portland in Southern Maine that is designed to engage a mass amount of students at…
For USM student, state house run starts one neighbor at a time
Last Saturday, Mohammed Dini walked around Portland’s Parkside neighborhood, collecting five dollars at a time to help him get to the State House.
Why do we need the census?
For the past month, the US Census has been sending out forms to over 130 million households across the country in order to count the number of people in America. Here at USM, census officials are reaching out to students, traditionally a difficult population to count. Gail Driscoll, a partnership specialist with the Portland Census…
Hockey player charged with violating probation
A USM hockey player convicted of second degree manslaughter in 2005 was charged with violating probation on Friday in Stamford, Conn. as a result of an alcohol-related summons issued in Westbrook in March. Brett Kapteina, 25, was arraigned Friday in state Superior Court in Stamford and could face prison time because of the technical probation…
Tenured faculty spared from layoffs
USM won’t lay off any tenured faculty in the next two academic years, but administrators may cut non-tenured faculty positions and majors that routinely graduate fewer than five students a year to account for a budget gap of around $500,000. “There will not be any retrenchments this year and next [academic] year,” said President Selma…
Gorham community and Greeks meet to strengthen ties, build a relationship
“I’ve got a file that thick I could have brought,” said Tim Allard, holding his index finger and thumb a few inches apart. “I didn’t bring it — fresh beginning,” he said as he wiped his hands together. Fraternity representatives, administrators and Gorham Police and community members met last Thursday in Gorham for the first…
Hockey player charged with violating probation
A USM hockey player convicted of second degree manslaughter in 2005 was charged with violating probation on Friday in Stamford, Conn. as a result of an alcohol-related summons issued in Westbrook in March. Brett Kapteina, 25, was arraigned Friday in state Superior Court in Stamford and could face prison time because of the technical probation…
Guzman delivers State of the University address
As the end of another academic year draws near, the student government has begun welcoming newly elected senators and looking ahead to next year. Last Friday, outgoing Student Body President Maggie Guzman delivered her State of the University Address, an annual tradition since the office was created in 2005. In her speech, Guzman said change…
Willems-Phaneuf elected student body president
In an election marked by the highest voter turnout in recent memory, Ashley Willems-Phaneuf was elected student body president, pulling nearly double the votes of her lone opponent, Charles Silsby. Almost 700 students voted in this year’s student government election. “It’s one of the highest voter turnouts we’ve had in years,” said Chris O’Connor, assistant…
Student arrested for assault after confrontation with police over bike lock
USM police arrested a student for assault on Monday afternoon after he confronted a police officer who cut the lock off his bike. Samuel Haverinen, 32 of South Portland, was transported by Portland Police to Cumberland County Jail, where he was held on $60 bail. A representative for the jail said he posted bail that…
Topless marchers turn heads in Portland
Roughly 30 topless women marched from Longfellow Square to Tommy’s Park in Portland on Saturday to protest the taboo of female nudity. No law prohibits female toplessness in Maine. Police were on hand to ensure that onlookers didn’t cause problems and marchers didn’t cause too big of a disruption. Police reported no problems, but march…
Botman approves consolidation plan
USM President Selma Botman announced on Friday her endorsement of the plan to reorganize the university’s eight schools and colleges into a five-college model, which officials say will save the school $1.3 million a year. Botman answered questions and concerns about the plan with the USM Faculty Senate on Friday and will continue the discussion…
Veterans push for sustainable energy
When a large, blue military bus sat parked outside the Woodbury Student Center on Monday, March 29, the engine wasn’t idling and the decorated veterans who exited the bus weren’t on campus to seek fresh recruits. “The US imports oil from countries like Russia, Venezuela and Saudi Arabia and the largest source of Taliban funding comes…
Health care reform: what does it mean?
Over the past two weeks, as democrats have celebrated the hard-won victory of historic health care reform, many Americans — and USM students — have wondered exactly what the bill means to them. The bill won’t take full effect until 2014, but some reforms will be enacted this year. As far as college students are…
Obama lauds health bill in Portland
In his first visit to Maine since he was elected president a year and a half ago, President Barack Obama on Thursday laid out the immediate effects of the recently passed health care reform bill and brushed off threats from detractors who have called for repeal of the law. Obama extolled the immediate impact of…
Community critiques restructuring
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.
SGA Elections Open This Week
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
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
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.