Last year, USM shut down an art exhibit for the first time in the school’s history. During the time that “Can’t Jail the Spirit” was supposed to be hanging in the Woodbury Campus Center, Ubu Gallery in Portland’s East End hosted the exhibit. The show then traveled to Philadelphia, Providence, New York City and Cambridge to the Harvard Divinity School.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Listening to Bill Clinton speak last Thursday and sitting in on part of the Student Senate meeting on Friday, I remembered why I avoid politics and political discussions at all costs. First, while I do have strong beliefs on many subjects, I am not always comfortable or knowledgeable enough to defend them.
Twenty-six academic programs put on “probation”
Twenty-six academic programs have been put on a list threatening their suspension in the latest effort to improve USM’s efficiency and reduce its spending.
The list, released last Friday by Mark Lapping, the university provost, includes many of the sciences, as well as economics, the women’s and gender studies program, several master’s programs and a couple from the Lewiston/Auburn College.
It was released in the form of a letter and also presented to both the faculty and student senates.
Both the letter detailing the list and a “Moving Forward” newsletter issued by Interim President Joe Wood state that these programs are being evaluated – not cut – and that the possible suspensions will affect neither tenured faculty nor students already enrolled in the programs.
Programs on the list are essentially on probation – they are being cited for showing “low retention and graduation trends over time,” inadequate funding, or issues with “internal communications and civility,” among other things.
Stephen Holt lends strength, balance to cheerleading squad
Stephen Holt is USM’s only male cheerleader. Choreographed into routines with nine women, he provides strength and balance to their aesthetically-focused routines: in any given human pyramid, Holt will be found at the bottom center position.
Despite stereotypes surrounding cheerleaders, the last decade has granted cheerleading national recognition and respect for being a physically demanding sport on par with the football and basketball teams they cheer for.
Give a little love
There’s nothing like a subtle compliment to boost the spirits of your Valentine. Do-It-Yourself projects meet the cheesy world of Valentine’s phrases in just a few simple steps. Hot sauce 1. Cover the label of a bottle of hot sauce. 2. On a new label write a phrase that includes the temperature of your Valentine.
Dear Professor, don’t expect us to fail
Spring semester is here, and it has happened again: the topic of non-traditional, older students arose, framed by failure. It doesn’t happen in every class, but it happens enough that it has gotten on my last nerve. I am curious if anyone has looked at the withdrawal rate for older students and compared it to those of our younger counterparts.
New housing option
You’ve seen the ads, heard the buzz, and may have noticed that major construction is not just taking place on our side of 295. Across the highway, there is new student housing coming to Portland — and USM is not involved. Bayside Village, currently under construction on Marginal Way, touts itself as “Portland’s premier student housing community.
It’s time to give credit where it’s long overdue
They are among the most the most successful sports programs at USM, right up there with baseball and women’s basketball. And they have been entirely ignored.
“They” are the USM women’s track team.
What exactly constitutes a great team or program —- character? hard work? determination? the ability to succeed when all the odds are against you?
These women, 38 of them this season, don’t complain about the coverage that they don’t get, they just go out and do what they do best — winning.
Stage set for senior director
House lights are on high, splashing white and yellow onto the black walls framing the stage. Student actors are positioned around the unfinished set in their street clothes while senior Kristen Peters watches her peers work through the script. They are pacing around the skeleton of a beach house that will, I’m assured, soon be surrounded by actual sand.
DON’T STAY HOME
Monday, February 11, 2008 Check out “In the Center of It All: Glimpses of African American Life in Central Maine,” the annual exhibition by the African American Collection of Maine. The exhibit is open during library hours/ Glickman Family Library/ Portland Campus/ fmi: http://library.
Forcing kids into adult situations
Interesting that the “discussion” of sex education (“Panel questions abstinence-only sex education,” Feb. 11) only included views from one side of the issue. As a health care provider in rural Maine who sees the effects of children being provided all the contraception they may need, it saddens me that adults will fight for parents to be excluded in this aspect of children’s lives.
My professor’s my boyfriend
“You’re not going to use my name, are you?” she said from the driver’s seat, her long ponytail whipping around as she turned to face me. “You can’t use my name.”
As we pulled into a space in the university parking garage, her voice wavered and her hands fidgeted on the wheel.
Overcoming hurdles, staying strong off the blocks
Led by senior captains Hattie Landry (Wells), Christa Hutchinson (Gorham) and Emily Poliquin (Lisbon Falls), the women’s indoor track team put a big win under their shoes and grasped the program’s third state championship. Other standouts included sophomores Sarah Hale (Naples) and Emily Artesani (Orono).
Out with the old, in with the new
From Italy to the South Pole, Russia to Australia, the 59 Seconds Festival has traveled the globe with the goal of presenting their unique film festival 59 times. Last Friday, USM became stop number 51. The one-time-only project, a traveling film festival that changes each time it’s shown based on audience reviews, will have traveled to 59 locations around the world by its end in 2009.
Don’t want to miscredit $15 million
In your article on Adam Gopnik’s talk at the Holiday Inn By The Bay, which I did attend, there is a GLARING error about which Osher donates to the Osher Map Library. It is Dr. Harold Osher, not his brother Bernard, who is the big donor there. I believe he has donated over $15 million to USM, and this error should be rectified as clearly as possible.
Former President endorses Hillary at Expo
A grey-haired man standing on the floor of the Portland Expo waved a large yellow sign that read ‘MEN FOR HILLARY.’ A little girl in the bleachers held up one that read ‘Pave the Way, Hillary!’ Behind former President Bill Clinton, Hillary’s own motto hung: ‘Solutions for America.
From the diamond to the director’s desk
Even before he was coordinating 23 sports teams and their facilities, USM Athletic Director Al Bean was doing yeoman’s work for the school. A 1977 USM graduate, Bean was a workhorse on the baseball diamond, compiling a number of records and accolades as one of the school’s best pitchers of all time.
After weeks of rehearsal, music students sing for visiting opera coach
Marie-France Lefebvre, a nationally renowned opera coach, visited the USM School of Music last week to give master classes.
“It’s such a cool opportunity to have her here,” said senior vocal performance major George Eisenhauer. “I wish I could have worked with her more.
We don’t need a Sox dynasty
In regards to the Mike Tardiff’s sports column, “Santana going to Mets means no Sox dynasty” (Feb. 11), I am very happy that the Red Sox kept Lester and Ellsbury. I would much rather have them than Santana. The Sox have great pitching now, and they were smart not to get greedy.
Democratic candidates invade Maine
Sitting behind Chelsea Clinton in the Woodbury Campus Center on Saturday as she spoke to the public were several stylish students in business attire holding HILLARY signs, the backdrop for the news cameras aimed at them all.
Poised and well-spoken, Chelsea talked about her mother as America’s best candidate.
MIKE ON SPORTS
Seldom have the paths of sports and government crossed with much regularity, but now, more than ever, government officials are consistently overstepping their bounds and trying to micromanage the sports world.
Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter recently called for a full-fledged investigation of the Patriots.
WMPG thanks listeners, supporters with celebration
The only requirement to enter WMPG’s Cajun Cookin’ Challenge was that you had to bring a minimum of ten gallons of food. This didn’t stop the nine restaurants or several feisty individuals that vied for the 2008 crown. By the end of the afternoon judging period, supplies were diminishing as the contestants raced to cook up and dish out new batches of their specialty dishes.
Let’s be rail-, bike-, and foot-friendly
While Portland continues to be nationally recognized for its “green” accolades and eco-friendly living, the Maine Department of Transportation has proposed to widen 295 and essentially throw money at the highways to solve the increasing transportation issues plaguing our city and state.
HUSKY HIGHLIGHTS
Men’s Hockey Huskies down foe Bowdoin 4-2 The USM men’s hockey team used a solid goaltending effort by junior goalie Jamie Gilbert (Lewiston) to skate past the Polar Bears 4-2 in hockey action at the USM Ice Arena on Feb. 2. The win lifted the Huskies to a 12-4-3 and a 6-4-3 mark in league contests.