Be ready to add another medium to your social calender. With over one thousand members and gaining, students at USM are supporting the new addition to their Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Google+, and Linkedin, accounts. While the list goes on and on, Nathan Dionne, senior majoring in finance and economics, and his business team recently released…
Author: USM
Students and faculty study environmental effects of burning wood
With the rising price of oil and gas heat prompting many Mainers to burn wood instead, a team of University of Southern Maine undergraduates and researchers are studying the environmental effects of the byproducts wood-burning stoves put into indoor atmospheres. “The real issue here is not so much that anything we’re doing here is particularly…
Of midwest moonshine in Great Western Plain’s ‘Mustache Eye Patch’
Despite their residency in the Pine Tree State, Great Western Plain encapsulates those expansive west-of-Mississippi flats that stretch from Texas to Canada in sublime isolation. With their sophomore release Mustache Eye Patch, the Portland trio lets their frustrations loose like a drunken twister in Kansas. Mustache Eye Patch is a recipe for the perfect cowboy garage rock record,…
Popular Portland restaurant, Silly’s, gets a new ‘Twist’
Malt! Who goes there? No, it’s not a typo. Loaded with Bailey’s Irish Cream, chocolate, malt and coffee, “Malt! Who goes there?” is one of the many cleverly-named cocktails offered at Silly’s With a Twist, the latest addition to Portland’s East Bayside neighborhood. Located at 40 Washington Ave., Silly’s With a Twist opened in the…
A&C Recommends: Jaws Gems and Ro Sham Beaux at SPACE
By Kirsten Sylvain, Contributor This Friday, two of New England’s most impressive genre-fusion acts will take the stage, as Portland’s own psychedelic soul band, Jaw Gems, will be joined by the experimental jazz quartet, Ro Sham Beaux, at SPACE starting at 9 p.m. “We like weird sounds with a soulful element,” said Jaw Gems’ pianist,…
Huskies lose season opener to UNE in game with plenty of penalty minutes
With the sun shining and a crispy spring breeze blowing the University of Southern Maine men’s lacrosse team kicked off the 2012 season playing their first game on the newly constructed Hannaford Field in Gorham Tuesday afternoon. In what turned out to be quite a heated contest despite the chilly weather, the Huskies dropped the game 5-7 to the University of New England Nor’Easters, bringing UNE’s win streak to three.
Rushworth Kidder event at USM on March 16 is cancelled
We were informed that Dr. Rushworth “Rush” Kidder, who was scheduled to speak at the University of Southern Maine next week, passed away. The March 16 event at which he was to speak, “How Good People Make Tough Choices,” is cancelled and will not be rescheduled. For more information, please contact Assistant Provost for Core…
Refugee Work Keeps Successful New Author Grounded
Under a thatch-roofed school in western Thailand, near the border of Myanmar (formerly Burma) refugee children gather around a middle-aged white man who has come from America to live and work teaching them English and house building. He’s flown half-way around the world from his native California to this one spot. In the weeks leading…
USM art students left high and dry by closing of The Art Guru
University of Southern Maine art students in Gorham can no longer rely on a nearby art supply store, which for years offered discounts and guidance to students.
Faculty morale takes a hit in new round of budget cuts
With the possibility faculty and staff could lose their jobs in a new wave of budget cuts, morale is low reportedly low amongst at faculty at the University of Southern Maine, which is facing a grim $5.1 million budget shortfall projected for the upcoming fiscal year 2013.
The science of Mango Floss and ‘Semper Augustus’
Picture Albert Einstein alive and well in 2012, joining Portland’s indie rock scene to propose his theory of indie-rock relativity: a carefully engineered theory seeking a fresh approach to a tried-and-tired music genre that combines science theory and sci-fi monsters with catchy hits. Semper Augustus, the new album from Portland indie-pop trio Mango Floss, would…
New Occupy USM group seeks to engage students, staff and faculty
In an effort to ignite student involvement with the Occupy Wall Street movement, two students and one alumnus from the University of Southern Maine have formed a new Occupy group centered around the university. Occupy USM’s founders said the group will also focus on issues concerning higher education and student debt, as well as the core…
Koenig: Colleges debate how to lose $1 million without students noticing
You can find at least one story from The Free Press every year with a headline like this: “Faced with massive budget shortfall, colleges forced to make large cuts next year.” There’s a good chance the University of Southern Maine has been scrambling to make its budget every year you’ve been a student. A few weeks ago the deans of the colleges were informed they had to slash an extra $1 million from their budgets.
No rest for Portland foodies during Maine Restaurant Week
Winter blues got you down? If you love memorable food, noteworthy dining experiences and contributing to a good cause, the fourth annual Maine Restaurant Week can help relieve your cabin fever. From now until March 10, restaurants throughout the state have an opportunity to showcase their dishes at budget-friendly prices. At some fine dining establishments…
A&C Recommends: ‘Marx Reloaded’ at SPACE
Tonight, the University of Southern Maine’s Philosophy Symposium, the student philosophy organization, will be hosting a screening of the 2011 German documentary film Marx Reloaded at SPACE followed by a Q&A with USM philosophy professor Jason Read. Marx Reloaded re-examines the impact of the 19th century socialist philosopher in relation to the 2008-2009 global financial…
College deans will decide on proposed $1 million cuts this week
The additional $1 million in cuts needed from each college at the University of Southern Maine could result fewer faculty and staff and squeezed operating budgets, but the college deans hope to minimize the impact felt by students. The three deans of the major colleges will discuss their proposed $1 million-a-piece budget cuts for next year with Provost John Wright tomorrow, before Wright submits the proposals to President Selma Botman by Friday.
Being a musician in Portland takes new forms with changing economy
Barry Arvin Young didn’t plan on making a living on music in Maine. But after dropping out of college, Young found himself joining a band called Blitz. As he met new friends and role models, he joined other bands and toured continuously through New England during the late 1970s and 1980s, never stopping, never finding…
Faced with massive budget shortfall, colleges forced to make large cuts next year
The University of Southern Maine’s three major colleges have three weeks to come up with about $1 million each in budget cuts for fiscal year 2013 as a result of a budget shortfall of over $5 million. USM President Selma Botman and Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs John Wright’s delivered the news to the faculty of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences on Friday in the Wiscamper Center.
UMS Board of Trustees pick James Page to replace Pattenaude as chancellor
James Page, CEO of the James W. Sewall Company in Old Town and adjunct of professor of philosophy at the University of Maine will be the new chancellor of the University of Maine System. UMS Board of Trustees Chair M. Michelle Hood announced the decision Thursday at the University of Southern Maine in Portland. Page will replace the current chancellor, Richard Pattenaude, who has served since 2007, in March.
Take Two with Mike Costa
By Mike Costa Returning to USM after having left many years ago has been an enlightening experience; a chance to resume educational pursuits and create prospects through networking. Most of all, I find myself in awe of the power and potential of interactions between students and their professors. USM is no stranger to the non-traditional…
Students compete for spot as social media reporter for XFINITY
Seven University of Southern Maine students have the chance to work for a year as a social media sports reporter for XFINITY/Comcast at national sporting events. The students in the BUS 415 sports management seminar course entered the contest as part of a required assignment by submitting 30 second to two minute videos arguing why…
USM Police Beat: smoking weed, urinating on cars, post-Superbowl heartache
Wednesday, Feb. 8 8:30 p.m.–Drug Violation: Complaint of a subject smoking marijuana by the smoking benches. Officer responded and spoke with a group but they were only smoking cigarettes. —Robie Andrews Hall 10:13 a.m. -Fire Call: Report of smoke in a room. Officer and Gorham Fire Department responded and found the cause to be burnt…
VIDEO: Delta Chi takes an icy plunge for charity
Brothers from the University of Southern Maine chapter of Delta Chi partook in Camp Sunshine’s Polar Dip Feb. 11 at East End Beach in Portland. The fraternity had seven brothers run into the frigid water, raising $335 for the Maine charity that provides a retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses and their family. “It was…
Chiu: Don’t get caught up on the fat-fearing bandwagon
For as long as I can remember, my mother always warned me about saturated fats. Saturated fats, according to her conventional wisdom source, clog arteries and contributes to heart disease and obesity. She use to trim excess fat from the occasional steak I was able to enjoy once in a while. As for me, I…