It is election time again at USM. The student senate elections will be held March 15 through 18 on both the Gorham and Portland campuses. This year students will not just be voting in student senators for the 2004-2005 academic year; they will be voting on two ballot questions as well.

A look at each of the candidates, including their goals, their focus issues, and their extra-curricular activities.

The Student Senate debated for three hours last week before finally approving a proposal to give $1,600 of Student Activity Fee money to the Model UN. The group needs the money to send eight students to this year’s World Model UN (WorldMUN) conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

New propositions before the Maine State Legislature are aimed at keeping Maine’s youth from seeking out of state education and employment. Among the proposals are strengthening relationships between universities and the business sector, creating a legislative team to do so and launching a comprehensive state marketing campaign.

Student Senator Richard Cook took responsibility for his son’s death in an email sent out to the Student Senate listserv last Friday evening. “My son died today because of my neglectfulness,” he wrote.

The case is currently under investigation by the Portland Police and is considered a suspicious death.

“Phone, Kevin.” A toddle with a fist full of blocks has wandered into the main office area of USM’s Gorham Childcare Center. “That’s the fax machine, Preston, it’ll pick up automatically. Good ear though.” Program Manager Kevin Dean offers Preston a smile, and he returns to the Pre-School room.

Darren Ranco, a Penobscot Indian, spoke last Friday in the Luther-Bonney Auditorium. His speech was entitled “Power and identity in state sanctioned science: Environmental racism and the logic of genocide.” Ranco was the keynote speaker in a series that went on all day.

It’s not too early to be thinking about doing your income taxes. W-2 forms will be mailed by employers the first week of February. The earlier you file, the earlier you get the refund check to help pay your bills! If you wait until the last minute to do your taxes, save this article with your pay stubs until it’s ripe! Unless you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, you have to work, go into debt, or depend on a spouse or parents to help cover school expenses.

March 4 Someone reported being pushed to the floor from behind by an unknown assailant in Portland’s Masterton Hall. March 5 A fire extinguisher was dropped from Upton Hall in Gorham onto the sidewalk below. The extinguisher was removed from the fourth floor of the building and therefore probably dropped from that floor.

Students, faculty, staff invited to discuss long-term planning…

Upcoming seminar part of ongoing series on women’s interests…