Author: USM

A foul odor has stained the air of the Portland campus. The smell is most obvious near the Powers House, where it sits under the noses of student senators and members of student organizations. “It smells horrible. It smells like living on a farm,” said former Senator Michelle Argo. What is responsible for the stench?…

One of the challenges in the life of some with a sexually diverse orientation is telling friends and family. This challenge has been eased by some of the recent events that have taken place at the University of Southern Maine. Last week USM celebrated National Coming Out Week, an event sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian,…

Soon after the attacks on Sept. 11, the United States began calling military reservists to active duty. Although it seems unlikely, there has been talk of a draft. A scary thought for some, and not everyone knows how they would react. Would you go to war if your number were called? Are you a conscientious…

A student walked into the Portland campus health office last week looking for smallpox vaccine. No one could help the woman, as the government stopped producing the vaccine over 25 years ago when it was believed the very deadly and contagious disease had been eradicated. But that student is not alone in her fears. As…

After passing through security again in Chicago’s O’Hare airport, Professor Andrew Potts raced down the terminal, desperate to catch the last connecting flight into Portland that began boarding several minutes earlier. He arrived in time to learn the plane had just closed its doors. Then his trouble began. With no customer service stand in the…

The Federal Bureau of Investigation can confiscate international students’ records without their knowledge or permission. Following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the FBI has began to assert its right to obtain personal data about students studying in the country under student visas. Under the law, neither the FBI nor the university involved is required to…

A small stereo plays soft music in the background. The mail-metering machine hums hypnotically. Pictures of celebrities, such as sports starts, politicians, and peace-loving John Lennon, line the walls. The sleepy tone of this cozy, half-lit mailroom on the Portland campus remains calm even as fear spreads through mailrooms across the nation. Mailrooms and private…

The state has ordered the University of Maine System to reduce its current budget by $2.6 million prompting USM officials to initiate a hiring freeze last week and to fill open positions on a case-by-case basis. Gov. Angus King’s order gives USM less than nine months to cut over $700,000. “A downturn in the state…

Name? Leslie Silcox. Year, major? Undeclared, sophomore. How old are you? Nineteen. How long have you lived in Maine? Since July 2000 and, before that, California for 8 years. Do you like Maine? It’s all right, but I liked the weather in California better. What is your most memorable school experience? I went on an…

Men’s Cross-Country 10/6 Maine State Meet 12:00 p.m. 10/12 Open New Englands 11:00 a.m. Women’s Cross-Country 10/6 Maine State Meet 12:00 p.m. 10/12 New England Open 12:00 p.m. Field Hockey 10/2 @ Bowdoin College 4:00 p.m. 10/6 Keene State 1:00 p.m. 10/8 @ Bridgewater State 1:00 p.m. 10/10 Colby College 3:30 p.m. 10/13 UMass Dartmouth…

Headaches “Sometimes it can feel like pounding on your temples, other times like your head is in a vice.” Descriptions of headache pain are as countless as those who experience them. Over 40 million Americans suffer from headaches. Each year we spend billions of dollars on over-the-counter pain relievers, treating the symptom rather than preventing…

University of Maine men’s ice hockey Head Coach Shawn Walsh lost his battle with cancer last Monday at Eastern Maine Medical Center, passing away at age 46. It was a battle that began in June 2000 when Walsh was first diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma, the most common form of kidney cancer. There are 18,000…